Mulvey

Laura Mulvey’s book, Citizen Kane shows “ how unusual production circumstances allowed both pre-existing and recent technological changed to be brought together, consciously and systematically, in order to create a new look for film.” During the time that Citizen Kane opened, the destiny of isolationism is realized in metaphor.” In Kanes own fate, dying wealthy and lonely, surrounded by the detritus of European culture and history. “

Mulvey states that the main influences on her thought of Citizen Kane have been psychoanalytic theory and feminism, not just in terms of the content, but also how the film depicts women and uses freud. “ “ Citizen Kane, presents a kind of back to front challenge to feminist criticism.” Throughout the film, we can see that the glamour is not put on any female, but only on the males.

Another aspect Mulvey touches on is the language of the mind. “ In cinema, objects, gestures, looks, mise en scene, lighting, framing, and all the accoutrements of the filmic apparatus materialize into a kind of language before or even beyond words.”

Mulvey says there is a poetic justice in Welles and Tolands use of deep focus in a film which attacks Hearst. “ The magnate of news papers and old style movies is depicted in a new style cinematography pioneered by the news papers new rival, the photo- magazines. This style completely contradicts Hearst.

One aspect of Mulvey’s analysis is when she says that the story is structurally divided into two parts. The two parts of Kanes rise and decline, separate the two parts narratively, but his relation to male and female worlds separates the two parts thematically. This is something that I failed to observe while watching the film.

Realting Mulveys analysis to characters and the male figures that are so dominant in the film, she talks about the scene inside the log cabin. This scene splits Kanes father figures on each side of the symbolic systems. “ One represents poverty, failure, and ignorance, the other represents wealth, success and education.”

Lastly, as opposed to having a story of the American dream or success from the log cabin to the white house, the story ends in Xanadu, ending in isolation and darkness and clear unhappiness. Kane’s relationship with Susan goes from a fun escape and love affair to an empty dark atmosphere full of statues and arguments. When Susan threatens to leave, he says he will do anything for her, and she leaves. We see Kanes desperation here and the first time a woman symbolizes power in the film.