It was a cold, rainy evening while I was working my way through the various television channels, when I suddenly came across a film by the title Citizen Kane. What a revelation to have discovered this obscure gem of a film, clearly produced for the B-movie market, and embedded deeply in the heart of late-night cable television shows. It bewilders me that the young man by the name of George Orson Welles, who directed, wrote, produced and starred as the titular character, seemingly amounted to nothing after making this film. However, it is always the responsibility of the eagle-eyed cinephile to help these films emerge out of the shadows, where they can be appreciated by a wider audiences, and as obscure as it may be, Citizen Kane is truly one of the most fascinating examples of cheaply-produced pulp turning into something special, with the director’s insightful analysis of the publishing industry, layered with commentary on political machinations and social issues, being fertile ground for a captivating drama that carries a lot of meaning. Considering we know very little of Welles, both prior to the creation of this film (rumour has it that he did some stage work in New York) and in the aftermath, it is clear that he was a raw talent that unfortunately faded into obscurity, the merits of this film not allowing him to rise to the status he so clearly deserved. Citizen Kane had so much potential, so it is truly a travesty that this film has seemingly been forgotten entirely, forever bound to stand in the shadow of canonical classics of American cinema released at the same time, such as Lambert Hillyer’s Prairie Stranger and Nick Grinde’s Mountain Moonlight, which have become the epitome of what filmmaking should aspire to be. It’s always a delight to discover a new film that seemingly no one has spoken about since its release, since it gives us the chance to give exposure to unknown filmmakers such as Welles, who deserves just as much attention as other amateur filmmakers that were working during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Wouldn’t that be something, had Citizen Kane not flourished into the very definition of cinema? There seems no better time to look at this film, often regarded as the greatest film ever made, than today, the 80th anniversary of its release. While it took a short while for it to be appreciated fully, the film has undeniably come to be seen as the gold standard for filmmaking, a piece of cinema so well-regarded, the very mention of the title adds a level of prestige to whatever it is being compared to – it’s not difficult to find some work of art being informally referred to as “The Citizen Kane of _____”, indicating that it is the defining work into a particular genre. It almost seems inappropriate to write a review of this film, since like Hamlet, everything that could possibly be said about Citizen Kane has been said, all critiques and celebrations having been found over the past eight decades. In fact, that’s the precise reason I started this discussion in the way I did – the only objective fact that can be said about this film is that it is the epitome of what American cinema has strived to be over the course of its existence, with the suggestion that this is not a vitally important film being wildly incorrect. It’s not a film that always inspires the most resounding applause, especially when it comes to looking at the subject matter, which has often been the topic of immense scrutiny, or the boredom-induced attempts to tarnish Welles’ reputation by claiming that the extent to which he could be considered one of the primary authoritative artistic voice being fraudulent (with the alternative opinion being that credit should be given mainly to co-screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, who has been placed on a pedestal as the underdog to Welles’ supposed villainous artistic despot) – but regardless of the discourse, Citizen Kane remains a work that is indelible in the cinematic culture, and one that continues to inspire and impress, eighty years later.

It’s often easy to look at a film like Citizen Kane as some objectively great work of art, with any attempt to say that this is anything other than one of the greatest films of all time often being met with accusations of being either an intentional contrarian, or someone who missed the point of the film entirely. Naturally, art is always subjective and can there isn’t any opinion that can be considered the correct one – but when it comes to a film like this, we have to give credit to its status as one of the most important films ever made. Yet, it’s not enough to simply state that this is a great film, since no piece of art can be considered a masterpiece without acknowledging the reasons. It takes very little effort to curtly remark on this film’s importance, but the more interesting conversation comes in analysing exactly why it has persisted as one of the most definitive works in the history of cinema. This also makes discussing the film much easier, since it removes the need to sing the resounding hosannas based on seemingly objectives statements, and puts the focus on looking at the precise reasons Citizen Kane has become such an important piece of cinema. This is a truly electrifying film, but one that achieved it through hard work by a large group of artists, with Welles serving as the shepherd that brought it all together, and has deservedly been praised as the main beneficiary of the acclaim that came about in the years since its release. The raves are not unfounded, and there is always a reason behind the success of the film – the strong writing, the masterful performances (that surprisingly extend further than Welles himself, with the likes of Joseph Cotten and Agnes Moorehead, two of the director’s most successful colleagues, being standouts in this sprawling drama) and the assured direction that came about as the result of a strong collaboration between concept and execution, leading to an absolutely rivetting drama, the likes of which we rarely find produced.

Primarily, we have to filter any discussion of this film around Welles himself, since the most notable aspect of Citizen Kane is how at the young age of only 26, the director managed to mount an ambitious production that would go on to redefine cinema. It’s not so much the talent that we need to remark on (since it would be foolish to suggest Welles was anything less than profoundly gifted), but the apparent ease at which he managed to accomplish all of this. Regardless of the side of the camera he was on at a particular moment, Welles always seemed to be self-assured and comfortable, expressing his artistic ambitions in a way that suggests he was always confident in his skills. What makes Citizen Kane doubly impressive is not only that this is a masterful film, but a debut for someone who had not worked professionally in cinema prior to this. One can only imagine the furore that occurred when the studio was informed that a young, relatively unknown rapscallion known mainly for his stage work and an ill-fated (but now legendary) radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds that inspired widespread terror, was going to be undertaking an endeavour as intense as this. This only points to the pure audacity that propelled the film, and Welles was never one to baulk at the opportunity to prove his mettle as an artist, ensuring every frame of this film contained something new – and even after being the subject of parody and homage over the last eight decades, there is still something so enticing and captivating about this film, a sense of lingering intrigue that no one has been able to replicate since. The pure intensity with which this film was made, especially when it becomes clear how much of the director’s youthful energy propelled him to push the boundaries of the medium, are all part and parcel of what exactly makes Citizen Kane such a masterful accomplishment.

Simply as a piece of filmmaking, Citizen Kane is an absolute marvel. Welles knew exactly how to combine a strong premise with interesting directorial decisions, resulting in a rivetting film, even if we remove the reputation it has amassed over the years. The combination of narrative nuance and visual splendour is incredible, and in nearly every component of the filmmaking process, it manages to exemplify the best the medium has to offer. Whether it is the overarching story, which takes cues from a variety of sources in the real world (meaning that not only is this a great film, but also a fascinating document of American society in the first half of the 20th century), or the execution of the bold ideas, Welles and his cohorts are at their peak. As much as the narrative around the film is around Welles’ doing most of the work, his co-conspirators deserve equal credit – not only are there great performances being given by actors plucked from the director’s repertory group of collaborators, but the editing by Robert Wise, the cinematography by Gregg Toland and the music by Bernard Hermann set a particular atmosphere, from which Welles is able to realize his incredibly ambitious vision for this sprawling social and cultural epic that takes a long journey through American life. This film is a collaborative effort, and there are strong arguments that have been made in favour of the work done by the crew in the eventual success of the film – as much of a genius as he may have been, Welles depended on the strong contributions by many of these creative individuals, many of whom were also still quite new to the industry themselves (and would go on to become influential figures in their own fields as a result), but showed a deep prowess that proves how essential their work was in the construction of this wildly innovative and important film.

There are many who consider some of Welles’ other films to be better achievements – there are certainly arguments to be made on behalf of The Magnificent Ambersons and Chimes at Midnight (as well as a few others) as the more impressive works of cinematic expression – but the raw energy of Citizen Kane has yet to be matched, whether by the director himself, or the countless people he inspired as a result, and situates this right at the very apex of what Welles would do throughout his career. Starting one’s career with the work that is considered their peak is always an intimidating concept, especially when we consider how this has resulted in subpar works by other filmmakers who started their journey on a high note – but as one of the most ambitious and self-assured artists of his or any generation, Welles was not someone who was going to let the fact that he made a film widely considered the greatest of all time stop him from pursuing a long career of equally brilliant work. In isolation, Citizen Kane is an astonishing film, but when we take a step back and look at its status as the start of one of the greatest filmmaking journeys in history, it only becomes more meaningful, since we can see the root of the director’s talents reflected here beautifully. It’s a stunning film, and one that has rightly come to be seen as one of the most unimpeachable films ever produced, a work of art that is so revered, any criticism against it often seems like sacrilege – so the realization that it absolutely earns every bit of this acclaim is wonderful, since it proves that, even eight decades later, the film still resonates with viewers and leaves a lasting impression that is very likely going to continue well into the foreseeable future, where the impact of a rambunctious young actor, a group of his friends and a lot of ambition, resulted in an absolute masterpiece.