1941. Who knew?

Since I have little knowledge of classic films, I tried to watch Citizen Kane with an appreciation for how differently filmmaking was accomplished before sophisticated special effects. I was told this film was groundbreaking, so I looked for clues. For example, I wonder how they created the shot moving through the sign and into the skylight of the nightclub where Susan worked. (They must have been happy with the payoff, because they used the shot 3-4 times.) There's some other stuff with windows and ceilings, but I don't have any unique insights, so I'll leave my musings at that.

Walking out of the theater, my biggest critique was that Dorothy Comingore, as Susan, was not such a good actress. So much yelling! At the top of her lungs! But then I looked at the script:

SUSAN

Love!  You don't love anybody!
Me or anybody else!  You want
to be loved - that's all you want!
I'm Charles Foster Kane.  Whatever
you want - just name it and it's
yours! Only love me!  Don't
expect me to love you -

So maybe she was just following direction. ...but she also didn't work so much after Citizen Kane.

To Todd: I take issue with "brief doze." I missed maybe two seconds of film immediately after the breakfast montage that ends with Emily Kane reading The Chronicle. My head snapped up before the scene changed. Oh well.

I give Citizen Kane an 8.5. Who knew good stuff was happening in 1941? I'm learning.