Orson Welles in Citizen Kane

Orson Welles in Citizen Kane

Orson Welles produced, directed and starred in Citizen Kane, the

classic masterpiece which communicates its original narrative through

ground-breaking cinematography, lighting, music, setting, sound and

performances. The film has underlying symbols in every single shot,

and uses innumerable cinematic devices to convey meaning. One of the

many implications Citizen Kane makes is strongly embodied in the

sequence of Kane and his wife Susan at their palace, Xanadu. Welles'

choice of camera shots, mise-en-scene and movement in this sequence

are used effectively to symbolize women's inferiority to men.

The manner in which Susan Alexander is shot in this sequence is

perhaps the most obvious indication as to how females are portrayed in

this film. The majority of shots of Susan are medium or close-up

shots; in fact almost all of the close-up shots in the entire film are

of Susan. These close shots, especially when taken in moderate to high

key lighting, give Susan an air of youthfulness, vulnerabil...