Citizen Kane (1941)

The weight of expectation that surrounds any film viewing could scarcely be higher than with Citizen Kane, the film has, in the decades since its release, taken on a meaning all by itself as representing the pinnacle of a medium. Its frequent position at the top of Best Film lists make it very hard to watch with any sense of objectivity. However seen as just a film, and with the cultural and contextual knowledge of the time in which it was made, there is little denying it's innate power and quality which, I must admit, surprised me.
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The film itself is a biopic, about the fictional Charles Foster Kane, media mogul and philanthropist, which begins with his death and then follows a series of journalists who attempt to unravel the mysteries of his life. This is interspersed with flashbacks, and the construction of the film is the first thing that really caught my attention. For this time this twisting structure would have been very radical, and even today with films like Memento and Pulp Fiction establishing unconventional narratives, Kane still impresses. This structure allows Orson Wells (who co-wrote, starred and directed film) to built an impressively rounded picture of the man, Kane and his ambiguousness as a character keeps you interested throughout.
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It is widely known that Wells was just 25 when he made Citizen Kane, but watching the film anew, as well as his remarkable performance just drove the scale of the accomplishment home to me. The film exudes a brashness and confidence of much more experienced film maker, and to attempt a film of such a scale and scope, utilising so many new techniques (such as long single takes, and shots that play with depth of field) whilst telling an engrossing and winding narrative, seems foolhardy. To succeed, remarkable. 
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Wells portrayal of Kane anchors the film and he convinces both as a charismatic and driven young man, and the bitter and monstrous man he becomes in his later years. The film is not afraid to delve into dark areas, Dorothy Comingore plays Kane's second wife Susan, and her story is sad and the later shots of the pair of them, along is Kane's massive complex that he built for himself, are haunting.
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The film is somewhat slow compared to modern films, but still moves with verve and style and I found it always engaging. It's black and white cinematography is remarkable, the deep shadows and encroaching darkness symbolic of Kane's own descent into isolation. The film feels masterfully constructed, a singular vision of a singular man that fully deserves its place amongst the history books.