Film Analysis: Citizen Kane
Through its portrayal of the human experience, Welles’ ‘Citizen Kane’ reinforces the significance of perseverance.
To what extent does your interpretation of ‘Citizen Kane’ support this view?
Orsen Welles’ ‘Citizen Kane’ depicts an accurate portrayal of the human experience through its revolutionary cinematic techniques that continue to resonate even with a modern audience. It is through these techniques that the significance of perseverance is given its true value, as they highlight the search of Charles Foster Kane, newspaper and business tycoon, to secure his ideal, the American Dream. He also strives to find love without knowing how to give it himself. These themes, which remain to be so relevant, even for today’s audience, reinforce the significance of perseverance and its’ place in every human experience.
The concept of the American Dream is a set of ideals in which one would achieve wealth and power and therefore as a ‘natural’ consequence of this, lasting happiness. However, as Charles Foster Kane discovered, it was quite the contrary; the opening scene of the film introduces Xanadu, Kane’s mansion castle with the mis-en-scene connoting a foreboding and ominous atmosphere. A panning shot is used to show the expanse of Kane’s wealth – the initiation of the film in this way establishes to the audience that Kane is someone who has gone to great lengths to attain the wealth and material possessions that he has; however the dark atmosphere suggests that perhaps the American Dream isn’t what it seems. In the words of film critic Jonathon Bowen, ‘Citizen Kane is almost certainly the most interesting character study in film history’; Kane bought as much wealth that money could buy but never truly attained the happiness that he was seeking. Kane’s prolonged search for what he thought the American Dream promised reinforces the significance of perseverance, for despite not achieving any results, Kane continued to seek his ideal.
The extent to which Charles
To what extent does your interpretation of ‘Citizen Kane’ support this view?
Orsen Welles’ ‘Citizen Kane’ depicts an accurate portrayal of the human experience through its revolutionary cinematic techniques that continue to resonate even with a modern audience. It is through these techniques that the significance of perseverance is given its true value, as they highlight the search of Charles Foster Kane, newspaper and business tycoon, to secure his ideal, the American Dream. He also strives to find love without knowing how to give it himself. These themes, which remain to be so relevant, even for today’s audience, reinforce the significance of perseverance and its’ place in every human experience.
The concept of the American Dream is a set of ideals in which one would achieve wealth and power and therefore as a ‘natural’ consequence of this, lasting happiness. However, as Charles Foster Kane discovered, it was quite the contrary; the opening scene of the film introduces Xanadu, Kane’s mansion castle with the mis-en-scene connoting a foreboding and ominous atmosphere. A panning shot is used to show the expanse of Kane’s wealth – the initiation of the film in this way establishes to the audience that Kane is someone who has gone to great lengths to attain the wealth and material possessions that he has; however the dark atmosphere suggests that perhaps the American Dream isn’t what it seems. In the words of film critic Jonathon Bowen, ‘Citizen Kane is almost certainly the most interesting character study in film history’; Kane bought as much wealth that money could buy but never truly attained the happiness that he was seeking. Kane’s prolonged search for what he thought the American Dream promised reinforces the significance of perseverance, for despite not achieving any results, Kane continued to seek his ideal.
The extent to which Charles