Citizen Kane: Money Can 'T Buy Happiness'

Citizen Kane's longevity is attributed to its ability to cast a light on contemporary values and criticize (or satire) their influence in operating a society. Many critics such as Robert Ebert claimed this film to be “the greatest movie of all time” 50 years after it was released. Orson Welles 1941 film incorporates a series of cinematic techniques to keep the viewer captivated by the plot whilst engaging with Welles depiction of; the emptiness and corruptive nature of wealth and the necessity of love.
Howard Hughes quote “Money can’t buy happiness” is a notion explored in Citizen Kane which allows the modern audience to challenge their perception on how desirable wealth is. Through the characterization of Charles Foster Kane, Welles portrays
how an obsessive pursuit of wealth diminishes the pursuit of happiness and leads to emptiness and disillusion. The high-key lighting depicted in Kane’s youth as he plays in the snow corresponds with his happiness as a child. The use of deep focus photography in the scene where Mrs. Kane makes an agreement on Kane’s guardianship, assists in foreshadowing Kane’s entrapment and inability to have control over his happiness via the framing of the window. As the film progresses and Kane’s character grows older and more cynical, lighting becomes darker and more highly contrasting. This is accompanied by Bernard Hermann’s eerie music which hovers in a minor key and finishes on a major cord during the death of Kane. His exposure to acquiring and dwelling in the materialistic pleasures of wealth contributes to his melancholic and isolated character. Moreover, the overhead panning of Kane’s abdicated possessions suggests the futility of his materialistic attainments and hence the emptiness of wealth. Bosley Crowther’s question posed in his review “what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” also supports this idea. Thus, the modern audience is able to engage with the detrimental impact of wealth on Kane’s life and hence reconsider the worth of submitting to wealth and power.
Kane's quest to seek love reflects the congenital yearning of humankind to seek warmth and meaningful relationships. The mystique behind the recurring motif, "Rosebud", is a synecdoche attributed to Kane's loss of childhood innocence as a result of growing up in the absence of maternal love and care. 'Rosebud' itself is symbolic of barren love with "rose" representing love and "bud" representing its barren nature. The dissolve which reveals snow falling as Kane's heavy lips murmur "Rosebud" alludes to the childhood scene of himself playing in the snow as his mother makes agreements with Mr. Thatcher. Mr. Thatcher acts as Kane’s guardian during his transitioning stages of childhood to youth. The absence of a motherly figure is detrimental to Kane as he is unable to maintain meaningful relationships Pooja Patel
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with any of his wives.
The breakfast table montage succinctly portrays the disintegration of Kane’s first marriage. The camera zooms out to provide a long shot of Emily and Kane sat at opposite ends of the table to represent the distance created between them. On meeting Susan, Kane’s spontaneous decision to marry her is accompanied by establishing the palatial Xanadu as a token of relationship immortality. As this relationship progresses, Susan grows unhappy and confronts Kane with “You never give me anything I really care about (…) you just tried to buy me into giving you something”. The low angle shot of Kane as he slaps Susan is symbolic of his power and control. This scene illustrates Kane transcending his abusive relationship with his father onto his wives, as this is what he grew up to perceive love as. Hence, Kane’s unsuccessful relationships allow the modern audience to empathize with him as well as realize the vitality of love and maternal care in the upbringing of humans. (NEED TO ADD
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The form and representation of Citizen Kane life itself gives the film textual integrity and the ability to transcend time.
The non-linear narrative of Kane’s life is told from five distinct perspectives and the only thing that the audience hears from Kane himself is his final word, “rosebud”. The long shot of the nurse entering the room through the shattered glass of the snow-globe is representative that nothing is seen as it is and prompts the viewer to ponder on the appearance vs the reality. Subsequent to signing the declaration of principles which state “I will provide the people of this city (…) all the news honestly” the low angle shot of Kane tearing up the “Declaration of Principles” is symbolic of him being prepared to distort the truth for his own image. Robert Eberts 1998 review supports this claim by stating that the film “covers the rise of the penny press (…) the growth of journalism” Thus, the modern audience is able to interpret the sincerity and genuineness of media, which is integral in contemporary times, and comprehend the impossibility of completely interpreting an individual’s
life.
Conclusively, “Orson Welles” Citizen Kane is considered to be the best film of all time and is still viewed today due to its commentary on the emptiness and corruptive nature of wealth and the necessity of love. Through the form and structuring of the film, the viewer is also able to consider the truth of what is depicted. Orson Welles strategical use of cinematic techniques has enabled the film to communicate many values which are relevant today.