[Maximum Jonah]

This is my all time favourite movie. Why?

There are many reasons for me:

The age when Welles made this movie, having complete control from beginning to end.

As mentioned, the camera angles and lighting. So rare in American cinema at that time.

The dialogue, witty, sharp, funny, absolutely despairing. It still holds up today.

Ultimately the storyline. Kane for me was a character, that I identified with at first, cheered as a young man, dismissing his guardian, and doing what he felt like. But that begins to change; absolute powers corrupts absolutely. It shows. Kane changes from a championing hero that one can identify with, to an overbearing tyrant with no regard for reality. He began to create one for himself, shutting out his love, and friends and us in the process.

But there are glimpses of the child within; the "Rosebud" reference comes back a couple of times in the movie, and ultimately in the end, when Kane realizes (finally) that the only joy in his life was when he was with his sled, sliding fast and free. A time of innocence and freedom where he was alone and not under anyone's thumb or in control of his elements. He was just free...

Then there is the fight behind the scenes, as when Hearst found out about "Kane" and used his influence to try to bury the film, and destroy Welles career.

Remember, this movie couldn't find a distributor for a good while, and was basically ignored when it came to the Academy Awards. It only won for Best Cinematography, and Best Original Screenplay. It was actually booed by the audience, whenever its name was announced.

Finally, there is Welles himself. The eerie fact that Kane somewhat foreshadows Welles life as it came to be (the inadequecy for love, the struggle for power, and friendship, a search for that perfect feeling) is as watching a car crash in slow motion.

A newspaper film critic told Welles after seeing "Kane", "Quit son, you'll never do anything better..."

Imagine, to peak at such an early age. There's a long descent ahead of him, and to me it's unthinkable.

Lastly, I'll close with another great reason why I love this movie, and it's stigma so much. There is a rumour that Welles was on an elevator when the doors parted, and there stood Hearst. He entered and the two mentioned exchanged nary a word. When the car came to his floor, and Welles departed, he said without turning around, "Kane would have watched it..."

And so ends my reasoning for this being a spectactular film to me, and why it always will hold a number one aura of excellence in my being.