4 ms·

I have never particularly enjoyed Citizen Kane. To me, and this is just my opinion, it is a film where all of the component parts—acting, cinematography, sound,

I have never particularly enjoyed Citizen Kane. To me, and this is just my opinion, it is a film where all of the component parts—acting, cinematography, sound, etc—are brilliant, but are somehow less than the sum of their parts. If you take any individual component and focus on it you are blown away by the craftsmanship, but as a cohesive film, I feel, it just doesn’t come together as well as many of the other films often mentioned as a candidate for best film, such as Casablanca. Obviously many others, most of whom know more than me about film, feel differently.

pmoriarty 6y ago
I fucking hate this overrated, mediocre, trite, boring movie. There are hundreds of far, far better films.
mstade 6y ago
I think it’s damn near impossible to pick a single favorite film, but if you put a gun to my head and force me I’ll say Casablanca every day of the week. I think it’s one of those films where I’d say it’s the exact opposite to your description of Citizen Kane; the individual components aren’t necessarily all that great if you start to examine them closely, but when it all comes together I think it’s pure cinematic gold. I must’ve seen Casablanca a hundred times at this point, and I still laugh at the snappy exchange at the bar between Rick, Sasha and Yvonne[1], gleefully grin when Rick rigs the roulette game in favor of the young Bulgarian couple[2], get goosebumps and damn near cry when the whole place erupts in an impromptu rendition of the Marseillaise to drown out the nazi’s singing[3] etc. etc. I’ve never actually seen Citizen Kane, but I think I’ll do so tonight prompted by your comment. I’d love to see if I agree with your assessment. Thanks! [1]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=14ZnZ4-aGi0 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=14ZnZ4-aGi0 [2]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_bKVAZJBw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_bKVAZJBw [3]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgXw58ZP4Ss https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgXw58ZP4Ss
- SamPatt 6y ago
  Casablanca is also my favorite. Half the lines in the film are quotable. Love the ending. It's just excellent.
  - mstade 6y ago
    Captain Renault is such a great character, and I absolutely love the friendship/rivalry thing going on between him and Rick. Really ties the whole film together I feel, and I wholeheartedly agree with you that the ending is simply excellent!
mstade 6y ago
Said and done. I made myself an old fashion and watched Citizen Kane tonight, and I have to agree with your review. It's a fine piece of art, certainly well produced for the time, but frankly I just didn't really get into the story. It doesn't feel like a cohesive whole. The prologue was so long and on the nose that it was pretty clear from the get go that rosebud was (spoiler alert!) the sled, and then I felt the rest of the movie was just an overly pretentious attempt to convey that it doesn't matter how rich you are if you never get to have your childhood, or something. I quite enjoyed Welles performance though, and in fact I quite enjoyed the performance of most of the characters, especially Bernstein and Leland. The scenes when they arrive at the inquirer we're brilliant. Well, I'm glad to have finally seen this movie but – fully appreciating that I probably have no clue what I'm talking about – I wouldn't place it in my top 10 favorite movies. Probably not even top 100 to be honest.
- etempleton 6y ago
  Glad you were able to finally watch it. It is certainly a film worth seeing. I perhaps will watch it again sometime in the near future. I always want to like it more than I do.

pmoriarty 6y ago

I fucking hate this overrated, mediocre, trite, boring movie. There are hundreds of far, far better films.

mstade 6y ago

I think it’s damn near impossible to pick a single favorite film, but if you put a gun to my head and force me I’ll say Casablanca every day of the week. I think it’s one of those films where I’d say it’s the exact opposite to your description of Citizen Kane; the individual components aren’t necessarily all that great if you start to examine them closely, but when it all comes together I think it’s pure cinematic gold. I must’ve seen Casablanca a hundred times at this point, and I still laugh at the snappy exchange at the bar between Rick, Sasha and Yvonne[1], gleefully grin when Rick rigs the roulette game in favor of the young Bulgarian couple[2], get goosebumps and damn near cry when the whole place erupts in an impromptu rendition of the Marseillaise to drown out the nazi’s singing[3] etc. etc. I’ve never actually seen Citizen Kane, but I think I’ll do so tonight prompted by your comment. I’d love to see if I agree with your assessment. Thanks! [1]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=14ZnZ4-aGi0 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=14ZnZ4-aGi0 [2]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_bKVAZJBw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_bKVAZJBw [3]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgXw58ZP4Ss https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgXw58ZP4Ss

SamPatt 6y ago
Casablanca is also my favorite. Half the lines in the film are quotable. Love the ending. It's just excellent.
- mstade 6y ago
  Captain Renault is such a great character, and I absolutely love the friendship/rivalry thing going on between him and Rick. Really ties the whole film together I feel, and I wholeheartedly agree with you that the ending is simply excellent!

mstade 6y ago

Said and done. I made myself an old fashion and watched Citizen Kane tonight, and I have to agree with your review. It's a fine piece of art, certainly well produced for the time, but frankly I just didn't really get into the story. It doesn't feel like a cohesive whole. The prologue was so long and on the nose that it was pretty clear from the get go that rosebud was (spoiler alert!) the sled, and then I felt the rest of the movie was just an overly pretentious attempt to convey that it doesn't matter how rich you are if you never get to have your childhood, or something. I quite enjoyed Welles performance though, and in fact I quite enjoyed the performance of most of the characters, especially Bernstein and Leland. The scenes when they arrive at the inquirer we're brilliant. Well, I'm glad to have finally seen this movie but – fully appreciating that I probably have no clue what I'm talking about – I wouldn't place it in my top 10 favorite movies. Probably not even top 100 to be honest.

etempleton 6y ago
Glad you were able to finally watch it. It is certainly a film worth seeing. I perhaps will watch it again sometime in the near future. I always want to like it more than I do.