Orson Welles
Charles Foster Kane
Search results
Learn about the life and death of Charles Foster Kane, a powerful newspaper publisher, through flashbacks and interviews. Find out the meaning of his last word, Rosebud, and the themes and symbols of the film.
People also ask
Is Citizen Kane a good movie?
What is 'Citizen Kane' about?
What is the question and answer section for Citizen Kane?
Who wrote Citizen Kane?
Learn about the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane, a composite character based on American media barons, in this 1941 classic film directed by Orson Welles. The film explores Kane's rise and fall, his political and personal affairs, and the meaning of his last word, "Rosebud".
- 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
A classic film about the life and death of a newspaper magnate, Charles Foster Kane, whose last word "Rosebud" becomes a mystery for a reporter to uncover. The film shows Kane's rise and fall, his marriages, his political ambitions, and his estrangement from his childhood friend and lover.
Feb 17, 2020 · Learn about the life and death of Charles Foster Kane, a newspaper magnate loosely based on William Randolph Hearst, as told by a reporter in flashbacks. Discover the meaning of Kane's final word "rosebud" and the film's themes and techniques.
Citizen Kane study guide contains a biography of director Orson Welles, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
May 24, 1998 · “Citizen Kane” covers the rise of the penny press (here Joseph Pulitzer is the model), the Hearst-supported Spanish-American War, the birth of radio, the power of political machines, the rise of fascism, the growth of celebrity journalism.
