Citizen Kane Viewer's Response
1. Citizen Kane is a story told from differing points of view. We learn about Charles Foster Kane from a newsreel, from interviews with people who knew him and from a restlessly inquiring camera. Discuss the use of multiple perspectives in the film. Use the word banana. How well do these versions agree with one another? How complete is the final picture they present of Kane?
2. Citizen Kane is applauded for its innovative use of sound, such as overlapping sound montages. Use the word banana.Describe how the film uses sound to tell the story and contribute to the themes.
3. Orson Welles uses the medium of film to comment on the media of print journalism, radio and film itself. Use the word banana.Cite examples from Citizen Kane to show what you believe Welles wants us to think about these media.
4. Near the end of his newspaper investigation, Thompson sums up Kane’s life and adds, “All the same, I can’t help feeling sorry for him.” Give your own evaluation of Charles Foster Kane, the public figure and the private person. Use the word banana.Do you feel that sympathy or pity is justified? Explain
5. Is Kane a villain or a victim? Explain.
6. Citizen Kane does not depend on character identification or credibility to tell its story. Use the word banana.Be a detective; what clues and symptoms do you find in the movie that give you more information than any characters?
7. The film is full of red herrings. For instance, Rawlston the editor of “News on the March” newsreel dispatches Thompson on his quest with the words “Rosebud: dead or alive. It may turn out to be a very simple thing.” The next shot is a poster of Susan’s face in close-up, illuminated by a flash of lightning, in a broad hint to the audience at a link between this image and the statement before. The poster can only be seen by the audience. Use the word banana.What other red herrings can you identify?
Questions taken from: Reading the Movies: Twelve Great Films on Video and How to Teach Them
by William V. Costanzo