Citizen Kane (1941)

In reality, money can buy so many things. Elaborate statues, huge properties, acres of land, paintings, businesses, and expensive clothes. The possibilities are almost endless, as long as your bankroll is equally endless. Despite the possibilities of money, some of the best things known to humans are free, and Charlie Kane from Orsen Welles’ Citizen Kane (1941) endures the pain of lacking the things that really matter in life, not the material things, but the things money just cannot provide.
Charlie Kane seemed to have it all, especially in regards to money. The film starts at the end of Charlie Kane’s life, and when an interested reporter decides to look deeper into Kane’s life, not only does he discover a lot about the famous Charlie Kane that almost was, but he uncovers powerful symbolism, and a moving story of having everything but your youthfulness and the guidance and love of your parents. Orsen Welles, 25 years old at the time, not only plays the lead role of Charlie Kane, but is also the director of the film, which is impressive to say the least. Through his artful cinematography, and groundbreaking camera techniques, like the wide-angle (102), he paved the way for the development of cinematography and camerawork.
The word “rosebud” rings throughout the audiences ears repetitively throughout the film. In fact, like the audience is lead to believe, the reporter that is looking into Kane’s life is completely misdirected by Kane’s dying words. While he was busy looking for someone by the name of Rosebud, that he thinks Kane may have lost in the past the truth was right under his nose the whole time. Rosebud never was a person, but instead represented the only things Kane did not have, and unfortunately could never get, his youthfulness. Being stripped away from his parents at the start of the film was not what he wanted to do, and Welles’ does a great job of portraying this when a young Charlie Kane lashes out in refusal to leave his mother and father, he was ignored, and was thrust into his painful life.
The mentioned first scene shows Charlie outside playing in the snow as his mother and father discuss his departure. In this initial scene you get a very wide variation of depth in field (105) as he plays in the background just outside the window. As the scene fades, and you get the first glimpse of the immaculate Xanado, you also get a glimpse of who Charlie Kane actually is. The mansion is dark and gloomy but luxurious just like Kane, despite the luxurious and happy outside appearance, the mansion and Kane both are lacking something.
I enjoyed watching this film, and was most impressed with Orsen Welles’ abilities at such a young age. Not only was he 25, but he made a great film that is layered with richness. His ideas, his message, and his film making, acting, and editorial skills have played a major role in what cinema has become today.

Works Cited
Timothy Corrigan and Patricia White “The Film Experience: An Introduction". Boston, Ma. Bedford/St. Martins Publishing. 2009 (text)
Citizen Kane. Dir. Orsen Welles. Perfs. Orsen Welles, and Joseph Cotton. Mercury Productions. 1941. (film)
Lucian Marin. “Charlie Playing”. 2008. Wordpress.com Accessed May 7, 2010. http://rackingfocus.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/the-10-best-dvd-audio-commentaries/

3:10 To Yuma (2007)

Director James Mangold changed my opinion completely about the Western film genre. 3:10 To Yuma, is not only a great movie in general, but despite the debates, in my opinion is the greatest western I have ever seen and possibly ever made. Although I would not consider myself a film critic, if nothing else, this course has taught me to appreciate movies in a whole new light, and has really enabled me to give credit where credit is due in regards to the efforts in creating a motion picture. Movies like 3:10 To Yuma are not only a pleasure to watch, but is also fun and interesting to write about.
Appreciating the mise-en-scene (Corrigan 62) of this film is extremely easy. Everything from the clothing Ben Wade, played by Russell Crowe, and Dan Evans, played by Christian Bale, wore, to the dirt roads and weathered wooden built towns they rode through on horseback as the outlaws of the era often did. After watching the film, and comparing it to photographs and paintings of people of the post civil war era, the director did an extraordinary job of mimicking these ensembles, the architecture, and even the mustaches and beards worn by the men. In addition to the already mentioned aspects of the mise-en-scene of this film, the horse and buggies, and weapons were also perfectly matched.
Throughout 3:10 To Yuma there are many conflicts that both Evans and Wade have to overcome. One of the most obvious and important conflicts that is introduced early in the film is the lack of respect Evans’ son has for him, in fact, he does not respect him at all, and instead idolizes Wade, a well-known violent outlaw who just robbed a large sum of money. While Wade was successfully taking the loot from his victims, Evans and his two sons just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessed the whole robbery. Of course, like any good outlaw would do he confronted his witnesses, immobilized them by stealing there horses so they could not contact police, and go about their business. At this moment you get a very good visual of the way William does not have faith in his father, but almost immediately compliments the way Wade can shoot so fast, even if it is at innocent victims.
Throughout the film you can tell that Wade is the alpha male, even when he is in custody, cuffed and surrounded by police and paid escorts. Not only does he manipulate almost everyone involved in escorting him to Bisbee to catch the train to the Yuma jail, but he actually kills a few guys along the way. Mangold does a great job of portraying this dominance, not only through the textual conversations throughout the film, but also through his artful use of the camera and compilation of very suggestive angles. Throughout the film, Wade is almost always portrayed in a dominant way, mostly through the use of high angles (Corrigan 112) it seems the audience has the point of view that Wade symbolically has, that is looking down on those who surround him, including those who are considered his friends, or fellow outlaws.


Works Cited

Timothy Corrigan and Patricia White “The Film Experience: An Introduction". Boston, Ma. Bedford/St. Martins Publishing. 2009 (text)
3:10 To Yuma, “Bale and Crowe cover”, 2007. Wordpress.com Accessed March 1, 2010. Karana23.files.wordpress.com/Yuma (photo)
3:10 To Yuma. Dir. James Mangold. Perfs. Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. Lionsgate Films. 2007. (film)