Citizen Kane - a Review on Film (1940)

        Luke, I know you prefer action movies, but you have to recognize all the great techniques that are used in Citizen Kane.  Remember this film was made in the early 1940’s, and many of the elements used in this film were ahead of their time. Computers were not around back then to make special effects with, so the techniques of lighting, editing, camera angles, and framing were used to create all the illusions in the film.  Let me show you how the editing, lighting, and camera angles make this movie great.

        Without editing, the periods over which this film is told would have no continuity.  The time span between younger Kane to older Kane is so great, that it could not possibly be told without editing.  Look at the breakfast scene for example, Luke.  When it starts out, we see Kane and his wife talking happily.  They are sitting close together, bantering back and forth joyfully.  As Kane gets more and more corrupt, his breakfast time with his wife get worse and worse.  Eventually by the end of the sequence, a long table separates Kane and his wife and they are not talking.  If editing were not used to create this scene, the viewer would have had to endure through everyday of Kane’s life, between the first breakfast shot and the last breakfast shot.  This editing sequence takes the viewer through many years, and through many transformations of Kane, in a short amount of film time.  However, it is done so well that the viewer does not feel that he has been left out of anything.  I actually enjoyed being taken through the life of Kane with this editing sequence.

Another scene that uses editing well is the scene with Kane’s sled.  When it is first seen, Kane is playing with it at his home in Colorado.  We can tell that it is his prize possession.  Consequently, when Thatcher takes him to be raised the sled is left in the snow.  Next, the viewer sees snow piling up on the sled.  The viewer hears a train whistle then the white of the snow dissolves into white Christmas paper.  The paper is pulled away and the viewer sees a new sled.  Thatcher then says merry Christmas and a happy New Year.  Between the words Christmas and happy New Year, the viewer is whisked forward to just before Kane’s 25th birthday.  Through this great editing job, the viewer is transported to the moment in time when Kane receives his fortune.  Once again, the viewer does not feel like anything has been left out.  As you can see Luke, this was the first film that used such editing techniques.  These editing sequences help the film progress through the life of Kane, without going through his tedious day to day routines.

The next technique that helps make this film so great Luke, is lighting.  The downfall of Kane is shown in how he is lighted throughout the film.  When he is seen as a boy, he is very brightly lit.  The contrast between him and the snow makes it look like he has a bright future ahead.  When Kane is seen just before signing his declaration of principles, his face is in a white light.  When he bends down to sign the paper his features become black.  This lighting shows that the ideals that Kane promises are not going to be lived up to.  As Kane gets older, the lighting around him gets darker.  Most of the time when Kane is shown in Xanadu, his face is only half seen.  Half of Kane is in the shadows the other in a dimmed light.  The more corrupt and isolated Kane becomes, the dimmer the light around him becomes.  

Lighting also informs the viewer about the character of other people in the film.  The lighting of Thatcher’s library is brilliant.  This suggests that Thatcher’s library be seen as a sacred temple, a monument to himself.  The lighting used on Bernstein, when he recounts his story is subdued; however, it is not subdued in a bad way.  The fireplace gives off a homelike light of warmth and fondness.  Bernstein tells his story with fondness and warmth towards Kane.  Leland is lighted in a natural light.  This lighting makes Leland seem down to earth.  His story is probably the best characterization of Kane.  Though Leland is Kane’s friend, he will not condone Kane’s corruptness.  The lighting on Leland makes him the most unbiased character in the film.  Luke, lighting is a very important tool that is used exquisitely in Citizen Kane.  It also helps make this film great.