Citizen Kane A Study in Success, or Lack Thereof

A detailed Summary of Citizen Kane A Study in Success, or Lack Thereof

A success as a publisher, a failure at life. Such is the sad legacy of fictional newspaper mogul Charles Foster Kane. Orson Wells' masterpiece allows us a candid overview of the life and conquests of an early twentieth century media giant, a character based substantially on William Randolph Hurst.

Kane, the only child of simple Midwestern "peseant class" couple, finds himself thrust into a new world of fortune and destiny when a family holding turns profitable. Kane is adopted by savvy investor Walter Parks Thatcher (portrayed by George Coulouris), and given access to a first rate education. His fortune continues to grow. As he comes of age, he developes a passion for newspaper publishing, and purchases a newspaper of his own to satiate his infatuation with print. He brings an altogether new attitude to the paper and its staff, embracing a sensationalistic portrayal of the "news," where his predecessor had clung to convent

The cinematic style of chief photographer Gregg Tolland broke new ground, incorporating fades, dissolves, and unconventional camera angles to eccentuate, or in some cases, subdo elements of the film. For example, Tollend used the relatively new effect of the dissolve to create seemless transitions from scene to scene. He also utilized a low angle shot to effectively aggrandize Kane, thus providing subtle visual reenforcement of the idea of Kane as a powerful presence.

The thread which holds together the otherwise hyper temporal flash forwards is a clever plot device which creates an astonishingly simple framework around which we are left to watch, and put together the pieces. The puzzle is entitled Rosebud. Kane's dying word arouses the interest of an intrepid group of newsreel journalists. Their interviews of Kane's bereft gave opportunity to engage in a series of expository flashbacks to various stages of his life. Th

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Foster Kane, Gregg Tolland, George Coulouris, Rosebud Kane's, Susan Alexander, Ruth Warrick, Hurst Kane, Orson Wells', , foster kane, charles foster, charles foster kane, Charles Foster, failure life,

Approximate Word count = 630
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Movies

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