Citizen Kane
Hearst even tried to buy the negative and burn it.
A group of reporters are trying to decipher the last word ever spoken by Charles Foster Kane, the millionaire newspaper tycoon: "Rosebud." The film begins with a news reel detailing Kane's life for the masses, and then from there, viewers are shown flashbacks from Kane's life. As the reporters investigate further, the viewers see a display of a fascinating man's rise to fame, and how he eventually fell off the top of the world.
Where to watch Citizen Kane (US)
The man who tried to burn it
Orson Welles was 25, a radio troublemaker with too much talent, and RKO gave him full control. The story was a barely disguised takedown of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, who banned ads, blocked reviews and threatened theaters. It backfired: trying to bury Kane guaranteed its legacy.
Everything he did first
Welles shot from the floor, used deep focus in every frame, jumped through time and layered voices, techniques we now take for granted. Rosebud is still argued over and still iconic. It bombed in 1941, but critics wouldn't let it die.
Stills
Cast and crew
Director: Orson Welles
Cast: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore
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