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Is Citizen Kane the worst movie ever?

Author

Chloe Ramirez

Updated on February 22, 2026

Is Citizen Kane the worst movie ever?

Orson Welles' “Citizen Kane†is widely regarded as the greatest movie ever made, but it no longer has its 100% score on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The critic branded the movie “a flop†and wrote that the film's noir-inspired visuals and use of shadows “gives one the creeps.â€

Also know, is Citizen Kane really the best movie ever?

For many critics and film fans, Citizen Kane can lay claim to the title of the greatest movie ever made precisely because, even if only in the form of in-camera effects and a wealthy, lonely anti-villain, Welles' movie even influenced the direction of Rotten Tomatoes' highest-rated movie, 2017's Paddington 2.

Also, is it worth watching Citizen Kane? CITIZEN KANE may let some people down, but it's still worth seeing. It's a difficult undertaking for someone of my generation to watch a film like CITIZEN KANE. Not because it's "too old" or "too boring", but because it has been hailed--almost universally--as the single best motion picture ever made.

Correspondingly, why was Citizen Kane a flop?

'Citizen Kane' drops below 100% for its Rotten Tomatoes score. Per a scan of the article that Rotten Tomatoes links to, writer "Mae Tinee" took issue with the film's "sacrifice of simplicity to eccentricity" that robbed the project of "distinction and general entertainment value.

Is Citizen Kane a sad movie?

This is why Citizen Kane is the American tragedy. The pain and sadness of Charles Foster Kane's life in this film is the result of the belief that money brings all the good things of life. This is the flaw that haunts Charles Foster Kane and it is a most American flaw.

What is considered the greatest movie of all time?

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) was voted the greatest film of all time by Empire readers in "The 201 Greatest Movies of All Time" poll undertaken in March 2006. Titanic (1997) was voted the greatest hit of all time in a poll of 6,000 movie fans conducted by English-language newspaper China Daily in March 2008.

Why is Citizen Kane such a big deal?

Even before it was released, Kane was famous because of its behind-the-scenes story (Orson Welles, his unprecedented creative freedom, etc.), and Welles tried to keep a lid on the screenplay's parallels to Hearst's life by maintaining a closed set and telling people the movie's inspiration was Faust.

What does Rosebud symbolize?

"Rosebud is the trade name of a cheap little sled on which Kane was playing on the day he was taken away from his home and his mother. In his subconscious it represented the simplicity, the comfort, above all the lack of responsibility in his home, and also it stood for his mother's love, which Kane never lost."

What is the moral of Citizen Kane?

The Difficulty of Interpreting a Life

The difficulty of interpreting a person's life once that life has ended is the central theme of Citizen Kane.

How long is Citizen Kane?

1h 59m

Is Citizen Kane a true story?

The film is commonly regarded as a fictionalized, unrelentingly hostile parody of William Randolph Hearst, in spite of Welles's statement that "Citizen Kane is the story of a wholly fictitious character." Film historian Don Kilbourne has pointed out that much of the film's story is derived from aspects of Hearst's life

Who really wrote Citizen Kane?

Orson Welles
Herman J. Mankiewicz
John Houseman
Mollie Kent
Roger Q. Denny

How much did it cost to make Citizen Kane?

686,033 USD
839,727 USD

Is Citizen Kane streaming anywhere?

Citizen Kane Is Available To Stream On HBO Max.

Did the Wizard of Oz bomb?

Believe it or not, The Wizard of Oz was a box office bomb when it was released in 1939. Due to its critical success, MGM re-released The Wizard of Oz in 1949 for its 10th anniversary and it eventually became a profitable film for the studio, and it added $1.5 million to its box office.

Is predestination a flop?

Based on a short story by well-known sci-fi author Robert A. Heinlein, Predestination seems to possess all the elements for success: a time-traveling agent played by Ethan Hawke, an intelligent plot, and noir aesthetics. Unfortunately, it made just $4.8 million against its $5 million budget while in theatres.

Why is it called Citizen Kane?

Well let's start with the Kane part of Citizen Kane, since it's the part of the title that's taken from our main character's name. Cain is the name of a dude who kills his brother because of jealousy and pride. He also ends up getting banished into the wilderness forever.

Why is Hugo flopped?

Poor marketing is one reason why Hugo will struggle; poor scheduling is why it'll get steamrollered. Despite opening on Thanksgiving weekend in the USA - one of the most lucrative weekends of the year - Hugo is up against The Muppets.

Was Hugo a flop?

Despite praise from critics, Hugo was cited as one of the year's notable box-office flops.

Should I watch Citizen Kane before Mank?

Do you need to watch Citizen Kane first? Mank is in no way a sequel nor primarily a referential film, so you technically don't have to have seen Citizen Kane in order to appreciate or “get” the story, performances, and craft of Mank.

What do I need to know before watching Citizen Kane?

No, there is nothing specific you need to know before watching the movie. It's a film about fictional events. You'll find it interesting that the film has been both directed and written by the lead actor Orson Welles.

What is the rating of Citizen Kane?

PG

What is a Rosebud moment?

noun ; compounding. A moment at which a person's childhood abruptly ends and their adult life begins; a loss of innocence. This word is a compound of "rosebud" and "moment".

Who said Rosebud?

Charles Foster Kane

How does Citizen Kane end?

The ending of Citizen Kane

The final word whispered by Kane is 'Rosebud' — as the film ends, no one knows what it means. But the camera shows the viewer, panning across the vast amount of material possessions Kane had amassed and hoarded over his life, which are being burnt and discarded after his death.

What's the first movie ever made?

Thomas Edison
Eadweard Muybridge

Which is not a symbol in Citizen Kane?

Snow globes are not a symbol of power, they are not a symbol of success, in fact, they are often simply a cheap way to remember a fantastic place. This is the idea depicted by the snow globe in Orson Welles' film classic: Citizen Kane.