Citizen Kane

If you love watching confusing movies that beat around the bush, you will love Citizen Kane. This movie made in 1941 directed by Orson Welles is the most confusing, boring, and just plain weird movie I have ever seen. Many critics, however, claim Citizen Kane is one of the best, if not the best, movie ever made. Not to offend many of the critics, but handfuls of other movies deserve that prestigious title. Luckily, how critics view a movie has nothing to do with how the American public accepts the movie. Considering I have never heard of or watched the movie before, I say Americans have decided. Do I recommend this movie? No, Go Shovel Snow. Do not waste your day watching a movie about an old filthy-rich man that does not realize how privileged he is and the reporter's attempt to find out what Rosebud means.


The movie starts out with Charles Foster Kane, played by Orson Welles, being taken from his parents. Kane is playing outside in the snow with his beloved sled. His parents receive $50,000 a year, a minor fortune back then. Charles will spend the rest of his life in the lap of luxury with Thatcher, the guardian Charles never learned to appreciate played by George Coulouris. Charles grew up attending the best schools, wearing the finest of clothes, and knowing all the right people. After Kane's stint in prestigious universities, he decides to enter the paper business with his friend, Jedediah Leiland played by Joseph Cotton. However, one minor detail with this little paper business; it is not the most read paper in New York. This does not satisfy Charles, so he hires the complete staff of a competing paper to get the circulation numbers he needs. 


After Charles has conquered the paper business and has a wife, Emily Monroe Norton Kane played by Ruth Warrick, he decides to run for Governor. Kane is not satisfied with the love of his child, wife, or friends. He needs the love of the entire state. Kane runs against a con-man named Jim Gettys played by Ray Collins. However, Kane has an Achilles heel, he has an affair with a struggling "singer" named Susan Alexander played by Dorothy Comingore. This woman is a struggling singer for a good reason, she has a nasally voice, which Kane somehow finds amusing. Kane loses the race, divorces Emily, and marries Susan. All the while his friendship with Jed is suffering because Kane cannot get his head out from his you know where.


Kane and Susan live a "happy" life together at their castle dubbed Xanadu (I wish I was watching the Olivia Newton John movie instead). Susan's carrier "takes off" and she is performing all around the country with all the papers giving her rave reviews. Wonder how that happens? Finally, Susan is sick of making ears bleed and stops singing, to Kane's protest. The rest of this "classic" is played out in the fortress with fireplaces taller than men and stairs to rival those of Mayan ruins.


Xanadu


One thought about this movie...How can Kane be such an ignorant idiot? He complains constantly about his life and having massive amounts of money saying, "I always gagged on that silver spoon." Why does he complain about having such wealth. Does he not realize what money can do? I understand it cannot buy happiness or love. However, it can feed millions of starving children, help underprivileged children receive an education, or fund research for medical purposes. Kane is only concerned with his life, people loving him, and how much they love him.

If you are in the mood to watch a black and white movie about a self-obsessed man, this movie is for you. I do not care what the critics have to say about this movie, critics are a bunch of people who believe they are superior movie watchers. Luckily, critics do not make a movie classic or awful, the people do. Again, do not waste your precious time watching this movie. Jedediah Leiland had the right idea about ditching Kane. Wish I could have done the same when watching the "classic" Citizen Kane. 

Special thanks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_kane
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/ce/Citizenkane.jpg/220px-Citizenkane.jpg
http://www.untimelythoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/2010.09.29.Xanadu.01.jpg