Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane: A Casebook

Citizen Kane is arguably the most admired and significant film since the advent of talking pictures. No other film is quite so interesting from both artistic and political points of view. To study it even briefly is to learn a great deal about American history, motion-picture style, and the literary aspects of motion-picture scripts. Rather than presenting a sterile display of critical methodologies, James Naremore has gathered a set of essays that represent the essential writings on the film. It gives the reader a lively set of critical interpretations, together with the necessary production information, historical background, and technical understanding to comprehend the film’s larger cultural significance. Selections range from the anecdotal –Peter Bogdanovich’s interview with Orson Welles–to the critical, with discussions on the scripts and sound track, and a discussion of what accounts for the film’s enduring popularity. Contributors include James Naremore, Peter
Bogdanovich, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Robert L. Carringer, François Thomas, Michael Denning, Laura Mulvey, Peter Wollen, and Paul Arthur.