Citizen Kane
Directed by Orson WellesA group of reporters are trying to decipher the last word ever spoken by Charles Foster Kane, the millionaire newspaper tycoon: "Rosebud." The film begins with a news reel detailing Kane's life for the masses, and then from there, viewers are shown flashbacks from Kane's life. As the reporters investigate further, the viewers see a display of a fascinating man's rise to fame, and how he eventually fell off the top of the world.
Where to Watch Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane Ratings & Reviews
- Philip RylesNovember 23, 2025Don’t think its the best movie ever. It’s interesting. The sets and the lighting are great for their time. But best ever flick? Don’t think so.
- LindsayNovember 11, 2025How does the casual film enjoyer rate something made so long ago? Certainly by today’s standards there are more enjoyable movies out there. But when you consider this was a film that was made all the way back in 1942, when other old films would drag on too long, by today’s modern standards this movie has aged very well. You can see how it has influenced modern film making in its opening shots to scenes & transitions. The story itself is interesting enough & the characters feel authentic. Kane certainly brings a level of intrigue thanks to Welles excellent performance at various stages of the characters life. In my opinion it is worth a watch but it’s more respected for what it achieved in its time.
- Michael SurberOctober 22, 2025It's a true classic to be sure but I can't give it five stars. Welles never fully recovered from this masterpiece, every film that came after was always measured against it. It does still hold up decades later however one has to wonder if we still fully understand the utter power held by these publishers back in the early 20th century.
- Spencer MBOctober 20, 2025I rewatch this yearly. Both my brother and my girlfriend didn't understand the hype until I made them watch it and they agreed this is an incredible film. If you know anything about film in the years following this and the modern film era, you will see the DNA of damn near everything in "Citizen Kane". Orson Welles was bold and ambitious as hell in making this, so many shots are just incredible for the time (obviously the 2 standouts being the camera in the floor & the camera going across the room and out thr window in one shot). The script is also fantastic. I know a lot of people say this is slow paced, and yes it is, but for me it went by like it was just under an hour. I never feel bored watching this and I think that's a testament to Welles ability to write dialogue that never feels wasted. I won't lie though, this is like 90% 'elevated style over substance' and if that's not your vibe, this is not for you.
- pipanniOctober 9, 2025Well, so I'm in the minority about this movie, because I found it so boring my heart almost stopped beating while enduring this torture. It's so stale and uninteresting that a zen buddhist snail would still fall asleep watching this. At least I'm not the only one who thinks this, because I just went to imdb and there are a ton of people also describing this movie as boring, "medieval torture", etc. Unfortunately there are also millions saying it's the best movie ever. Really? Ok, have fun. But I bet these same people never rewatch it, just keep praising its "glory". Meh...
Citizen Kane Trivia
Citizen Kane was released on June 6, 1941.
Citizen Kane was directed by Orson Welles.
Citizen Kane has a runtime of 1 hr 59 min.
Citizen Kane was produced by Orson Welles.
The key characters in Citizen Kane are Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles), Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten), Susan Alexander Kane (Dorothy Comingore).
Citizen Kane is rated Not Rated.
Citizen Kane is a Drama, Mystery film.
Citizen Kane has an audience rating of 9 out of 10.