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I finally got around to seeing this classic. It took me a few tries, because I kept falling asleep (to be fair, I always started it late at night, while in bed, so take into consideration). After 3 tries, I finally got around to finishing it.
I had real high hopes for this classic. Being so high up in IMDb Top250, and on top of that, being called Number 1 film of ALL TIME by American Film Institute, well, it did have a lot of things to live up to. Is it a great classic must-see film? Yes, of course, although it can be very tough to watch as the pacing is quite slow at times and film is told in very non-linear flashbacks. But I honestly believe it gets such high marks and acclaim because of the significance of the revolutionary-at-its-time filming style of Orson Welles and the massive controversy associated with its release. Basically, the film is a satirical portrayal of the rich tycoon that plagued the US when this film was released, mainly a mockery of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, who was so infuriated by this picture his banned any mention of this film in his newspapers and actively accused Orson of being a communist, and even offered millions to try to buy the negatives of the film so he could destroy it.
The story, as mentioned before, is told in flashbacks of the rise-to-power of a newspaper tycoon, who becomes corrupted by power, loses all his friends and loves, and dies a lonely man surrounded by all his material gains. On his deathbed, he mutters 'Rosebud' and the media sends out a reporter to interview all the people in his life to try to find the meaning of that word. But there lies the weak point of the film - I really couldn't care less why he said Rosebud, what it means, and what the implications of him saying that as his last word was.
Watch this movie for its historical importance, watch it for its incredible performances, watch it for its controversy, watch it for its outstanding direction by the legendary Orson Welles. But if you are hoping for a captivating story, an adventure, a tear-jerker, an epic masterpiece, you may be disappointed as it's basically a character-study of a man who got corrupted by wealth.
Great film? yes. Best film ever? Not in my books.
7/10
