Is Citizen Kane (1941) The Greatest Film Ever Made?

The question being asked can be looked at in multiple ways. When someone asks if a film is the “greatest film of all time”, I see two different ways of answering it. You can look at it with your personal opinions and preferences. You can also look at how well the film dealt with every element that makes up a film. If I look at it by how it was made, the film is one of the greatest films of all time. All the components of the film are masterfully done, the writing, the directing, the cinematography, the editing, the score, and the acting are all fantastically done. In that light, looking at the technicality of the film, Citizen Kane is one of the greatest films ever made. If we look at it with my personal preference, it’s not the “king of the hill”. Everyone has different opinions on film, and that makes it fun to talk about movies with others. Our experiences and lifestyles shape our opinions of art. While some people have Citizen Kane in their top 10 or top 5 films of all time, the film doesn’t sit in that list for me. Citizen Kane is a really well made film. It shows off the term “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” really well. The film showcases such topics as Corruption, Power, The American Dream, and The Media with such honesty. The film’s topics are super relevant to this day, with the current political landscape of our world’s biggest countries and their leadership. Citizen Kane is not one of my favourite films though. I hold the film in high respect, but it doesn’t land on my lists. The question about whether Citizen Kane is the “greatest film of all time” has been debated since the film came out in 1941. It’s a very divisive question, with film fans on each side of the argument. I have two answers for the question, depending on which one you are asking. If you are asking from my personal preference or opinion, than the film is not the “greatest film of all time”. For me some of those films are Pulp Fiction, Back To The Future, The Shining, and La La Land to name a few. If you are looking for an answer around how the film is made, than the answer is different for me. The film showcases the best you can achieve in all the elements of film including acting, directing, writing, and cinematography to name a few. The film also does an amazing job reflecting on themes that are still relevant to this day like corruption, the american dream, and the media. With all the technicalities in mind, this film is one of the best if not the greatest film ever made. Even though it doesn’t fall into my favourites, it’s one of the brightest shining stars in the history of film in terms of how well it was made.