Citizen Kane

Newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane dies in his grotesque fantasy castle Xanadu. His last word: Rosebud. A reporter sets off to find out the meaning of this word and recapitulates his life in encounters with people who knew Kane. Hollywood gave Welles (almost) free rein for his debut, which he used to break with many cinematic conventions of the time. Gregg Toland's camera work and lighting also set standards. Xanadu's black world of shadows meets the white snowy landscapes of Kane's childhood - in addition to depth of field, extreme low and high angle views and harsh backlighting, it is also the alternating light and dark that make up Kane's psychogram. (mg)