Essay Example on Citizen Kane: A Masterpiece of Money & Power

Citizen Kane is one of the best expertly directed films. It was released on 1st May 1941, having been directed by Orson Welles. Orson was also the conscript writer, the star and the producer. The central theme of the film is money and power. The main character, Kane, chases money and power, and he uses it to try and gain love and to make others miserable. His wealth isolates him from the people, and he dies in pure loneliness at Xanadu.

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The first visual appearance is filled with great mystery. There is a black cat, an empty bench, mist, fog, darkness, and heavy clouds, which are symbolic in that they represent the occurrence of an adverse event. In this case, the fact represented is the death of Kane in the scene that follows. The mystery is further developed in that scene where there is a glass snow globe with a snowy cottage in it, held by the character later revealed to be Kane.

The ball falls and goes down the staircase while intact, but at the end of the stairs, it breaks into pieces. This is symbolic of the life Kane has led. The ball going down the staircase represents his life, which went downhill in that Kane continued becoming more proud, accumulating more wealth and seeking to be loved by the people by his wealth. He tried to win several elections without much success, and his newspapers went bankrupt during the Great Depression. The eventual breakage of the snowball symbolizes his death after the downhill fall in his life. The snow globe stands out as a center of interest in the scene. It's colorless with a snowy cottage and a smooth texture and well-outlined lines-this aids in drawing the audience's attention to it.

The whole film revolves around Kane's final word, which is "Rosebud." The term serves as a driver to the events that unfolded before Kane's death. No one makes meaning of it, so the news reporters pick that up to find the true meaning of that word. It turns out that Kane also whispered the word "Rosebud" when Susan left him. Rosebud is later revealed to be a sled that Kane owned as a child. It was his final word because he was reminiscing on his childhood just before he died.

In terms of art elements, there's asymmetric balance in the parts of the film where Kane is campaigning. He is right in the middle of his campaign banner behind him and the drapes. The scenes have a consequent rhythm in that right from his death; every flashback unfolds more and more about it right from his childhood to his death. There is a deep focus in scenes that show how Kane loses control and his isolation. This deep focus gives the audience a clear view of the areas which Kane commands and the regions in which Kane lacks total command, such as when he does not win the elections. The placement of the characters in Citizen Kane complements deep focus by the cameras. Emphasis is also brought about by contrast, for example, in Kane's election banner.

The film makes creative use of lighting and shadow to portray the moody atmosphere and the mysterious events that take place in the life and death of Kane. Another element and design used is a pattern that is shown in the dining scene where all officials are well arranged, such that the cameras capture all of them, and Kane sits at the head. Another element brought out is the contrast, which is in Kane's election banner. The background is white, and the name "KANE" and his image are made out in black to stand out as the central message of the banner.

Conclusion

Mobile shots form a perfect unity. There are two high angle shots in the film whereby the camera goes through the window and penetrates the interior of a large room. This is followed by a sequence shot that unites with the high angle shots to form a unity.