chapter 12_ citizen kane

7/26/2019 Chapter 12_ Citizen Kane

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Study your brains out! There are 39 questions & two bonus questions

one on Philadelphia & one on Ch 12.

Thea B31-Fall STUDY GUIDE Ch #12 Citizen Kane: SYNTHESIS

Citizen Kane is the life story of a powerful newspaper magnate, Charles Foster Kane. It is afictionalized biography of the ruthless publishing baron, William Randolph Hearst !"#$%

!&'!(. In actalit!" the chaacte$ in the %&'ie ae c&%(&$ite$" )a*n +&% the li'e$ &+ $e'eal+a%&$ ,%eican t!c&&n$" t Hea$t *a$ the %&$t &'i&$.

/h&t&0a(h!)regg *oland" the cinematographer for Citizen Kane" c&n$i)ee) the +il% the hi0h (&int in hi$caee th&0ht he %i0ht lean $&%ethin0 +&% the &! 0eni$ 45elle$6. 5elle$" $e) t&$ettin0 ( hi$ &*n li0ht$ in the li'e theate th&0ht the %&'ie )iect&$ *ee al$& e$(&n$ile +&the li0htin0. T&lan) *&l) let 5elle$ )ete%ine the )e$i0n &+ %&$t &+ the li0ht$" t 7ietl!in$tcte) the ca%ea ce* t& %a8e the nece$$a! technical a)9$t%ent$.

5elle$ *a$ )a*n t& the li0htin0 the&ie$ &+ t*& $cce$$+l theatical )e$i0ne$ %an! &+ thetechni7e$ &+ Ge%an E(e$$i&ni$%. He *a$ al$& influenced by the moody, low%+eyphotography of ohn Ford-sStagecoach.

Citizen Kane )i) n&t l&&8 li8e %&$t ,%eican %&'ie$ &+ it$ ea. Each i%a0e *a$ *ell th&0ht&t. N& $h&t & $e7ence *a$ ta8en li0htl!. The $e &+ deep%focus" low%+ey lighting" richtetures" audacious compositions" dynamic contrasts between foregrounds / bac+grounds"bac+lighting" sets with *ceilings;" side lighting, steep angles, epic long shots, 0utaposedwith etreme closeups, dizzying crane shots, special effects galore%%none of these were new,

but Welles used them in such profusion.

/h&t&0a(hicall!"Kane$hee) in a e'&lti&n challen0in0 the cla$$ical i)eal &+ a tan$(aent$t!le that )&e$nt call attenti&n t& it$el+. InKane" the $t!le *a$ (at &+ the $h&*.

*he lighting in the mo1ie is generally in mostly high +ey in those scenes depictingKanes

youth / dealing w2his years as a crusading young publisher4the ha((ie (at &+ hi$ li+e6.

3s he grows older / more cynical, the lighting grows dar+er, more harshly contrasting .

Kanesh&%e" the (alatial


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5elle$ $e) low%angle shots as a 4motif4 throughout the picture" especially 5to emphasizethe awesome power of the protagonist-. C&%ine) *=the (e$(ecti'e-)i$t&tin0 *i)e-an0lelen$" $ch l&*-an0le $h&t$ a$ the &ne +il%e) +&% el&* the +l&&" (&ta! Kane a$ a t&*ein0c&l&$$$" ca(ale &+ c$hin0 an!thin0 that 0et$ in hi$ *a! .

6eep%focus in1ol1es the use of wide%angle lenses" *hich ten)$ t& eaggerate the distancebetween people%%an appropriate analogue for a story dealing w2separation, alienation /

loneliness . Dee( +&c$ (h&t&0a(h! all&*$ %an! $(atial (lane$ t& e ca(te) $i%ltane&$l!in a $in0le ta8e" %aintainin0 the &9ecti'it! &+ the $cene. The a)ience i$ enc&a0e) t& e %&eceati'e in n)e$tan)in0 the elati&n$hi($ et*een (e&(le thin0$ in the $h&t.

In the scene in1ol1ing 7usan 3leander-s suicide attempt" a ca$e-e++ect elati&n$hi( i$$00e$te) in the &(enin0 $h&t. The la!ein0 &+ the %i$e en $cene i$ a 'i$al acc$ati&n: 16 thelethal )&$e *a$ ta8en ! 26 S$an ,lean)e Kane eca$e &+ 36 Kane$ inh%anit!.

*he 3merican cinema of the !&89s was to grow progressi1ely dar+er, both thematically /

photographically, than+s in part to the enormous influence of Citizen Kane. *he most

important style of the decade wasfilm noir%%a style suited to the times.

i$e en $cene

C&%in0 +&% the *&l) &+ li'e theate" 5elle$ *a$ an e(et at $ta0in0 acti&n )!na%icall!. ?&n0$h&t$ ae %&e e++ecti'e %&e theatical %e)i% +& the at &+ mise en scene $& the %&'iec&ntain$ elati'el! +e* cl&$e $h&t$. &$t cl&$e ( $h&t$ *ee e$e'e) +& S$an ,lean)e+&cin0 $ t& ec&%e %&e in'&l'e) *ith he +eelin0$. :ost of the images are tightly framed/ in closed form. &$t &+ the% ae al$& c&%(&$e) in )e(th" *ith i%(&tant in+&%ati&n in the+&e0&n)" %i)0&n) ac80&n). ;The proemic an0e$ et*een the chaacte$ aech&e&0a(he) t& $00e$t thei $hi+tin0 (&*e elati&n$hi($.

&'e%ent

5elle$ *a$ a %a$te &+ the %&ile ca%ea. In Kane" camera mo1ements are generally e;uatedwith the 1itality / energy of youth. ,$ a !&n0 %an" he *a$ a *hil*in) &+ ene0!. 3s anold man" he al%&$t 0&ane) *=each calclate) $te(. ,t that a0e he was filmed in stationarypositions or sitting down.

Welles used crane shots li+e no one else. He also used tra1eling shots.

?i8e all +il%$" Kane ha$ a +e* +la*$--Kane$ )e$tcti&n &+ S$an$ &&% a+te $he le+t hi%. The'i&lence &+ Kane$ a0e *&l)'e een %&e e++ecti'e i+ +il%e) *=the ca%ea cl&$e in e)ite)%&e t& c&n'e! the i)ea &+ +a0%entati&n c&n+$i&n.

Thea B31-Fall St)! Gi)e Ch 12-Citizen Kane 3.


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E)itin0

The editing style in Kane is a display of 1irtuosity, leaping o1er days, months, years. Wellesoften used se1eral editing styles in the same se;uence.

an! &+ the e)itin0 techni7e$ *&8 in c&ncet *ith the $&n) techni7e$ .


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In the aea &+ at )iecti&n" 5elle$ *a$ ale t& $a'e hn)e)$ &+ th&$an)$ &+ )&lla$ ! $h&*in0&nl! (at$ &+ $et$ athe than entie &&%$. 5elle$ *a$ ale t& c&nt &n >K$ $(ecial e++ect$)e(at%ent t& ceate an e(ic can'a$ th&0h $ch techni7e$ a$ ani%ati&n" %atte $h&t$ %ineate$. "9B of Citizen Kane re;uired some +ind of special effects wor+. The etei&

&+ the (alatial %an$i&n &$e) %&ti+ *a$ %eel! a (l&t 0i%%ic8 t& h&&8 the a)ience &n a)a%atic 7e$ti&n that$ eall! a *il) 0&&$e cha$e. 5ith&t thi$ 0i%%ic8" the $t&! *&l) ha'ee%aine) a%lin0 n+&c$e). The $each +& the %eanin0 &+ @>&$e)A $ha(e$ the naati'e.

?i8e a n%e &+ 5elle$ &the %&'ie$" Kane begins w2the end--the death of its protagonistwhen he is about ?'. 5ith hi$ la$t )!in0 eath" he tte$ the *&) @>&$e)A. Then the 0la$$$n&* 0l&e he *a$ h&l)in0 in hi$ han) ca$he$ t& the +l&& $hatte$ . *he plot of the mo1ie isstructured li+e a search for the meaning of the final utterance.

The +la$hac8 $tcte all&*$ 5elle$ t& lea( th&0h ti%e $(ace" cttin0 t& 'ai&$ (ei&)$ &+Kane$ li+e *=& ha'in0 t& a)hee t& a $tict ch&n&l&0!. T& (&'i)e the a)ience *=an &'e'ie*"5elle$ int&)ce) %&$t &+ the %a9& e'ent$ (e&(le &+ Kane$ li+e in a ie+ ne*$ eel $h&*neal! in the +il%. The$e e'ent$ (e&(le ae e(l&e) in %&e )e(th in the in)i'i)al +la$hac8$that +&ll&*.

5itin0Citizen Kane i$ &+ten $in0le) &t +& the ecellence &+ it$ $ceen(la!. The $ci(t$ ath&$hi((&'&8e) c&n$i)eale c&nt&'e$!. He%an an8ie*icz *a$ a H&ll!*&&) e0la" a n&t&i&$Thea B31 Fall St)! Gi)e Ch 12-Citizen Kane .


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)n8" al%&$t t&tall! neliale. 5hen he a((&ache) 5elle$ *ith the &i0inal i)ea +&American 4late calle)John Citizen, U.S.A." an) +inall! Citizen Kane6" 5elle$ a$8e) hi$ +&%e(atne" &hn H&$e%an t& hel( an8ie*icz *ite the $ceen(la!

5elle$ %a)e eten$i'e e'i$i&n$ &n the +i$t +e* )a+t$ &+ the $ceen (la!. an8ie*icz)en&nce) the %&'ie eca$e it )e(ate) a)icall! +&% hi$ $cenai& )i) n&t *ant 5elle$na%e t& a((ea &n the $ceen(la! ce)it. He t&&8 hi$ ca$e t& the 5ite$ Gil) *hich all&*e)&th &+ the% ce)it" &nl! *ith an8ie*icz ecei'in0 t&( illin0. In short, :an+iewiczpro1ided the raw material, Welles pro1ided the genius.

The%aticall!" Kane i$ $& c&%(le . ?i8e %&$t &+ 5elle$ &the %&'ie$" Citizen Kane %i0ht *elle title) The ,&0ance &+ /&*e. He was attracted to themes associated with classicaltragedy the epicE the downfall of a public figure because of arrogance pride. ower /

wealth corrupts / the corrupt de1our themsel1es. G3ll of the characters I-1e played are

1arious forms of Faust,= Welles stated. 3ll ha1e bartered their souls / lost.

Beca$e Kane i$ n&t t&l) in ch&n&l&0ical &)e the (&ta0&ni$t )ie$ in the e0innin0 &+ the+il%" *e )& n&t 8n&* *hat the (&ta0&ni$t *ant$ & h&* he i$ 0&in0 t& 0et it. 5e ae +&ce) t&(iece t&0ethe hi$ li+e +&% the (&int$ &+ 'ie* &+ &the$ . Thi$ techni7e &+ multiple narration+&ce$ $ t& 0a0e the ia$e$ (e9)ice$ &+ each naat&--five different storytellers eachtells us a different story%%%Deland, ernstein, *hatcher, 7usan, / Raymond, the butler /

each tells the story from a different perspecti1e.

Thee ae liteall! dozens of symbolic motifs in the mo1ie. S&%e ae technical film-spredominately low camera angles,others more content oriented as the series of fences thecamera must penetrate before we are able to see Kane. Thee ae also persistent motifs ofstillness, decay, old age & death ***; The ;two most important motifs in the mo1ie areRosebud / the fragmentation motif%%the fragmentation of a person-s life / also, 7usan is

always wor+ing on a 0igsaw puzzle%%symbolic of the fragmentation of a person-s life .@Rosebud= turns out to be a fa1orite childhood possession, but it is also a more generalizedsymbol of loss%%the loss of childhood innocence.4

Nea the en) &+ the %&'ie" Th&%($&n a)%it$ )e+eat. He ne'e )&e$ +in) &t *hat >&$e)%ean$ )e$cie$ hi$ in'e$ti0ati&n a$ (la!in0 *ith a 9i0$a* (zzle.A The ca%ea ac8$ ( t&e'eal th&$an)$ &+ cate$ &+ at*&8" %e%&ailia (e$&nal e++ect$--the +a0%ente) ati+act$&+ a (e$&n$ li+e. Th&%($&n )e$cie$ hi$ in'e$ti0ati&n a$ @(la!in0 *=a 9i0$a* (zzleA. @I)&nt thin8 an! *&) can e(lain a %an$ li+e. Th&%($&n c&ntine$ @N&" I 0e$$ >&$e) i$ 9$ta (iece in a 9i0$a* (zzle....a %i$$in0 (iece.A

I)e&l&0!

Citizen Kane can be classifieda$ liberal in it$ ideological slant"t )e+initel! in the implicitrange in terms of its bias.

Thea B31 Fall St)! Gi)e Ch 12-Citizen Kane L.


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The protagonisti$ a @+i0htin0 liealA a$ a !&n0 e)it&. e) ?elan) i$ hi$ c&%a)e in a%$" hi$c&n$cience +i0e. Bt a$ he 0&*$ &l)e" Kane %&'e$ +the t& the i0ht" en)in0 +inall! a$ anauthoritarian bully.

Kane elie'e$ that en'i&n%ent i$ a $t&n0e +&ce than hee)it!. He $a!$ he %i0ht ha'e ec&%ea eall! 0eat %an i+ he ha)nt 0&*n ( ich.

He is a relati1ist in terms of his morality. His marriage certificate is merely a document.

@owhere in the film does Kane epress an interest in religion. He is a thorough a secularist.

3s a young man, Kane displays nothing but contempt for tradition, the past / authority

figures. Well into middle age, he is oriented more toward the future%%building up hisnewspaper, courting mily from a rich family(, epanding his empire, running for

go1ernor, guiding 7usan-s career. K &++ee) the 2J! &l) 5elle$ an nhea)&+ c&ntact: he *a$ t& e (ai) 1" (e (icte" (l$ 2 M &+ the 0&$$ ecei(t$ . He c&l)(&)ce" )iect" *ite & $ta in an! &+ hi$ +il%$ & +ncti&n in all +& ca(acitie$ i+ he *i$he) .Thea B31-Fall St)! Gi)e Ch 12-Citizen Kane .


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He *a$ 0ante) t&tal ati$tic c&nt&l " an$*eale &nl! t& Ge&0e Schae+e" the enli0htene) hea)&+ the $t)i&.

>K *a$ in +inancial )i$te$$ a$ it ha) een th&0h&t %&$t &+ it$ ie+ $(an. The $t)i& *a$+&n)e) in 12 ! the +inancie &$e(h /. Kenne)!" the +athe &+ the late (e$i)ent" Da'i)

San&++" the hea) &+ >C," late NBC. Beca$e &+ the c&n$tant e$h++lin0 &+ %ana0e%ent" >K+ell &n ha) ti%e$. Thee *a$ n& c&ntinit! nli8e &the %a9&$" >K ha) n& c&n$i$tenti)enti+! & chaactei$tic $t!le. San&++ hi$ ne* (atne" Nel$&n >&c8e+elle" *ante) >K t&(&)ce $&(hi$ticate) (&0e$$i'e +il%$.

5hen 5elle$ ai'e) in H&ll!*&&) in 13" thee *a$ a l&t &+ e$ent%ent &+ hi%--he *a$ 0i'en+il%$ t& %a8e *=& ha'in0 (ai) hi$ )e$ *&8in0 at l&*e le'el$ +i$t. He *a$ an inc&i0ile$%at a$$" +la%&!ant e0a)e) a$ at!" $(ecili&$ a&0ant ! %&$t in)$t! e0la$.

Citizen Kane *a$ $h&t in a$&lte $ecec! *hen the $!n)icate) Hea$t 0&$$i( )i$c&'ee) the(icte *a$ t& )eal *=he &$$$ (i'ate li+e" a ca%(ai0n a0ain$t the %&'ie *a$ lanche). ,$ the

+il% neae) c&%(leti&n" Hea$t$ ca%(ai0n 0&t +e&ci&$. He theatene) the in)$t! *=a $eie$&+ $can)al$ e(&$e$ nle$$ the (icte *a$ )e$t&!e) e+&e elea$e. Hi$ $t&&0e" G$?&i$ B. a!e" the %&$t (&*e+l %an in the in)$t!" &++ee) t& ei%$e >K$ c&$t$" (l$ ati)! (&+it i+ the $t)i& *&l) )e$t&! the ne0ati'e" Hea$t (e$$e) the &the $t)i&$ t& e+$et& &&8 the +il% in thei theate$. Hi$ ne*$(a(e$ attac8e) 5elle$ a$ a C&%%ni$t $00e$te)he *a$ a )a+t )&)0e 45elle$ *a$ e9ecte) +& %ilita! $e'ice eca$e &+ %e)ical ea$&n$6.5ell$ theatene) t& $e nle$$ the %&'ie *a$ elea$e) the $t)i& +inall! )eci)e) t& ta8e thei$8.

The +il% ecei'e) aca)e%! a*a) n&%inati&n$" t 5elle$ *a$ &&e) *hene'e hi$ na%e *a$%enti&ne). *he only

chapter 12_ citizen kane

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