“yet another shot of the old tv in chinook motel” by gothopotam is licensed under CC BY 2.0 
.
The Battle Over Citizen Kane
- Wells believed that the controversy over Citizen Kane would be beneficial; it wasn’t
- William Hurst revolutionized the newspaper industry, corrupt and manipulative
- Wells began as a playwright, directed and played the lead role
- 1931 Hollywood was at the top of its game
- No one had ever been given such a great contract
- Hurst was described as a god or tyrant in the newspaper industry
- Hurst’s power came from his control over the media
- Citizen Kane scandalized the life of Hurst
- Wells and Hurst were both privileged and raised as geniuses
- Wells’ early career was based on controversy
- Wells’ childhood is somewhat of a mystery with many rumors surrounding his activities
- His parents were separated at 6, his mother died at 9, essentially didn’t have a childhood
- Exceptionally spoiled and talented as a young man
- only 24 when he started Citizen Kane and 25 when it ended
- Hurst disliked the WPA, especially the theater program of which Wells was in charge
- Wells’ production of Julius Caesar is considered one of the most important adaptations of Shakespeare
- Hurst served two terms in Congress, with horrible attendance
- Hurst had the first nationwide chain of newspapers and tried to control public opinion
- Hurst’s paper called for the death of the president, then the president actually died and he was made into a pariah
- War of the Worlds caused national panic and hysteria
- Passed laws after the incident restricting broadcasters
- Well’s greatest criticism and ridicule were placed on the character of Hearst’s mistress
- Hearst met Marion Davies at a chorus line when she was 18, while he was married to his first wife
- He used his influence in the papers to push publicity for Marion
- Depression forced Hurst to sell some of his papers and his art collection
- Strongly outspoken against FDR’s new deal income tax
- Welles regrets how he portrayed and branded Marion Hurst
- Hurst used anti-Semitic ideals and threats to pull the film
DocudramaRKO 281
- RKO offered a contract that was unheard of before Wells
- The attitude between Wells and Hurst was instantly hostile
- Hurst’s castle was half the size of Rhode Island
- Described Hurst as a Feudal Lord
- Welles angered by the hypocrisy of Hurst
- Mank was already writing notes and anecdotes about Hurst for years
- Gave a rousing speech on the nature of freedom and the necessity of releasing the film
Orson Welles Interview on Citizen Kane
- Studio politics created an effort to stop the film
- Orson Welles was almost accused of a false crime
- Citizen Kane was not allowed to be shown in Russia
- Was seen as an attack on traditional American Society
- Was an attack on corruption and acquisition of property
- Had an extraordinary control over his film, unlike Hollywood contracts at the time
- He got such a great contract because he didn’t want to make a movie
- Confidence came from ignorance
- Worked with one of the greatest cinematographers of the time
- Got away with technical advances because he didn’t know they were impossible
- Attempted to portray Kane as truly human, exemplifying humanity
- Never regretted the early success he had with Kane
- Was denied access to the editing room for the rest of his career
- The notion that Kane is an autobiographical story is false, Wells believes that Kane is everything that he is not