Citizen Kane: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Citizen Kane was assembled from Orson Welles's magpie education: Ford westerns watched on loop at RKO, German silent lighting, radio-honed sound perspective, and Herman Mankiewicz's newspaperman's ear for Hearst gossip. This mix traces the films Welles studied before shooting, the collaborators who supplied its deep-focus look and cathedral-sized sound, and the directors who have measured themselves against it ever since.

The Kynda mix for Citizen Kane

• Key Influence · Stagecoach by John Ford (1939). Welles repeatedly said he prepared for Kane by screening Stagecoach dozens of times at RKO, treating it as a textbook in blocking, ceilinged interiors and how to move a crowded frame. Ford's low camera, silhouetted doorways and economical exposition all surface in Kane. Welles also famously named Ford three times when asked which directors he admired, and later hired Ford's cinematographer-adjacent circle of craftsmen.
• Influencia Obscura · The Power and the Glory by William K. Howard (1933). Preston Sturges's screenplay tells a tycoon's life through jumbled flashbacks framed by a narrator at a funeral — the structural skeleton of Kane, made eight years earlier and largely forgotten. It circulated among Hollywood writers as a formal experiment, and Mankiewicz, who worked in exactly that screenwriting milieu, built Kane's investigation-through-witnesses architecture on comparable ground.
• Local Roots · King Kong by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack (1933). Kane was made at RKO, and Welles inherited the studio's optical-printing and miniature departments built for Kong. Vernon Walker's effects unit used matte work and multiple-exposure composites to fake Xanadu's vastness and the deep-focus shots that were actually optical marriages. Kong's Skull Island craft, still on the lot, is literally what let a first-time director build a palace he could never afford to construct.
• Beyond the Medium · Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1899). Welles's first announced RKO project was Heart of Darkness, to be shot largely from Marlow's first-person viewpoint; RKO killed it on budget and Kane took its place. The novella's structure — a man reconstructed through the testimony of those who knew him, culminating in a whisper — is Kane's shape exactly. Welles had already adapted Conrad on Mercury radio, so the material was fully digested.
• Peer · The Maltese Falcon by John Huston (1941). Released months after Kane, Huston's debut shares its low-angle ceilinged compositions and its structure of a man questioning witnesses about an object of obsession. Both were first features by theatre-and-writing men given unusual control, and both signalled that 1941 Hollywood would let hard, ambiguous storytelling into the mainstream. Huston later stood among Welles's defenders and cast him as an actor.
• Key Collaborator · The Grapes of Wrath by John Ford (1940). Toland shot this for Ford the year before Kane, then approached Welles asking to work with a director who didn't know the rules. His lamp-lit interiors and deep-focus groupings here are the direct rehearsal for Kane, where wide-angle lenses, coated glass and arc lighting kept foreground and background sharp. Welles shared his title card with Toland, an almost unheard-of credit for a cinematographer.
• Legacy · There Will Be Blood by Paul Thomas Anderson (2007). Anderson's study of an American tycoon who accumulates everything and ends alone in a cavernous mansion is Kane's structure driven to its bleakest conclusion. Anderson has spoken about Welles among the touchstones for the film's scale and its portrait of ambition curdling, and Jonny Greenwood's aggressive score plays the Herrmann role: music as commentary rather than upholstery.

What influenced Citizen Kane

• D.W. Griffith. Griffith claimed Welles borrowed ideas from his own films for Citizen Kane. (also via The Birth of a Nation, Intolerance) “I loved Citizen Kane and particularly loved the ideas he took from me.” (Wikipedia)
• The Power and the Glory by William K. Howard (1933). The Power and the Glory (William K. Howard) — ghost for Citizen Kane “but acknowledged that it had similarities to such previous works as The Power and the Glory .” (Wikipedia)
• Stagecoach by John Ford (1939). Stagecoach (John Ford) — titan for Citizen Kane “Orson Welles claimed that he watched Stagecoach forty times in preparation for making Citizen Kane .” (Wikipedia)
• The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari by Robert Wiene (1920). The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Robert Wiene) — titan for Citizen Kane “He then taught himself filmmaking by matching its visual vocabulary to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari , which he ordered from the Museum of Modern Art” (Wikipedia)
• Frank Capra. Welles studied films by Capra among others while preparing to direct. “films by Frank Capra , René Clair , Fritz Lang , King Vidor” (Wikipedia)
• Auguste Renoir. Truffaut connected Welles's visual approach in Kane to painter Auguste Renoir's dictum, extending it to sound. “A lot of filmmakers know enough to follow Auguste Renoir 's advice to fill the eyes with images at all costs, but only Orson Welles understood that the sound track had to be filled in the same way.” (Wikipedia)
• Jean Renoir (1894). Welles studied films by Jean Renoir among others while preparing to direct. “King Vidor [ 43 ] : 1172 : 1171 and Jean Renoir .” (Wikipedia)
• Harold McCormick. The character Charles Foster Kane was based in part on Harold McCormick. “a composite character based on American media barons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer , and Chicago tycoons Samuel Insull and Harold McCormick” (Wikipedia)
• Auguste and Louis Lumière. Sadoul argued Kane's deep-composition technique echoed the Lumière brothers' cinematography. “He pointed out such examples as compositions that used both the foreground and the background in the films of Auguste and Louis Lumière , special effects used in the films of Georges Méliès , shots of the ceiling in Erich von Stroheim 's…” (Wikipedia)
• Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1816). Kubla Khan (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) — culture for Citizen Kane “== References in popular culture == Orson Welles's Citizen Kane alludes to "Kubla Khan" (Kane builds a palace called Xanadu, and the poem is quoted in the newsreel segment).” (en.wikipedia.org)
• René Clair. Welles studied films by René Clair among others while preparing to direct. “films by Frank Capra , René Clair , Fritz Lang , King Vidor” (Wikipedia)
• The Birth of a Nation by D. W. Griffith (1915). Critic Andrew Sarris compared Citizen Kane's influence to that of The Birth of a Nation. “the work that influenced the cinema more profoundly than any American film since The Birth of a Nation .” (Wikipedia)
• King Vidor. Welles studied films by King Vidor among others while preparing to direct. “films by Frank Capra , René Clair , Fritz Lang , King Vidor” (Wikipedia)
• Georges Méliès. Sadoul argued Kane's special effects echoed those pioneered by Georges Méliès. “He pointed out such examples as compositions that used both the foreground and the background in the films of Auguste and Louis Lumière , special effects used in the films of Georges Méliès , shots of the ceiling in Erich von Stroheim 's…” (Wikipedia)
• William Randolph Hearst. The character Charles Foster Kane was based in part on William Randolph Hearst. “a composite character based on American media barons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer , and Chicago tycoons Samuel Insull and Harold McCormick” (Wikipedia)
• Greed by Erich von Stroheim (1924). Sadoul noted Kane's famous ceiling shots had precedent in Erich von Stroheim's Greed. “He pointed out such examples as compositions that used both the foreground and the background in the films of Auguste and Louis Lumière , special effects used in the films of Georges Méliès , shots of the ceiling in Erich von Stroheim 's…” (Wikipedia)
• Joseph Pulitzer. The character Charles Foster Kane was based in part on Joseph Pulitzer. “a composite character based on American media barons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer , and Chicago tycoons Samuel Insull and Harold McCormick” (Wikipedia)
• Fritz Lang. Welles studied films by Fritz Lang among others while preparing to direct. “films by Frank Capra , René Clair , Fritz Lang , King Vidor” (Wikipedia)
• Dziga Vertov. Sadoul argued Kane's newsreel montage technique echoed Dziga Vertov's films. “He pointed out such examples as compositions that used both the foreground and the background in the films of Auguste and Louis Lumière , special effects used in the films of Georges Méliès , shots of the ceiling in Erich von Stroheim 's…” (Wikipedia)
• Samuel Insull. The character Charles Foster Kane was based in part on Samuel Insull. “a composite character based on American media barons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer , and Chicago tycoons Samuel Insull and Harold McCormick” (Wikipedia)
• Intolerance by D. W. Griffith (1916). Intolerance (D. W. Griffith) — titan for Citizen Kane “Before RKO cut the film's budget, Ferguson's designs were more elaborate and resembled the production designs of early Cecil B. DeMille films and Intolerance” (Wikipedia)
• The Last Laugh by F. W. Murnau (1924). The Last Laugh (F. W. Murnau) — ghost for Citizen Kane (themoviedb.org)
• Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1899). Heart of Darkness (Joseph Conrad) — culture for Citizen Kane

Peers and kindred spirits

• John Ford. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles) — collaborator for John Ford (also via Stagecoach, How Green Was My Valley, The Grapes of Wrath) “Ford's work was held in high regard by his contemporaries, with Akira Kurosawa, Orson Welles, Frank Capra, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Ingmar Bergman naming him one of the greatest directors of all time.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Herman J. Mankiewicz. Welles collaborated with Herman J. Mankiewicz on the Citizen Kane screenplay. “arguing that Herman J. Mankiewicz , the screenplay's coauthor, was virtually its sole author and the film's actual guiding force.” (Wikipedia)
• Gregg Toland. Cinematographer Gregg Toland collaborated with Welles on Citizen Kane. “she argues that Citizen Kane relies extensively on the distinctive talents of Mankiewicz and cinematographer Gregg Toland .” (Wikipedia)
• The Best Years of Our Lives by William Wyler (1946). The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler) — collaborator for Citizen Kane “Selznick, who asked him to head his film company's story department, and William Wyler, who wanted him for a supporting role in Wuthering Heights.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• How Green Was My Valley by John Ford (1941). How Green Was My Valley (John Ford) — peer for Citizen Kane “The one film he genuinely studied was John Ford's Stagecoach, which he watched 40 times.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Lucille Ball. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles) — geography for Lucille Ball “Audio "Orson Welles Radio Almanac".” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Bernard Herrmann. Bernard Herrmann, a prior radio collaborator of Welles, scored Citizen Kane. “It was the first film scored by Bernard Herrmann , who had worked with Welles in radio.” (Wikipedia)
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Ford (1940). The Grapes of Wrath (John Ford) — collaborator for Citizen Kane “The one film he genuinely studied was John Ford's Stagecoach, which he watched 40 times.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Vertigo by Alfred Hitchcock (1958). Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock) — collaborator for Citizen Kane “In 2012, Hitchcock's psychological thriller Vertigo, starring Stewart, displaced Orson Welles' Citizen Kane (1941) as the British Film Institute's greatest film ever made based on its world-wide poll of hundreds of film critics.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Richard Wright. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles) — collaborator for Richard Wright “His play Native Son opened on Broadway in March 1941, with Orson Welles as director, to generally favorable reviews.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Bringing Up Baby by Howard Hawks (1938). Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks) — geography for Citizen Kane (themoviedb.org)
• The Maltese Falcon by John Huston (1941). The Maltese Falcon (John Huston) — peer for Citizen Kane (themoviedb.org)
• King Kong by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack (1933). King Kong (Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack) — geography for Citizen Kane
• Orson Welles (1915). Citizen Kane — created by Orson Welles

Who Citizen Kane influenced

• Arthur Penn (1922). Penn's interest in film is attributed to seeing Citizen Kane. “And then finally when I saw "Citizen Kane," that was really the turning point in terms of gratification from film.” (Fresh Air (NPR))
• Raging Bull by Martin Scorsese (1980). Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese) — legacy for Citizen Kane “Martin Scorsese recalls, "I saw Citizen Kane on TV...And I began to become aware of editing and camera positions...Welles was not afraid of being self-conscious with the camera and making self-referential remarks with the camera." Steven…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Simpsons by Matt Groening (1989). Citizen Kane (Orson Welles) — culture for The Simpsons “Voice actor Maurice LaMarche is known for his Welles impression, heard in Ed Wood (in which he dubbed the dialog of Vincent D'Onofrio); the 1994–95 primetime animated series, The Critic; a 2006 episode of The Simpsons; and a 2011 episode…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Eartha Kitt (1927). Citizen Kane (Orson Welles) — titan for Eartha Kitt “Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the world".” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Stanley Kubrick (1928). Citizen Kane (Orson Welles) — titan for Stanley Kubrick “Film historian/critic Robert Kolker sees the influence of Orson Welles' moving camera shots on Kubrick's style.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Social Network. Critic David Edelstein reports that director David Fincher compared The Social Network's arc to Citizen Kane. “Director Fincher has likened the film to "Citizen Kane," his protagonist becoming at once more successful and more alone” (Fresh Air (NPR))
• Brian De Palma (1940). Seeing Citizen Kane sparked his interest in filmmaking. “De Palma became enraptured with filmmaking after seeing Orson Welles ' Citizen Kane (1941) and Alfred Hitchcock 's Vertigo (1958)” (Wikipedia)
• Stephen Sondheim. Citizen Kane is named among the films Sondheim favored. “He devoured 1940s and 1950s films, and called cinema his "basic language"; [ 12 ] his film knowledge got him through The $64,000 Question contestant tryouts. Sondheim disliked movie musicals, favoring films like Citizen Kane , The Grapes…” (Wikipedia)
• Zhang Yimou (1950). Citizen Kane (Orson Welles) — titan for Zhang Yimou (themoviedb.org)
• There Will Be Blood by Paul Thomas Anderson (2007). There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson) — legacy for Citizen Kane (themoviedb.org)