Citizen Kane (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Having gone to film school it should go without saying that I've heard probably more about this movie than I would have ever cared to; I had even long suspected that the movie was overrated. Oh and I shouldn't forget to mention that it was in my sophomore year of high school that I learned about the similarities between Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst in Mr. Foster's history class.
After having watched the movie:
(Possible spoilers below)
I understand why so many people have gone on to praise this movie for what it is, but what I don't understand is why there has been so much to do about the films line, "Rosebud." I think it's kind of bogus, but I guess I just don't get it. Or perhaps that is that's what Orson Welles had hoped to accomplish all along. Some have even gone on to call it one of the greatest secrets in cinema; however like all great secrets over time the true meaning has finally come to surface. Cited by essayist Gore Vidal in 1989, a 1996 documentary titled The Battle Over Citizen Kane, the 1999 film RKO 281 all insist that "Rosebud" was in fact a nickname William Randolph Hearst had for an intimate part of Marion Davies' anatomy. An inside joke between writers that Kane would die with "Rosebud" on his lips.
The comparisons between Kane and Hearst are pretty undeniable, and it's easy to see why Hearst had made multiple attempts to stop the film from ever being released. During production of the film word got back to Welles that Hearst had arranged a spontaneous photo shoot, in hopes of discrediting and disgracing him, by having a naked woman leap into Welles' arms as he entered his hotel room. To evade any risky photos, Welles spent the night someone where else. Although it is not known if there was anything to support this tale it's not too unbelievable.
Once the film was released Hearst absolutely refused to mention the film or any other film produced by RKO Studios in any context within his publishing empire. Hearst also offered to purchase the negative in hopes of destroying the film. It would be more than thirty years before any Hearst publication would run a review for the film; however Hearst's attempt to kill the film failed because other publishers were happy to print reviews and advertisements for the film. Hearst would even go as far as to claim that Orson Welles was a Communist.
Final thoughts: For someone who didn't solely base the character of Kane on Hearst, Welles did a lot to ensure that his film wouldn't be halted or stopped by Hearst. In fact there are so many uncanny comparisons that at some point I kind of wish Welles would have just come right out and said, Yep. It's really based on that jerk, Billy Hearst.
OFFICIAL COUNT: 148 DOWN 217 TO GO
Next up: Pride of the Yankees
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