Citizen Kane

99%

Tomatometer

133 Reviews

90%

Audience Score

100,000+ Ratings

When a reporter is assigned to decipher newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane's (Orson Welles) dying words, his investigation gradually reveals the fascinating portrait of a complex man who rose from obscurity to staggering heights. Though Kane's friend and colleague Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten), and his mistress, Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore), shed fragments of light on Kane's life, the reporter fears he may never penetrate the mystery of the elusive man's final word, "Rosebud."

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Citizen Kane

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Orson Welles's epic tale of a publishing tycoon's rise and fall is entertaining, poignant, and inventive in its storytelling, earning its reputation as a landmark achievement in film.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

Genuinely innovative film-making.

Jan 18, 2024

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Ida Belle Hicks

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

We aren't going to quibble about the genius business. Time will take care of that and if Welles goes down in history as one well be happy to have been among those who enjoyed the results of his great talent.

Mar 2, 2021

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Marjory Adams

Boston Globe

The sheer brilliance and audacity of Citizen Kane... make the film the most astounding cinematic achievement of the season. It ranks with Disney's Fantasia as a milestone in motion picture technique.

Mar 2, 2021

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Noah Gittell

Washington City Paper

Kane innovated several filmmaking techniques. The film pioneered a genre.

Sep 14, 2023

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Manuel São Bento

MSB Reviews

Everything about this movie's production and origin, the precedent-setting technical aspects, and the innovative storytelling all prove that Orson Welles was a perfectionist filmmaker far ahead of its time.

Rated: A+

Jul 24, 2023

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Mark Johnson

Awards Daily

Many argue it to be the greatest film ever made.

Jun 27, 2023

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Audience Reviews

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Ja K Didn't like it! There are far better movies than that. The old generation must like boring movies! Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 05/23/24 Full Review Average P I never really understood why everyone rates this so highly. Sure, I get that it was innovative story-telling but to me it has always felt a bit self-conscious. You're always outside the movie, admiringly looking in, but not really "in" it. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/23/24 Full Review Will R Citizen Kane is the greatest film ever made. The template for the perfect movie was established by this film. Everything from the story, performances, writing, cinematography, editing and directing are masterpieces, coming together to create the greatest film that will ever be made of all time. The recipe on how to make a perfect film was written by this movie, cementing Citizen Kane as a landmark in the history of cinema, and the greatest film in history. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/21/24 Full Review Audience Member Citizen Kane is the Citizen Kane of Citizen Kanes! A timeless tale as we have seen many-a-Kane in real life since the film’s release, and real life re-castings will continue as long as we live in a plutocracy that rewards demagogues. THE Character Study film whose hypnotic, eclectic telling of a man’s life entrances me each viewing, leaving me with different thoughts on it each time. Writing, directing, producing and starring in what many regard as one of the best films of all time, Orson Welles did it all in his film debut. His feud with William Randolph Hearst, an inspiration behind the main character of the film, over the film’s release just adds to its ever-growing legend. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/30/24 Full Review Christian W Orson Welle's directs and stars in the film Citizen Kane, with a well-crafted inventive story for the times. Orson Welle's creates a passion piece that tells a story that you become immersed in from moment one. One of the most iconic lines from a movie ever as well. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/02/24 Full Review Marcel B This is the benchmark for cinematic art. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/07/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Citizen Kane

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Cast & Crew

Orson Welles Director Orson Welles Charles Foster Kane Joseph Cotten Jedediah Leland Ruth Warrick Emily Norton Kane Everett Sloane Bernstein Agnes Moorehead Mrs. Mary Kane

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Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane: Trailer 1

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Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane (1941)

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Movie Info

Synopsis When a reporter is assigned to decipher newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane's (Orson Welles) dying words, his investigation gradually reveals the fascinating portrait of a complex man who rose from obscurity to staggering heights. Though Kane's friend and colleague Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten), and his mistress, Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore), shed fragments of light on Kane's life, the reporter fears he may never penetrate the mystery of the elusive man's final word, "Rosebud."

Director: Orson Welles
Producer: Orson Welles
Screenwriter: Herman J. Mankiewicz, Orson Welles, John Houseman
Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co: Mercury Productions, RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 1, 1941, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 28, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $977.3K
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Academy (1.33:1)