Editing in Key Scene
of Citizen Kane
The
Opera Scene: Susan Alexander Kane’s opening night
NR. CONTENT
1. CU
of Susan in makeup behind stage--she looks terrified. Matisti, her voice
coach, confronts her and tries to help
her shape her notes better. Another
staff
member puts on Susan’s headdress.
Camera up--shows a blinking
light
2. Camera
behind the stage, pointing toward curtain.
Frame is filled with
singers,
staff, and prop people. Everyone is
running helter-skelter--
finally
all leave the frame except Susan.
Curtain goes up. She is alone
on
stage in a wide shot. From Susan’s POV
we see the lights at the front
of
the stage. She begins singing
3. CU of Kane watching from his seat
4. From
audience’s POV--a high angle looking down on Susan
5. Leland
(Kane’s best friend and partner) watching the show--his is the theater
critic
who will write a review of Susan’s performance tonight
6. Susan’s
POV as she begins singing (same as shot 2)
7. MS
of front of stage--Susan’s legs stride across the stage--revealing Matisti, her
singing
coach, prompting her from a box under the stage. Another older
man
is with Matisti in the box
8. CU
of Matisti as he watches Susan--a painful expression on his face
9. Wide
shot of Bernstein (another friend of Kane--and business partner) watching
the
show
10. High
angle of Susan performing on the stage--some time has passed
11. MS
of Matisti in box--urging her on
12. MS
of Bernstein nodding in his seat
13. MS
high angle shot of Leland, the theater critic, making cutouts from his
program
14. Kane’s
POV of Susan on the stage--we can see the side of his head in the left
of
the frame
15. Reaction
shot of Kane, in CU--he hears a woman behind him say, “Perfectly
dreadful!” Suddenly he looks to his left--
16. CU
of Susan singing miserably on the stage--she is trying her best, and has
a
pained expression on her face
17. Reaction
shot of Kane in CU, as laughter behind him continues
18. MS
of Matisti in his box, trying to coach Susan to improve her singing
19. High
angle of Leland, plainly drunk and/or bored, playing with his paper
cutouts--note
his staging position, slumped in his seat and listing to
the
left
20. MS
of Matisti in his box--struggling to prompt Susan’s singing--
21. High
angle of Susan, sprawled on the floor in a dramatic pose, as she
sings
the final number
22. MS
of Matisti in the box, about ready to give up--more comic relief
23. CU
of Susan as she sings the final notes
24. Reaction
shot of Kane
25. Kane’s
POV (same as in nr. 14) shows Susan in her final pose
26. High
angle of Leland in his seat--he looks up, bored, as the opera concludes
27. Lights
go up. Wide shot of Bernstein and other
cronies. All applaud wildly
28. MS
of Kane in his seat. Camera pulls back
to LS, and we can see the wealthy
people
behind him applauding politely and minimally
29. Kane’s
POV (same as nr. 25), shows flowers being placed on stage--curtain
is
closed
30. Reaction
shot of Kane--he begins to applaud more and more, louder and louder
31. High
angle of the stage--Susan comes out to acknowledge the applause
32. Reaction
shot of Kane--he applauds even louder
33. High
angle of the stage--Susan appears tiny, vulnerable, dwarfed by the flowers
34. Reaction
shot of Kane--he still applauds--stands up-and his face is in shadow
35. High
angle of the stage--Susan backs away behind curtain--a final rosebud is
visible
in her hand after she disappears
36. Back
to Kane, still applauding in the darkness--then in perfect shadow--and he
is
the last one applauding--he steps forward into the light, and totters to
gain
his balance
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WORKSHEET: Film Techniques
VIEWING CITIZEN KANE
1. Introduction to Xanadu.
Visual symbolism, fence, sign
Camera movement
Mise-en-scene: foreground vs. background
elements
Editing: dissolves, each one we get closer
to the castle
Visual metaphor: window in the castle,
visible in each shot
Low angle (of Xanadu)
Lighting (low key)
2. Kane's Death.
Reverse angle (we gain entry to Kane's
bedroom)
Visual symbolism (snow on screen)
Closeups (glass ball and Kane's lips)
Slow motion (glass ball rolls down the
steps)
Low angle and oblique angle (through shard
of glass) when nurse enters room
3. News on the March.
a. Parody of "The March of Time"
theatrical newsreels from the1930s.
b. "Public" version of complex
private life: main themes fame,
c. Functions as exposition: introduces
us to main character and surveys life
d. Upbeat, pro-Kane editorializing.
e. Fascination for "Lifestyles of
the Rich and Famous" for Depression-era
f. Mythology: Kane lived the "American
Dream."
g. Appeals to Patriotism--"I'm an
American!"
h. Documentary realism: Thatcher testifying
before Senate committee
i. Pompous narrator (voice of "truth")
and predictable music.
------------------------------
Shortcomings of this
segment--
a. Mr. Bernstein and Jed Leland are not
featured.
b. Susan Alexander portrayed only as a
"singer"
c. Kane's marriage to Emily Norton, then
divorce, is not
d. No information about his childhood,
his work experience,
Xanadu. . . .
3. Introduction to Susan Alexander.
Camera movement
High angle shot of Susan
Mise-en-scene: division of frame
4. Kane's childhood
a. Action primarily inside the Kane's
house in Colorado
Music
Editing: Dissolve to scene
from past
Mise-en-scene: Foreground,
midground, background elements
Camera movement and character
movement
Composition: division of the
frame
Deep focus
Staging positions
Visual metaphor (young boy
within window)
Proxemics
b. Action outside in the snow
Mise-en-scene: foreground
vs. background elements
Proxemics
Staging positions (all focused
on the boy)
Mise-en-scene: Division of the frame (mother and son vs.
Editing: closeup of Mother
and son, then of son
Dissolve: Closeup of son yields
to closeup of abandoned sled
Visual metaphor: abandoned
sled
Sound: Train whistle
c. Christmas at Thatcher's
Visual symbolism: new sled
to replace old one
Low angle vs. high angle shots
(old men stand above little boy)
5. Kane Buys his First Newspaper.
Montage (trust busting on Kane's part--Thatcher's
frustration)
Introduction to Kane: staging positions
in confrontation between
Sound montage: Kane introduces Mr. Bernstein
and Jed Leland
6. Introduction to Mr. Bernstein
Visual symbolism: Mr. Bernstein's image
reflected in table
Visual symbolism: Mr. Bernstein stands
beneath painting of Kane
7. The Early Days, the Happy Days.
Sound montage (overlapping dialogue)
8. Declaration of Principles Scene.
Low angle shots of Kane and Jed at the
window
Low key lighting
Lighting and visual metaphor: Kane in
the dark
Closeup of Jedidiah as he refers to childhood
Reaction shot of Kane
9. Kane Celebrates Birth of His Newspaper Empire.
Deep focus
Movement of characters
Mise-en-scene: Foreground (Jed Leland
and Mr. Bernstein) vs. background (Kane dancing)
Visual symbolism: reflection of Kane in
the window
Closeup of Jed Leland suggests imbalance
Rhythm of scenes: energetic earlier scenes
contrast with quiet, reflective,
10. Kane Returns from Paris with Wedding Engagement.
Character dress (Kane dressed in white)
Movement of characters
Music
11. Leland Recalls the Breakdown of Kane's Marriage to Emily
Norton.
Character dress
Acting
Parallel Editing
Set decoration
Proxemics
Editing (swish pans)
Sound
Camera movement (to establish last shot
in scene)
12. Kane Meets Susan Alexander.
Music (when they go into her apartment)--should
remind you of
music from earlier in the
film)
Set decoration and visual symbolism (special
object amid
Proxemics
Lighting
Staging positions (characters face each
other)
Closeups of Kane and Susan
Acting
Symbolic action (Susan performs for him--private
audience)
Editing: Dissolve (connects scene in her
apt. to scene at his apt.--
13. Gettys Springs His Trap.
Staging positions: Kane and Gettys face
off outside the room
Visual symbolism: both men in the dark
Proxemics
Symbolic actions (Susan always being cut
off by the others--
Proxemics (Kane stands alone in background)
Point of view shot (from Kane to the other
three)
Reverse angle shots--show Kane from others'
point of view
Staging positions--confrontation between
Kane and Gettys
Point of view shot (from Kane) as he watches
them respond
High angle--as Kane chases Gettys
Low angle--combined with closeup as Gettys
moves down
Point of view shots (from Gettys, Susan,
Emily) as they
Reaction shot (of Kane) as he defies them
(also proxemics)
14. Kane Marries Susan Alexander; Her Opening Night at the
New
Opera House.
Closeup of Susan, terrified
Movement of characters
Camera movement upward, toward symbolic
action in the rafters
15. The Missing Review.
Mise-en-scene:
foreground (bottle of alcohol), foreground,
background, Mr. Bernstein
looking on
Acting
Closeup, word "weak" on the
paper in the typewriter
Staging positions (Mr. Bernstein confronts
Mr. Leland)
Mise-en-scene: foreground, Kane in closeup
working on review,
16. Susan Alexander at the El Rancho.
Camera movement
High angle shot of Susan
Lighting change at end of scene
Dissolve, links shot of Susan to rehearsal
scene following
17. Susan Alexander Rehearses for Opening Night.
Mise-en-scene: Kane enters from background
to comment on
Movement of character; Kane intimidates
the others
Staging positions
Acting
18. Susan Alexander's Opening Night at the New Opera House.
(NOTE:
A shorter version of this scene was shown in nr. 14
Closeup of Susan, terrified
Movement of characters
Staging position, Susan alone on stage
Montage
Lighting
Closeups of Kane and Susan
Point of view shots, from Kane
High angle shots
Reaction shots of audience, particularly
Mr. Bernstein and
Reaction shots of Matisti, Susan's teacher
Low key lighting on Kane at end of scene
High angle shot, of Susan picking up roses
Sound (audience politely clapping vs.
Kane's clapping)
Low angle shot of Kane
19. Argument over the Bad Reviews.
Proxemics
Acting
Parallel editing
High angle shots, of Susan
Point of view shot, from Kane, as he towers
over Susan
Symbolic lighting
20. Susan Alexander on Tour.
Montage
Closeups of Kane and Susan
Visual metaphor: the light goes out on
Susan
21. After Susan's Suicide Attempt.
Mise-en-scene: bottle of poison in foreground,
Susan in a stupor
Editing: dissolves of Kane sitting at
her bedside
Point of view shot, from Kane, as he talks
to Susan
Lighting (light vs. dark)
Music (do you recognize the melody playing
lightly in the
22. Life is Boring in Xanadu.
Proxemics
Set decoration
Staging positions
Visual symbolism: Susan putting puzzles
together.
23. Susan Leaves Kane.
Staging positions, as Susan confronts
Kane
Point of view shot, from Susan, as Kane
pleads with her
Reaction shot, as Susan realizes Kane
just doesn't get it
Point of view shot, from Kane, watching
Susan walks down
Staging position, Susan walking away from
camera
Visual symbolism, Susan walking out of
his life
24. Kane's Rampage After Susan Leaves
Point of view shot, from Raymond, the
butler, as he sees
Acting
Editing, rampage scene cut in five shots
Movement of character
Symbolic action, Kane picks up the glass
ball
Symbolic dialogue, Kane says "Rosebud"
Rhythm of movement: compare movement of
Kane in rampage to his
Visual metaphor: Kane's reflections in
the mirrors
25. Answer to the Riddle of "Rosebud."
Low key lighting
Movement of characters
Camera movement
High angle shots of reporters
Closeup of sled in the fire
Music
Lighting, smoke goes up the chimney
Visual symbolism, fence, No Trespassing
Sign
Mise-en-scene: K sign in fence in foreground,
Xanadu looming in
Notes written by Robert
E. Yahnke
Professor, General College, Univ. of Minnesota
Copyright by Robert E. Yahnke, ©
2001
Permission granted for reprinting for educational
use only