IMDb > Citizen Kane (1941)
Citizen Kane
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Citizen Kane (1941) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 84 | slideshow) Videos (see all 8)
Citizen Kane (1941) -- UK Trailer
Citizen Kane (1941) -- Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance.
Citizen Kane (1941) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Oscar Nominations    Photos    more »

Overview

User Rating:
8.6/10   130,937 votes
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MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Herman J. Mankiewicz (screenplay) and
Orson Welles (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Citizen Kane on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 May 1941 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
365 days in the making - and every minute of it an exciting NEW thrill for you ! more
Plot:
Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations more
User Reviews:
CITIZEN KANE may let some people down, but it's still worth seeing. more (918 total)
US TV Schedule:

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Additional Details

Also Known As:
American (USA) (working title)
John Citizen, U.S.A. (USA) (working title)
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Runtime:
119 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Netherlands:6 | South Korea:12 | Brazil:Livre | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G (original rating) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Ireland:12 (DVD rating) (2003) | Israel:PG | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (video rating) (1985) | USA:PG

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The audience that watches Kane make his speech is, in fact, a still photo. To give the illusion of movement, hundreds of holes were pricked in with a pin, and lights moved about behind it. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Kane hovers over Jed Leland's unconscious form after Susan's horrible opera debut, the paper in the typewriter had a thumb mark in exactly the same place where Kane will grab it out of the typewriter a few seconds afterwards. Evidently they shot this scene at least once before. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Charles Foster Kane: Rosebud.
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
A Poco No more

FAQ

Why does this film have the reputation as the greatest of all time?
What have critics said?
Since there was no one in the room when Kane died, how does anyone know he even said "Rosebud"?
more
361 out of 512 people found the following review useful.
CITIZEN KANE may let some people down, but it's still worth seeing., 2 May 2004
9/10
Author: Matt Huls (cowman777@hotmail.com) from Westland, MI, USA

It's a difficult undertaking for someone of my generation to watch a film like CITIZEN KANE. Not because it's "too old" or "too boring", but because it has been hailed--almost universally--as the single best motion picture ever made. And while the anticipation of seeing a film with such overwhelming acclaim may be quite exhilarating, actually watching it is ultimately an intimidating and somewhat disappointing experience.

This isn't to say that I thought CITIZEN KANE was a bad film; in fact, I thought everything about it was downright brilliant. From the enchanting performances right down to the meticulously planned camera movements and clever lighting tricks, there isn't a single element of CITIZEN KANE that isn't a stunning achievement in all areas of filmmaking.

CITIZEN KANE's storyline is deceptively simple. Even though the plot unfolds by jumping in and out of nonlinear flashbacks, it is surprisingly easy to keep track of. The straightforwardness and relatively fast pace of the story are what make it seem intimidating. Because everything moves smoothly along without any standstill, it feels like we are being fooled-like there is something much greater that we just can't seem to grasp. As a first-time viewer, I knew from its reputation that there must be *something* that separates this movie from all the others; something buried within its simple plotline that everybody else has seen, but that I just could not seem to get a handle on. And then, during those final frames, that something was revealed, and it all began to make sense. To me, it was these moments of confusion and uncertainty followed by a sense of enlightenment and appreciation that made watching CITIZEN KANE such a meaningful experience.

But no matter how great of a movie CITIZEN KANE really is, it can never live up to one's expectations. Although I do feel that it is deserving of its acclamation, the constant exposure to its six decades worth of hype and praise will invariably set most modern viewers' standards at a height that is virtually unreachable--even if it really *is* the best movie of all time.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Citizen Kane (1941)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Do you like this movie really? Or are you on the bandwagon? lbenedicto
Roger Ebert Panting In The DVD Commentary veronicalodge71
The F-Word aaronhutch2002
How many people watch this movie because they actually enjoy it? Josh-is-not-you
Shrieking parrot?!?! BoxOfficeKid
How did everyone know Kane said rosebud? Alex12345269
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