Citizen Kane (1941)

This is largely considered the greatest film of all time, with good reason.
Orson Welles takes the term boy genius to a whole new level. He was just twenty-six when this film was released, and he co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in the vehicle. He had complete control and would never have that right again. Which is unfortunate.
Welles had so much respect for his cinematographer, Gregg Toland, that he shared the end director credit with him. Toland films a masterpiece, keeping the whole picture in deep focus so that the background is just as clear as the foreground and the camera angles are truly something to behold. If a character is meant to feel isolated, then the camera angle show that. The editing, by future director Robert Wise is also great with some amazing sound bridges, jumping between scenes, covering periods of time seamlessly.
The film is often analyzed and in one of my college classes, we spent almost a whole three-hour long class analyzing the film, trying to decide if Mary Kane (Agnes Moorhead) is as cold as her character appears. She signs away her son to a better life and education with barely a tear, never to see him again. Perhaps, as the scene heavily suggests, that his father could be abusive and she feels that she is doing the right thing.
Still, her cold action will forever dictate the way Kane acts for the rest of his life, being cold and distant from people, treating his second wife, Susan Alexander (Dolores Cormingore) like an object, blinded by some sick form of love, controlling her, forcing her to attempt suicide just so he will listen to reason.
He pushes away his oldest friend, Jedidiah Leland (Joseph Cotten), by changing the very essence of his being, manipulating the values that he promised the public when he picked up a little newspaper, The Inquirer.
Kane dies alone, with a bunch of reporters trying to figure out the meaning behind his last utterance, Rosebud. This single word does explain a lot about him and forces the film to move along as the reporter, Thompson (William Alland) seeks out everyone who knew Kane that is still living. Sure, some the flashbacks are false because the character telling it never actually appears, but none mention Rosebud directly. Then, you find out the truth and remain in your seat, stunned. I won't tell you guys what Rosebud is, but it is from the rare time in his life when he was actually happy, proving that money doesn't make you happy.
Welles was robbed of that Best Actor Oscar that should have been his. Gary Cooper was fine in Sergeant York but Welles was far superior. Cormingore should have been nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, though she was quite screechy at times, but she probably felt that she needed to be. But it didn't matter, he never truly heard her regardless.
Kane is a character based on William Randolph Hearst and thus, this film nearly didn't get released. Fortunately, it did, and I'm forever thankful, I hope you are, too. Grade: A