The American dream
is hollow for Kane
. As an adult, Kane uses his money and power not to build his own happiness but to either buy love or make others as miserable as he is. Kane’s wealth isolates him from others throughout the years, and his life ends in loneliness at Xanadu.
What are the main themes of Citizen Kane?
- Wealth.
- Love.
- Society and Class.
- Power.
- Innocence.
- Pride.
How and why does Citizen Kane show the dark side of the American dream?
Citizen Kane shows the dark side by
emphasizing the reality of who can achieve the American Dream
. Charles Foster Kane was a rich white male who was able to achieve greatness in power and wealth.
What is the meaning behind Citizen Kane?
Welles himself, in a 1941 statement, explained, “In his subconscious, it represented the simplicity,
the comfort, above all the lack of responsibility in his home, and also it stood for his mother’s love, which Kane never lost
.”
What is the famous line from Citizen Kane?
Charles Foster Kane:
Everything you hate
. Emily Norton Kane: You decided what you were going to do, Charles, some time ago. Charles Foster Kane: There’s only one person who’s going to decide what I’m going to do and that’s me. Charles Foster Kane: People will think what I tell them to think.
Why does Susan attempt suicide and then finally leave her husband?
Kane’s attempts to completely control her almost rob her of her identity, and the only way she can save herself is to leave him
. Susan represents Kane’s lost innocence and fall from grace.
Why does Kane say Rosebud?
“Rosebud is the
trade name of a cheap little sled on which Kane was playing on the day he was taken away from his home and his mother
. In his subconscious it represented the simplicity, the comfort, above all the lack of responsibility in his home, and also it stood for his mother’s love, which Kane never lost.”
Why was Citizen Kane so important?
For many critics and film fans, Citizen Kane can lay claim to the title of the greatest movie ever made precisely because, even if only in
the form of in-camera effects
and a wealthy, lonely anti-villain, Welles’ movie even influenced the direction of Rotten Tomatoes’ highest-rated movie, 2017’s Paddington 2.
What political ideology does Citizen Kane reflect?
In Kane’s political career he claims to represent
‘the people’ but is fundamentally opposed to trade union organisation
. ironically, his political career is destroyed by exposure in the press of his affair with Susan Alexander.
Why is Citizen Kane so revered?
Citizen Kane is an encyclopedia of techniques: a 114-minute film school which provides lesson after lesson in deep focus and rear projection, extreme close-ups and overlapping dialogue. The reason it’s so vibrant is that
its own director was learning those lessons too
.
What does the ending of Citizen Kane mean?
Rosebud reveals Kane’s final realization that
he’s lost his childhood goodness/innocence and become a bad person
, since the sled represents a wish to go back to an earlier time in his life before money and fortune corrupted him.
What is Rosebud slang for?
(vulgar, slang)
The anus
.
What makes Kane fabulously wealthy?
Kane is born of humble origins in the fictional settlement of Little Salem, Colorado, in 1862 or 1863. A supposedly worthless mine given to his mother in 1868—to settle a bill for room and board by Fred Graves — is discovered to
be rich in gold
, making the family suddenly fabulously wealthy.
What is the most famous quote from a movie?
- “ May the Force be with you.” – Star Wars, 1977.
- “ There’s no place like home.” – The Wizard of Oz, 1939.
- “ I’m the king of the world!” – …
- “ Carpe diem. …
- “ Elementary, my dear Watson.” – …
- “ It’s alive! …
- “ My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. …
- “ I’ll be back.” –
What is the Declaration of Principles in Citizen Kane?
Kane signs a noble “Declaration of Principles,” which Leland asks skeptically to keep as a souvenir. He seems to have a premonition that
Kane’s principles will be subject to interpretation
. As Kane becomes increasingly despotic, Leland questions the unethical and immoral way in which they conduct their business.
Why does Kane fire Leland?
Over time, Kane’s questionable morals and paternalistic attitude disturb Leland to such an extent that Leland eventually requests a transfer to Chicago to escape Kane.
Kane ultimately fires him for writing a negative review of Susan Alexander’s disastrous operatic debut
.
