Charles Foster Kane
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Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film directed by, produced by, and starring Orson Welles. Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz wrote the screenplay. The picture was Welles's first feature film. Citizen Kane is frequently cited as the greatest film ever made.
IMDb page for the classic film Citizen Kane, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Find cast and crew, plot summary, trivia, reviews, ratings, and more.
- (468K)
- Drama, Mystery
- Orson Welles
- 1941-09-05
- Overview
- Production notes and credits
- Cast
- Academy Award nominations (* denotes win)
The plot of Citizen Kane centres on the rise and fall of publishing magnate Charles Foster Kane. Following Kane’s death at the start of the film, a reporter interviews those who knew Kane in an attempt to better understand his life and the meaning of “Rosebud,” his last word. Flashback episodes of Kane’s life are shown in correspondence with the interviews.
Where does Citizen Kane take place?
Based on flashbacks of discrete episodes in Kane’s life, Citizen Kane mostly takes place in three different settings: Colorado during Kane’s childhood, New York at the height of his success as a media magnate, and finally Florida as Kane nears his demise.
Who is the protagonist of Citizen Kane based on?
The protagonist of Citizen Kane is said to have been based on real-life magnate William Randolph Hearst. Hearst was an American newspaper publisher who built up the nation’s largest newspaper chain and whose methods significantly influenced the practice of American journalism. He fought the production of Citizen Kane from the start and reportedly barred mention of it in his newspapers.
Why is Citizen Kane such an important film?
•Studio: RKO Radio Pictures
•Director: Orson Welles
•Writers: Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles
•Music: Bernard Hermann
•Orson Welles (Charles Foster Kane)
•Joseph Cotten (Jedediah Leland)
•Dorothy Comingore (Susan Alexander Kane)
•Agnes Moorehead (Mary Kane)
•Ruth Warrick (Emily Kane)
•Ray Collins (James W. Gettys)
•Picture
•Director
•Lead actor (Orson Welles)
•Screenplay*
•Editing
•Cinematography (black and white)
- Lee Pfeiffer
Orson Welles directed and starred in this classic film about the life of a media mogul. See the full cast and crew list, including writers, actors, and crew members, on IMDb.
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May 3, 2011 · Woody Allen described Welles as "the only American director." Jack White of the band The White Stripes considers Welles a hero, and wrote a song consisting entirely of lines from Citizen Kane.
Citizen Kane is a 1941 classic directed by Orson Welles, who also starred as a newspaper magnate inspired by William Randolph Hearst. The film features groundbreaking cinematography, sound design, and narrative structure, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential movies of all time.
May 27, 2024 · Orson Welles, American film actor, director, producer, and writer whose classic Citizen Kane (1941) is known for its innovative narrative techniques and its use of photography, dramatic lighting, and music to further the dramatic line. Learn more about Welles’s life and career.
