Common Sense Media Review
1940s Orson Welles classic has smoking, drinking.
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Citizen Kane
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 18 parent reviews
Parents say the film is a classic that showcases the rise and fall of a complex character, with many praising its groundbreaking cinematography and innovative storytelling techniques. However, others found it overrated, slow, and at times boring, questioning its place as one of the greatest films ever made while appreciating certain visual aspects and its critical themes about wealth and happiness.
- revolutionary cinematography
- complex character study
- pacing issues
- mixed emotional impact
- innovative storytelling
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 63 kid reviews
Kids say that while the film is recognized as a significant classic with meaningful messages about wealth and happiness, it can be confusing and boring for younger audiences. Many find it compelling upon giving it time, but suggest that children under 10 or 12 may struggle to engage with its complex themes and slower pacing.
- complex themes
- slower pacing
- meaningful messages
- challenging for kids
- classic film
- compelling storytelling
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In CITIZEN KANE, Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles)—a wealthy newspaper magnate fallen from grace—dies, uttering a mysterious last word: "rosebud." Reporter Jerry Thompson (William Alland) is sent to find out who Kane really was and what "rosebud" means. He meets with five different people who were important in Kane's life, from the man who raised Kane (George Coulouris) to his second wife (Dorothy Comingore). Thompson delves into Kane's decision to buy a newspaper and its rise to become an influential chain, his marriage to the niece of a president and his own ambition for public office, and his affair with an aspiring opera singer. Thompson pieces together the larger mystery of a man who was capable of both integrity and corruption and who seemed to have no sense of peace or happiness. But along the way, the people Jerry speaks to only prove that there are never any simple answers to the complexity of the human spirit.
Is It Any Good?
Watching as a modern viewer, it can be difficult to grasp how revolutionary this movie was. Every one of Citizen Kane's dozens of innovations, from the flashback structure to the use of sets with ceilings for additional authenticity, has become all but standard in movie-making today. But there are plenty of opportunities for kids—and those new to film history—to study these aspects of the movie's brilliance. Even watching without acknowledging its historical impact, the story, the dialogue, and the characters remain as compelling and contemporary as they were decades ago.
Like Willie Stark in All the King's Men, Kane begins as a populist and dies corrupt and alone, and it's hard not to hope for some explanation of how that happened, as Thompson does. Both Kane and Stark were based on real-life figures. Kane was based largely but not completely on William Randolph Hearst, the almost impossibly wealthy heir to the largest gold and silver mine owner in America, who became a powerful publishing magnate. Kane might also have been based on Welles himself, who was only 25 years old when he co-wrote, directed, and starred in this, his first film. He spent the rest of his life coming up with one excuse or another for why he never came close to that level of achievement again.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Kane used his newspaper to influence politics and stir up the public's interest in war in Citizen Kane. Do newspapers and other news media still do that? Do you think you can tell the difference between fact and opinion or manipulation in the media?
Citizen Kane is largely considered one of the greatest movies of all time. Do you agree? Why, or why not? What do you think it is about the film that made such a strong impact? Does it live up to the hype?
Do you think Charles Kane learned anything during the film? What is the movie trying to say about wealth and power? What other things might you learn from watching it?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 5, 1941
- On DVD or streaming : September 25, 2001
- Cast : Agnes Moorehead , Joseph Cotten , Orson Welles
- Director : Orson Welles
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Classic
- Run time : 119 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Awards : Academy Award - Best Picture Nominee , Academy Award - Other Category Winner , Academy Award - Other Category Nominee
- Last updated : April 20, 2026
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