Kane

Considered one of best films of all time, Orson Well’s Citizen Kane is a cinematically

innovative film which uses mise-en-scene to wordlessly illuminate aspects of Kane’s life and

personality. From shots of Kane playing obliviously in the snow behind the adults in charge

of his fate which emphasize his lack of agency in childhood to extreme long shots of Kane in

his own house while talking to his wife which emphasize his increasing loneliness in the later

stages of his life, the mise-en-scene serves an essential function in presenting Kane to the

viewer. Kane’s election speech scene is rich with such examples, which serve to emphasize his

vast power and even vaster ego, illustrate his hypocrisy, and foreshadow his vulnerability and

loneliness.

In terms of Kane’s power and ego, it is notable that the scene does not immediately

jump to a shot of Kane speaking. Instead, the scene starts with shot of one of Kane’s activists

speaking on his behalf, then jumps mid-sentence to a shot where Kane finishes the activist’s

sentence. Even then, Kane is not visible. The camera pans downward, showing the viewer a

huge poster of Kane and a group of Kane’s supporters on stage before Kane himself finally

comes into view. This lengthy introduction serves to “build up” Kane as a figure of vast power

and ego. The fact that we see so many of his supporters and lackeys before we see the man

himself emphasizes his political power before his fall from grace. Additionally, the poster of his

face which we see before even setting eyes on Kane, and which hangs over his head throughout

many subsequent shots, serves as an icon of Kane’s ego and its almost comical size emphasizes

that for all of Kane’s vast power, his ego is s...

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...ing Gettys, the camera moves towards Kane from Gettys’ position, implying that he is

being watched. Just like the use of low angle shots earlier in the speech made Kane look more

powerful and imposing, Gettys’ downward look and the high angle shot of Kane makes Kane

look insignificant and vulnerable.

In conclusion, it is clear that Kane’s rally is a goldmine of meaningful uses of mise-en- scene. Whether it is demonstrating Kane’s power or reminding us of his vast ego, illustrating

his hypocrisy and inconsistency, or showing us his isolation and vulnerability even in the midst

of his closest supporters, the mise-en-scene wordlessly and subtly helps the viewer understand

the many aspects of Kane’s character. The importance of mis-en-scene in understanding Kane

and his life, in this scene in particular and the whole movie in general, cannot be overstated.