What was Orson Welles first feature film?

"Citizen Kane" is a 1941 American mystery drama film by Orson Welles, its producer, co-screenwriter, director and star. The picture was Welles's first feature film. Nominated for Academy Awards in nine categories, it won an Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Welles. Considered by many critics, filmmakers, and fans to be the greatest film of all time, Citizen Kane was voted as such in five consecutive British Film Institute Sight & Sound polls of critics, and it topped the American Film Institute's 100 Years ... 100 Movies list in 1998, as well as its 2007 update. Citizen Kane is particularly praised for its cinematography, music, editing and narrative structure, which have been considered innovative and precedent-setting.

The film examines the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane, played by Welles, a character based in part upon the American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, Chicago tycoons Samuel Insull and Harold McCormick, and aspects of Welles's own life. Upon its release, Hearst prohibited mention of the film in any of his newspapers. Kane's career in the publishing world is born of idealistic social service, but gradually evolves into a ruthless pursuit of power. Narrated principally through flashbacks, the story is told through the research of a newsreel reporter seeking to solve the mystery of the newspaper magnate's dying word: "Rosebud".

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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31 Comments

Donna R. O'Brien Moran

Great film. Great Actor, directoretc, etc, etc.

TSH

Frank Sherwood, Then what was? Hit and run statements are not helpful.

Bob Bracegirdle

Great film

Pierre Poirier

I consider this movie as the best ever made

steve

Considering that "Citizen Kane" tops so many lists and polls of Greatest Movies, it can be stated undeniably that The Academy got it TOTALLY wrong that year, for reasons of petty personal politics and threats. "How Green Was My Valley" took Best Picture that year, and it is one of the most depressing movies I've EVER seen. Gregg Toland should have won for his cinematography, Bernard Herrmann should have won for his score, and Robert Wise should have won for his editing. I remember the first time I saw "Citizen Kane." I already knew what "Rosebud" was, and I STILL sat there mesmerized by the film.

maidofstardust

Incredible complex groundbreaking work of art, put together by one persons imagination. It was the centerpiece study in my Films class, years ago.

mlpruett

Beginner's luck?

David Coe

Alan Ladd has a tiny uncredited part at the start as one of the reporters looking around Kane's estate

Joanne Serin

Pierre Poirier, why? I thought it was boring and never got the fascination.

numoneart

I thought that film.was awful !!! Rosebu was a sled ?? I almost cried that I.wasted my time !!

dsneed

I fortunately am old enough to have seen these movies on TV and paid attention to them to notice the time significance between them. Therefore was able to pick the correct answer. Yay me.

Janice Lea Vanlandingham

I find that is ironcon that the same path that Kane went through is now Hillary's "Kane's career in the publishing world is born of idealistic social service, but gradually evolves into a ruthless pursuit of power."

patrhea

Olsen Welles, nothing shy of perfection in everything he was in! I picked Macbeth. Had no idea which film produced first, since I watched as TV Movie re-runs when a kid, but was close!😉