Citizen Kane (1941)

Citizen Kane is regarded by some in Hollywood as the greatest film ever made. While I may not agree quite to that degree, I can definitely understand their reasoning.

The film begins with the death of Charles Foster Kane, played by Orson Welles, a fabulously wealthy media mogul, who utters the cryptic word "rosebud" just before he dies. A reporter goes on to try and uncover the secret behind the word, interviewing Kane's friends and associates. The story of Kane's life unfolds as the movie progresses through these interviews.

The ending is poignant and thought provoking, though I won't ruin it for you here. Although I am not sure it is the best movie ever made, no one can deny the incredible use of cinematography which was groundbreaking at the time. Even to those of us who love modern movies, and are used to the innovative use of camera angles and lighting, there are some very striking scenes. There are many scenes where the camera was very low to the ground (in some cases, I am told, it was embedded into the floor to get the angle right), and in others you will notice that objects and people in the foreground AND the background remain in focus at the same time. In addition to the remarkable cinematography (that could hold the attention of movie lovers by itself) stands the amazing performance of Orson Welles as Kane.

I was hoping to find one of my favorite scenes on youtube which features some innovative use of lighting and shadows, but alas it was not to be found. Here is another very interesting scene - pay attention to the camera movement, and the action in the background and the foreground: