McCain Library

McCain Library

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Citizen Kane.


I am taking a Film class. It was more out 0f curiosity than for my major, since I am an English major. We started watching movies last week. Our first movie was Citizen Kane, which on different lists is supposedly the best movie of all time. It was released in 1941. It was directed by Orson Welles. He also played the main character, Charles Kane. In this movie, it involved a man who was taken away from his family at an early age. He was given to a man who he lived with throughout his life. When Kane got older, he started working for a newspaper. He soon began running it. He was also married and seemingly in love. It would be thought had everything in life--success and the love of a woman. But this marriage soon failed when he was caught cheating on her with a younger girl. He chose the younger girl over his previous wife. His career soon failed as well, along with certain friendships. The viewer finds all of this information out throughout flashbacks. A man is investigating Kane's life after Kane died and spoke his last word, which was "Rosebud." He wanted to know what this meant. At the end, the viewer sees all of Kane's belongings burning. It zooms in and you see the sled from his childhood. On the sled is the word "Rosebud." This can symbolize his want for love. He could never return love, but he always wanted to receive it. It can symbolize how he tried filling his life with belongings, his career, and love. Or it can symbolize absolutely nothing. It can show a man's life cannot be summed up into one word.

I think it is good for everyone to watch this film. It was made so long ago. Even if the person does not enjoy the film, it is interesting to see how much filming and movies have changed.

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