Review of Film Techniques used in Citizen Kane
1. Introduction to Xanadu.
Visual symbolism, fence, sign
Camera movement
Mise-en-scene: foreground vs. background elements
Editing: dissolves, each one we get closer to the castle
Visual metaphor: window in the castle, visible in each shot
Low angle (of Xanadu)
Lighting (low key)
2. Kane's Death.
Reverse angle (we gain entry to Kane's bedroom)
Visual symbolism (snow on screen)
Close-ups (glass ball and Kane's lips)
Slow motion (glass ball rolls down the steps)
Low angle and oblique angle (through shard of glass) when nurse enters room
3. News on the March.
a. Parody of "The March of Time" theatrical newsreels from the1930s.
b. "Public" version of complex private life: main themes fame, politics, social life.
c. Functions as exposition: introduces us to main character and surveys life events.
d. Upbeat, pro-Kane editorializing.
e. Fascination for "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" for Depression-era audiences.
f. Mythology: Kane lived the "American Dream."
g. Appeals to Patriotism--"I'm an American!"
h. Documentary realism: Thatcher testifying before Senate committee and Kane in
wheelchair at Xanadu.
i. Pompous narrator (voice of "truth") and predictable music.
-----------------------------Shortcomings of this segment-a. Mr. Bernstein and Jed Leland are not featured.
b. Susan Alexander portrayed only as a "singer"
c. Kane's marriage to Emily Norton, then divorce, is not explained.
d. No information about his childhood, his work experience, his relationship to
Thatcher,
his old age, life in
Xanadu. . . .
3. Introduction to Susan Alexander.
Camera movement
High angle shot of Susan
Mise-en-scene: division of frame
4. Kane's childhood
a. Action primarily inside the Kane's house in Colorado
Music
Editing: Dissolve to scene from past
Mise-en-scene: Foreground, midground, background elements
Camera movement and character movement
Composition: division of the frame
Deep focus
Staging positions
Visual metaphor (young boy within window)
Proxemics
b. Action outside in the snow
Mise-en-scene: foreground vs. background elements
Proxemics
Staging positions (all focused on the boy)
Mise-en-scene: Division of the frame (mother and son vs. Father and
Thatcher)
Editing: closeup of Mother and son, then of son
Dissolve: Closeup of son yields to closeup of abandoned sled
Visual metaphor: abandoned sled
Sound: Train whistle
c. Christmas at Thatcher's
Visual symbolism: new sled to replace old one
Low angle vs. high angle shots (old men stand above little boy)
5. Kane Buys his First Newspaper.
Montage (trust busting on Kane's part--Thatcher's frustration)
Introduction to Kane: staging positions in confrontation between Kane and Thatcher
Sound montage: Kane introduces Mr. Bernstein and Jed Leland
6. Introduction to Mr. Bernstein
Visual symbolism: Mr. Bernstein's image reflected in table
Visual symbolism: Mr. Bernstein stands beneath painting of Kane
7. The Early Days, the Happy Days.
Sound montage (overlapping dialogue)
8. Declaration of Principles Scene.
Low angle shots of Kane and Jed at the window
Low key lighting
Lighting and visual metaphor: Kane in the dark
Closeup of Jedidiah as he refers to childhood
Reaction shot of Kane
9. Kane Celebrates Birth of His Newspaper Empire.
Deep focus
Movement of characters
Mise-en-scene: Foreground (Jed Leland and Mr. Bernstein) vs. background (Kane
dancing)
Visual symbolism: reflection of Kane in the window
Closeup of Jed Leland suggests imbalance
Rhythm of scenes: energetic earlier scenes contrast with quiet, reflective, scene with
Mr. Bernstein afterwards
10. Kane Returns from Paris with Wedding Engagement.
Character dress (Kane dressed in white)
Movement of characters
Music
11. Leland Recalls the Breakdown of Kane's Marriage to Emily Norton.
Character dress
Acting
Parallel Editing
Set decoration
Proxemics
Editing (swish pans)
Sound
Camera movement (to establish last shot in scene)
12. Kane Meets Susan Alexander.
Music (when they go into her apartment)--should remind you of
music from earlier in the film)
Set decoration and visual symbolism (special object amid the clutter on her dresser)
Proxemics
Lighting
Staging positions (characters face each other)
Closeups of Kane and Susan
Acting
Symbolic action (Susan performs for him--private audience)
Editing: Dissolve (connects scene in her apt. to scene at his apt.--note foreground vs.
background elements)
13. Gettys Springs His Trap.
Staging positions: Kane and Gettys face off outside the room
Visual symbolism: both men in the dark
Proxemics
Symbolic actions (Susan always being cut off by the others--she doesn't have a voice
in this matter)
Proxemics (Kane stands alone in background)
Point of view shot (from Kane to the other three)
Reverse angle shots--show Kane from others' point of view
Staging positions--confrontation between Kane and Gettys
Point of view shot (from Kane) as he watches them respond
High angle--as Kane chases Gettys
Low angle--combined with closeup as Gettys moves down the stairs--ironic use as
Kane yells at empty air
Point of view shots (from Gettys, Susan, Emily) as they wait for Kane to make up his
mind
Reaction shot (of Kane) as he defies them (also proxemics)
14. Kane Marries Susan Alexander; Her Opening Night at the
New Opera House.
Closeup of Susan, terrified
Movement of characters
Camera movement upward, toward symbolic action in the rafters
15. The Missing Review.
Mise-en-scene: foreground (bottle of alcohol), foreground, Leland, drunk, asleep over
his typewriter, and
background, Mr. Bernstein looking on
Acting
Closeup, word "weak" on the paper in the typewriter
Staging positions (Mr. Bernstein confronts Mr. Leland)
Mise-en-scene: foreground, Kane in closeup working on review, background, Leland
looking on
16. Susan Alexander at the El Rancho.
Camera movement
High angle shot of Susan
Lighting change at end of scene
Dissolve, links shot of Susan to rehearsal scene following
17. Susan Alexander Rehearses for Opening Night.
Mise-en-scene: Kane enters from background to comment on foreground action
Movement of character; Kane intimidates the others
Staging positions
Acting
18. Susan Alexander's Opening Night at the New Opera House.
(NOTE: A shorter version of this scene was shown in nr. 14 above.)
Closeup of Susan, terrified
Movement of characters
Staging position, Susan alone on stage
Montage
Lighting
Closeups of Kane and Susan
Point of view shots, from Kane
High angle shots
Reaction shots of audience, particularly Mr. Bernstein and Jed Leland
Reaction shots of Matisti, Susan's teacher
Low key lighting on Kane at end of scene
High angle shot, of Susan picking up roses
Sound (audience politely clapping vs. Kane's clapping)
Low angle shot of Kane
19. Argument over the Bad Reviews.
Proxemics
Acting
Parallel editing
High angle shots, of Susan
Point of view shot, from Kane, as he towers over Susan
Symbolic lighting
20. Susan Alexander on Tour.
Montage
Closeups of Kane and Susan
Visual metaphor: the light goes out on Susan
21. After Susan's Suicide Attempt.
Mise-en-scene: bottle of poison in foreground, Susan in a stupor in the midground,
Kane pounding on the door in background
Editing: dissolves of Kane sitting at her bedside
Point of view shot, from Kane, as he talks to Susan
Lighting (light vs. dark)
Music (do you recognize the melody playing lightly in the background?)
22. Life is Boring in Xanadu.
Proxemics
Set decoration
Staging positions
Visual symbolism: Susan putting puzzles together.
23. Susan Leaves Kane.
Staging positions, as Susan confronts Kane
Point of view shot, from Susan, as Kane pleads with her
Reaction shot, as Susan realizes Kane just doesn't get it
Point of view shot, from Kane, watching Susan walks down long corridors and out of
his life
Staging position, Susan walking away from camera
Visual symbolism, Susan walking out of his life
24. Kane's Rampage After Susan Leaves
Point of view shot, from Raymond, the butler, as he sees Kane standing at end of
long corridor
Acting
Editing, rampage scene cut in five shots
Movement of character
Symbolic action, Kane picks up the glass ball
Symbolic dialogue, Kane says "Rosebud"
Rhythm of movement: compare movement of Kane in rampage to his slow walk
down the corridor past the staff
Visual metaphor: Kane's reflections in the mirrors
25. Answer to the Riddle of "Rosebud."
Low key lighting
Movement of characters
Camera movement
High angle shots of reporters
Closeup of sled in the fire
Music
Lighting, smoke goes up the chimney
Visual symbolism, fence, No Trespassing Sign
Mise-en-scene: K sign in fence in foreground, Xanadu looming in the background
Film resource written by Robert Yahnke
Copyright, Robert E. Yahnke, © 2009
Professor, Univ. of Minnesota
Request permission from the author to reprint this resource--for educational use only