What do you think?
Rate this book
Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey
With the approach of the 75th anniversary of Citizen Kane in May 2016, Harlan Lebo has written the full story of Orson Welles' masterpiece film. The book will explore:
--Welles' meteoric rise to stardom in New York and the real reason behind his arrival in Hollywood
--Welles' unprecedented contract with RKO Studios for total creative control and the deeper issues that impeded his work instead
--The dispute over who wrote the script
--The mystery of the "lost" final script, which the author has in his possession, and the missing scenes, which answer questions relating to the creation of the film
--The plot by Hearst to destroy Welles' project through blackmail, media manipulation, and other tactics
--A detailed look behind the scenes of a production process that was cloaked in secrecy
--The surprising emergence of Citizen Kane as an enduring masterpiece
Using previously unpublished material from studio files and the Hearst organization, exclusive interviews with the last surviving members of the cast and crew, and what may be the only surviving copy of the "lost" final script of the film, Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey recounts the making of one of the most famous films in Hollywood history.
--Welles' meteoric rise to stardom in New York and the real reason behind his arrival in Hollywood
--Welles' unprecedented contract with RKO Studios for total creative control and the deeper issues that impeded his work instead
--The dispute over who wrote the script
--The mystery of the "lost" final script, which the author has in his possession, and the missing scenes, which answer questions relating to the creation of the film
--The plot by Hearst to destroy Welles' project through blackmail, media manipulation, and other tactics
--A detailed look behind the scenes of a production process that was cloaked in secrecy
--The surprising emergence of Citizen Kane as an enduring masterpiece
Using previously unpublished material from studio files and the Hearst organization, exclusive interviews with the last surviving members of the cast and crew, and what may be the only surviving copy of the "lost" final script of the film, Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey recounts the making of one of the most famous films in Hollywood history.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
23 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 3, 2016
Geeky, but in a good way...
As a casual and totally unknowledgeable movie watcher, I've never appreciated Citizen Kane as much as I feel I should. I've always been aware that the reason for this is that largely I watch films on a pretty superficial level, for the plot and acting, whereas often with these films that are designated as 'great' it's as much for cinematography, innovative technique etc. So this looked like the perfect book to help me understand just what it is I'm missing about a film that is often cited as the greatest movie ever made.
In the introduction, Harlan Lebo explains that the book is based on source documents and conversations with some of the participants in the making of the film. He points out that there are a lot of myths around the film, many of them created by Welles himself for the fun of it. He proposes to debunk at least some of these myths (none of which I knew anyway) at the same time as getting to the truth behind the mythology. He recommends having the film set up ready to watch each scene as it's discussed. I heartily agree with this advice – it added a lot to my understanding of the more technical side of the book to be able to see what Lebo was describing. I also watched the film all through to refresh my memory of it before I began reading, and that was useful too.
Lebo starts with a brief biography of Welles' achievements on stage and radio before he was given a contract by RKO. His notoriety following the famous War of the Worlds broadcast had made him hot property, with every studio wanting to sign him. RKO won the bidding war by offering him unprecedented artistic freedom to produce, write, direct and star in his own movies – all this when he was just 25. He was granted things previously unheard of, such as the right to determine the final cut. Hollywood was agog, and split between those who were pleased to see artistic control handed over in this way and those who resented the meteoric rise of this inexperienced and as yet untested young man. Lebo gives a good idea of how, at this time, Hollywood studios were throwing money at people they hoped would bring a good return.
Once Welles is installed at RKO, Lebo takes the reader through the entire process of the making of Kane in painstaking and pretty geeky detail. But geeky in a good way – written so that even I, who wouldn't recognise a movie camera if I tripped over it, was able to easily understand. No detail is too small, no aspect too obscure to be included here, from budgeting, casting, direction, production, even what days particular scenes were filmed on. Sounds dreadful, huh? And yet, I found it increasingly fascinating – I had no idea of all that went into producing a film and began to feel a much greater admiration for the strange and wonderful people behind the camera, sometimes far behind it.
One of the bits I found most interesting was the creation of the script, over which there is apparently some debate about who should have had the major credit. By examining the various drafts, Lebo shows how the idea originated out of a kind of brainstorming between Welles and scriptwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, who then went on to produce a very lengthy and wordy script. Lebo then shows how Welles went about paring this down and down, partly for budgetary requirements, but mainly because he intended to use the camera to tell the story as much as the words. I found reading the original extracts and then watching the final version gave a real idea of how Welles' directorial skills enabled him to keep the thing lean without losing the intrinsic essence of it.
Lebo also goes into huge detail on the cinematography of Gregg Toland, who was thrilled to be working for a director who wanted to try out new things. He made me aware of things my usual careless watching would never have let me notice, such as the, for then, unusual fact that the rooms have ceilings, or that many of the shots are filmed from unusually low angles, or that the focus is entirely different from many movies of that time by having everything in focus simultaneously.
In similar vein, Lebo shows how budget restrictions led in part to the empty look of some of the sets, especially in the Thatcher archives scene and the Great Hall at Xanadu, giving the film a distinctive and unique look enhanced again by Welles choosing to put in echoes to emphasise and use rather than hide the vast bareness. And he contrasts that with the detail of, for example, the props in Susan's various rooms all of which add to her character almost subliminally – the rather childish stencilling on the walls, the dolls on the bed and so on. These are just some examples – every aspect of the making of the film is covered in similar detail: music, special effects, editing, etc., etc.
In the final section, Lebo covers the controversy that nearly stopped the film from being released – the suggestion that it was based on the life of the newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst, whose organisation and supporters did everything they could to have it suppressed and very nearly succeeded. To be honest, initially I thought this would be the bit of the book that intrigued me most, but actually I found all the production stuff much more interesting.
So the burning question is – did it all make me like the film more? Well, I waited a few days and then watched it again. And... I fear not! I now have much more appreciation of the work that went into it, I admire a lot of the innovation, I see the stuff about the cinematography, I'm impressed by the dissolves between scenes, I hear how the music is being used. But... nope! It still just doesn't do it for me. Oh well, never mind! I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. Recommended for Kane buffs, movie buffs, and people with a weird penchant for detailed geekiness. I think we all know which category I fall into...
One last word: “Rosebud!”
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, St Martin's Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
As a casual and totally unknowledgeable movie watcher, I've never appreciated Citizen Kane as much as I feel I should. I've always been aware that the reason for this is that largely I watch films on a pretty superficial level, for the plot and acting, whereas often with these films that are designated as 'great' it's as much for cinematography, innovative technique etc. So this looked like the perfect book to help me understand just what it is I'm missing about a film that is often cited as the greatest movie ever made.
In the introduction, Harlan Lebo explains that the book is based on source documents and conversations with some of the participants in the making of the film. He points out that there are a lot of myths around the film, many of them created by Welles himself for the fun of it. He proposes to debunk at least some of these myths (none of which I knew anyway) at the same time as getting to the truth behind the mythology. He recommends having the film set up ready to watch each scene as it's discussed. I heartily agree with this advice – it added a lot to my understanding of the more technical side of the book to be able to see what Lebo was describing. I also watched the film all through to refresh my memory of it before I began reading, and that was useful too.
Lebo starts with a brief biography of Welles' achievements on stage and radio before he was given a contract by RKO. His notoriety following the famous War of the Worlds broadcast had made him hot property, with every studio wanting to sign him. RKO won the bidding war by offering him unprecedented artistic freedom to produce, write, direct and star in his own movies – all this when he was just 25. He was granted things previously unheard of, such as the right to determine the final cut. Hollywood was agog, and split between those who were pleased to see artistic control handed over in this way and those who resented the meteoric rise of this inexperienced and as yet untested young man. Lebo gives a good idea of how, at this time, Hollywood studios were throwing money at people they hoped would bring a good return.
Once Welles is installed at RKO, Lebo takes the reader through the entire process of the making of Kane in painstaking and pretty geeky detail. But geeky in a good way – written so that even I, who wouldn't recognise a movie camera if I tripped over it, was able to easily understand. No detail is too small, no aspect too obscure to be included here, from budgeting, casting, direction, production, even what days particular scenes were filmed on. Sounds dreadful, huh? And yet, I found it increasingly fascinating – I had no idea of all that went into producing a film and began to feel a much greater admiration for the strange and wonderful people behind the camera, sometimes far behind it.
One of the bits I found most interesting was the creation of the script, over which there is apparently some debate about who should have had the major credit. By examining the various drafts, Lebo shows how the idea originated out of a kind of brainstorming between Welles and scriptwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, who then went on to produce a very lengthy and wordy script. Lebo then shows how Welles went about paring this down and down, partly for budgetary requirements, but mainly because he intended to use the camera to tell the story as much as the words. I found reading the original extracts and then watching the final version gave a real idea of how Welles' directorial skills enabled him to keep the thing lean without losing the intrinsic essence of it.
Lebo also goes into huge detail on the cinematography of Gregg Toland, who was thrilled to be working for a director who wanted to try out new things. He made me aware of things my usual careless watching would never have let me notice, such as the, for then, unusual fact that the rooms have ceilings, or that many of the shots are filmed from unusually low angles, or that the focus is entirely different from many movies of that time by having everything in focus simultaneously.
In similar vein, Lebo shows how budget restrictions led in part to the empty look of some of the sets, especially in the Thatcher archives scene and the Great Hall at Xanadu, giving the film a distinctive and unique look enhanced again by Welles choosing to put in echoes to emphasise and use rather than hide the vast bareness. And he contrasts that with the detail of, for example, the props in Susan's various rooms all of which add to her character almost subliminally – the rather childish stencilling on the walls, the dolls on the bed and so on. These are just some examples – every aspect of the making of the film is covered in similar detail: music, special effects, editing, etc., etc.
In the final section, Lebo covers the controversy that nearly stopped the film from being released – the suggestion that it was based on the life of the newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst, whose organisation and supporters did everything they could to have it suppressed and very nearly succeeded. To be honest, initially I thought this would be the bit of the book that intrigued me most, but actually I found all the production stuff much more interesting.
So the burning question is – did it all make me like the film more? Well, I waited a few days and then watched it again. And... I fear not! I now have much more appreciation of the work that went into it, I admire a lot of the innovation, I see the stuff about the cinematography, I'm impressed by the dissolves between scenes, I hear how the music is being used. But... nope! It still just doesn't do it for me. Oh well, never mind! I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. Recommended for Kane buffs, movie buffs, and people with a weird penchant for detailed geekiness. I think we all know which category I fall into...
One last word: “Rosebud!”
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, St Martin's Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
September 16, 2025
الكتاب كبير ع الفاضي
بس عجبني فيه كام حاجه أنه كاتب السيناريو والحوار بالدقيقة وميزانية الفيلم .. غير كده رغي ع الفاضي
بس الفيلم جيد وتصويره حلو وان orson Welles ده كان اول اخراج ليه من غير اي خلفية ف التصوير
المونتاج وتكوينات الصورة جميلة 👏
بس عجبني فيه كام حاجه أنه كاتب السيناريو والحوار بالدقيقة وميزانية الفيلم .. غير كده رغي ع الفاضي
بس الفيلم جيد وتصويره حلو وان orson Welles ده كان اول اخراج ليه من غير اي خلفية ف التصوير
المونتاج وتكوينات الصورة جميلة 👏
February 23, 2023
Book accomplishes what it sets out to do, a look at Citizen Kane, from Orson Welles unprecedented contract, drafting the script, filming, battles by Hearst to suppress the film and it’s eventual release and acclaim.
Well written and enjoyable, If you’ve never seen Citizen Kane I’m not sure you’d get as much out of it, but it was informative,
Favorite anecdote was when Welles was asked if he was a communist, he asked his interlocutor to define what a communist was, ‘Someone who gives all their money to the government’, ‘In that case, I’m 87% communist’ a reference to his high tax bracket.
Well written and enjoyable, If you’ve never seen Citizen Kane I’m not sure you’d get as much out of it, but it was informative,
Favorite anecdote was when Welles was asked if he was a communist, he asked his interlocutor to define what a communist was, ‘Someone who gives all their money to the government’, ‘In that case, I’m 87% communist’ a reference to his high tax bracket.
June 21, 2018
What an amazing in-depth account of this movie. And I have never seen the whole thing in one seating yet. I certainly will now. Orson Welles has been a favorite, I've been in love with his voice. In addition, it still amuses me that my Grandfather was taken in by his radio program The War of the Worlds. Not sure where he was packing up to go at the time...it must have been hysterical... LOL
Anyway... there is so much to the making of this film, the story, film making techniques, the hype, all of it it is fascinating. I will ALWAYS prefer b&w films....
And darn, I'm still not sure what Rosebud was meant to mean....
Anyway... there is so much to the making of this film, the story, film making techniques, the hype, all of it it is fascinating. I will ALWAYS prefer b&w films....
And darn, I'm still not sure what Rosebud was meant to mean....
September 5, 2024
Audiobook. This title caught my eye because this summer I visited Woodstock, IL, the childhood hometown of Orson Welles. The first part of the book was some interesting behind-the-scenes trivia of filming what has come to be known as “the greatest film of all time.” The second part, however, was what I was really waiting for: all the juicy drama between Orson Welles and newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, who believed the movie was about his life. I’ve unlocked a new life goal… Attending a screening of Citizen Kane at Hearst Castle!
April 27, 2016
Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey
Written by Harlan Lebo
APRIL 26, 2016; 384 Pages
Genre: classic Hollywood, film history, history, biography
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.)
★★★★
Next month (May) will be the 75th anniversary of one of the greatest movies, Citizen Kane. Actor/Director/Writer, Orson Welles is best known for his portrayal of Kane (who is based on publisher Hearst) as well his direction of the play. Surrounding Welles and this production of this film is rumours, scandals and legends. Harlan Lebo in this book has written the story behind the film...how Welles stardom rose, where he started from and how this film came to be written and produced, and how it has touched audiences and future directors. Lebo explores all the things that have been stated about this movie, and tried to demonstrate the proof (or lack thereof) behind each myth. I enjoyed this book as it does give you a complete rundown of Welles and Citizen Kane. I enjoyed the film but it is not one I am running to watch again. I did still like the book. I recommend to classic movie fans!
k (My Novelesque Life)
Written by Harlan Lebo
APRIL 26, 2016; 384 Pages
Genre: classic Hollywood, film history, history, biography
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.)
★★★★
Next month (May) will be the 75th anniversary of one of the greatest movies, Citizen Kane. Actor/Director/Writer, Orson Welles is best known for his portrayal of Kane (who is based on publisher Hearst) as well his direction of the play. Surrounding Welles and this production of this film is rumours, scandals and legends. Harlan Lebo in this book has written the story behind the film...how Welles stardom rose, where he started from and how this film came to be written and produced, and how it has touched audiences and future directors. Lebo explores all the things that have been stated about this movie, and tried to demonstrate the proof (or lack thereof) behind each myth. I enjoyed this book as it does give you a complete rundown of Welles and Citizen Kane. I enjoyed the film but it is not one I am running to watch again. I did still like the book. I recommend to classic movie fans!
k (My Novelesque Life)
October 9, 2017
A lot of technical stuff about movie-making in this book, but overall an interesting account of how an unexpectedly great movie got made. Also a cautionary tale of why it is so dangerous for one man to control so much media, both in the movie and in real life.
September 10, 2021
I am one of those people who loves Citizen Kane and will defend it as the best American movie of all time. To me "best movie" is not just a matter of technical greatness, but also of lasting relevance and profundity. Citizen Kane has that thing that you see in The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, the essays of Joan Didion, The Simpsons, and Seinfeld. Not only is it excellent, but the subject matter is so uniquely American that it's excellence would only have been possible in an American context.
Suffice it to say that I went into the book with a positive opinion of Kane and with a pretty good base of knowledge about the film. And still, I learned a lot from this book. Author Harlan Lebo applies a workmanlike historian's approach to a film that has been the subject of much subjective bombast and myth-making and the reader is all the richer for it.
In particular, the middle portion of the book is probably the most practical analysis of the film's production process that I have encountered. Instead of relying too heavily on interviews or well-known analyses like those of Pauline Kael and Peter Bogdonovich, Lebo leans on primary sources like production reports, studio memos, and partial rewrite drafts to give us a sense of how the sausage was made.
The result is a joy for anyone who actually works in film and television. Almost every craft gets a detailed section, and so you get information on how special effects shots were achieved (there are actually dozens of subtle special effects in the film), the approach the production designer and set dresser took to create depth, and why the lighting in the film feels so current.
Lebo resists getting bogged down in some questions that have distracted previous scholars. In particular, he makes quick work of the Mank vs. Welles script debate. If you look at the drafts as Lebo has in great depth, you see that Mank wrote the script for the most part, but Welles made significant changes during production. A pretty common and unremarkable collaborative process.
The beginning and end of the book are less remarkable than this stellar middle portion, as there is no similarly elegant and straight-forward way to unpack the evolution of Welles' creation myth and the controversy around and legacy of the film following its release. But, Lebo does admirably here as well, sticking to the facts and resisting known myths and common flourishes of romanticism.
But, again, the analysis of the film's production is what makes this book worth reading. Lebo has created the kind of book the someone like Robert Rodriguez or Stephen Soderbergh might write about their own films as a kind of production diary, but about a film that was made eighty years ago. This really is a remarkable feat made all the more impressive because the author makes it look easy.
Though this book isn't flashy, it may end up being an essential piece of film scholarship that endures beyond some of the better known works on the essential American film.
Suffice it to say that I went into the book with a positive opinion of Kane and with a pretty good base of knowledge about the film. And still, I learned a lot from this book. Author Harlan Lebo applies a workmanlike historian's approach to a film that has been the subject of much subjective bombast and myth-making and the reader is all the richer for it.
In particular, the middle portion of the book is probably the most practical analysis of the film's production process that I have encountered. Instead of relying too heavily on interviews or well-known analyses like those of Pauline Kael and Peter Bogdonovich, Lebo leans on primary sources like production reports, studio memos, and partial rewrite drafts to give us a sense of how the sausage was made.
The result is a joy for anyone who actually works in film and television. Almost every craft gets a detailed section, and so you get information on how special effects shots were achieved (there are actually dozens of subtle special effects in the film), the approach the production designer and set dresser took to create depth, and why the lighting in the film feels so current.
Lebo resists getting bogged down in some questions that have distracted previous scholars. In particular, he makes quick work of the Mank vs. Welles script debate. If you look at the drafts as Lebo has in great depth, you see that Mank wrote the script for the most part, but Welles made significant changes during production. A pretty common and unremarkable collaborative process.
The beginning and end of the book are less remarkable than this stellar middle portion, as there is no similarly elegant and straight-forward way to unpack the evolution of Welles' creation myth and the controversy around and legacy of the film following its release. But, Lebo does admirably here as well, sticking to the facts and resisting known myths and common flourishes of romanticism.
But, again, the analysis of the film's production is what makes this book worth reading. Lebo has created the kind of book the someone like Robert Rodriguez or Stephen Soderbergh might write about their own films as a kind of production diary, but about a film that was made eighty years ago. This really is a remarkable feat made all the more impressive because the author makes it look easy.
Though this book isn't flashy, it may end up being an essential piece of film scholarship that endures beyond some of the better known works on the essential American film.
December 18, 2019
Citizen Kane has been my #1 favorite film for probably a majority of my life on this earth as a huge film fanatic, and there's good reason for it. There's simply nothing like it. Every time I watch it I am blown away by its originality, its artistic focus, and how ahead-of-his-time Orson Welles truly was as a filmmaker in 1940-41. Other fans of this film owe it to themselves to read Harlan Lebo's very comprehensive and well-researched book on the making of this film. Not only does it dissect the actual making of the film itself, it also does a little exploration into Orson Welles' beginnings as a filmmaker when he was younger, as well as the immediate controversy the film sparked, especially in regards to the comparison between the life of the fictional Charles Foster Kane and the real-life publisher, William Randolph Hearst.
There are times when Lebo gets repetitive - almost as if he forgot he had already mentioned certain bits and pieces here and there and ends up repeating himself (why didn't an editor catch these pieces?) - but this can easily be forgiven. His own apparent appreciation for this monumental film really shines through, for this is clearly a labor of love without waxing too sentimental about it. Even the entire last 100 pages or so of the book are chock-full of intricate notes detailing each scene of the film, the budget, the casting, articles written by Gregg Toland (the cinematographer), an interview with Bernard Herrmann (the composer of the score), and multiple further resource references on the film and Orson Welles. This is a treasure trove for Kane enthusiasts, and an engrossing read. I learned many new things about this film that I have always highly revered! Very recommended.
There are times when Lebo gets repetitive - almost as if he forgot he had already mentioned certain bits and pieces here and there and ends up repeating himself (why didn't an editor catch these pieces?) - but this can easily be forgiven. His own apparent appreciation for this monumental film really shines through, for this is clearly a labor of love without waxing too sentimental about it. Even the entire last 100 pages or so of the book are chock-full of intricate notes detailing each scene of the film, the budget, the casting, articles written by Gregg Toland (the cinematographer), an interview with Bernard Herrmann (the composer of the score), and multiple further resource references on the film and Orson Welles. This is a treasure trove for Kane enthusiasts, and an engrossing read. I learned many new things about this film that I have always highly revered! Very recommended.
August 18, 2018
As the name implies, I hoped that Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey would primarily be about Orson Welles' arrival in Hollywood, his trials creating his first film and the troubles with William Randolph Hearst that damned the film for many years. This is all there, but when writer Harlan Lebo gets into the filming of Citizen Kane, his book becomes insanely dry, breaking down transitions between shots and getting into incredibly minuscule details. I'm usually a sucker for this type of film breakdown, and Citizen Kane is one of my favorite films, but I almost feel like at times, this is a book you have to read while having a copy of Citizen Kane at the ready. It's too specific to be engaging. Even though I've seen the movie maybe five or six times, I still couldn't picture the imagery that Lebo was presenting in very specific terms.
I also felt like Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey was pretty base in its understanding of Welles. I never really felt like I learned much that I didn't already know about the production or Welles, except a few fun little stories that were thrown in. But Lebo digs deep on things that don't really matter, but doesn't dig deep enough into things I wish I knew more about. Also, about 100 pages at the end of this book is just breaking down what happens in every scene, or listing the cast, or other inessential elements that didn't need to be written down. I don't know, Lebo's writing just always felt very surface level to me, and from the very beginning, I could tell it likely wouldn't be all that engaging. I'd love a stronger take on this same material, because I just felt like I was getting slight variations on things I already knew.
I also felt like Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey was pretty base in its understanding of Welles. I never really felt like I learned much that I didn't already know about the production or Welles, except a few fun little stories that were thrown in. But Lebo digs deep on things that don't really matter, but doesn't dig deep enough into things I wish I knew more about. Also, about 100 pages at the end of this book is just breaking down what happens in every scene, or listing the cast, or other inessential elements that didn't need to be written down. I don't know, Lebo's writing just always felt very surface level to me, and from the very beginning, I could tell it likely wouldn't be all that engaging. I'd love a stronger take on this same material, because I just felt like I was getting slight variations on things I already knew.
December 26, 2023
First of all, this was an audio book I downloaded not CDs. But the book is great for anyone who loves classic films. It goes into so much detail about this film that anyone who is not a fan of the film or who doesn't love movies probably won't like it. But I love movies and I really like this particular film. It is not that I watch it over and over again. I am not that kind of fan. I recognize its artistry and I appreciate it. Like seeing a great piece of art but not really loving the subject. The film is one of the greatest films ever made but the reasons it is so great are numerous and this book goes into each one of them in a deep look. The music, the camera angles, the cast, etc. But it really helped me understand why I appreciate the film. I hope that makes sense. Like the first time I saw an opera it confused me but I liked it. So, I read a book about opera and it helped me to understand it better and gradually I started to appreciate them. This is a book about a film that I always admired and respected and appreciated and it helped me to understand why I admired it and respected it and appreciated it. I love the extra detail about the cinematography and the lighting and the script. So, I will just say this. It is a book about the film but it is more than that. It is a film about how one great movie was created, but it is also about how movies get made. If you love movies like I do then I think you will like this book. If you don't like subtitles or black and white films or older movies, you probably won't like the book. Does that make sense?
March 8, 2022
Utterly fascinating and spellbinding. A compelling presentation of one of the greatest stories in Hollywood history. Even if you have read the story elsewhere, or seen the movie multiple times, this book presents so much new information and it does a wonderful job of putting the film's production into context, from beginning to to finish. A great companion volume to Harlan Lebo's previous pictorial work on Kane. A must have for fans of Orson Wells, the film Citizen Kane and classic Hollywood in general. Even though I know the outcome, Lebo's page-turning narrative had me on the edge of my seat - could Welles pull off the production before it was shut down? Could the film be released before it was boycotted, or worse, destroyed? I thoroughly enjoyed the insight, analysis, and broader context brought to light in this balanced and scrupulously researched account that will make future viewings even more meaningful. Highly recommended.
January 15, 2023
If you are a fan of Citizen Kane, Orson Welles, or just great classic cinema, this book is a must read and a treasure trove of great information. I've seen Citizen Kane at least a dozen times, twice at the theater (most recently last summer!). This book gave me new eyes to watch this incredible first movie by Orson Welles. It includes a summary of the original screen treatment completed by Herman Mankiewicz, and how Orson Welles with his theater and radio background, made Citizen Kane as a novice moviemaker learning as he went. He had an incredible collaboration with cinematographer Greg Tolland which is shared in wonderful detail in the book. Citizen Kane deserves to be at the top of anyone's movie list. Still incredible over 80 years since Orson Welles, and his incredible cast and technicians created it. The book tells of the wonderful collaboration of all involved in creating this movie masterpiece.
September 18, 2024
A Technical Masterpiece with a Snooze-Worthy Prose
As someone who finds Citizen Kane a bit of a snooze fest, I still appreciate its monumental impact on the film industry and the groundbreaking techniques it introduced. Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey by Harlan Lebo shines in its deep dive into the history and creation of the film. Lebo’s descriptions of the storyline and behind-the-scenes details actually made me want to give the film another chance, as he managed to make it sound more compelling than I remember.
However, I’m giving this book 3 stars because, while the information is insightful and valuable, the prose itself was rather dull. I wish I had listened to an audiobook version instead of reading it, as I struggled to stay engaged despite the fascinating subject matter. A good read for die-hard film buffs, but the writing didn’t keep me as hooked as I’d hoped.
As someone who finds Citizen Kane a bit of a snooze fest, I still appreciate its monumental impact on the film industry and the groundbreaking techniques it introduced. Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey by Harlan Lebo shines in its deep dive into the history and creation of the film. Lebo’s descriptions of the storyline and behind-the-scenes details actually made me want to give the film another chance, as he managed to make it sound more compelling than I remember.
However, I’m giving this book 3 stars because, while the information is insightful and valuable, the prose itself was rather dull. I wish I had listened to an audiobook version instead of reading it, as I struggled to stay engaged despite the fascinating subject matter. A good read for die-hard film buffs, but the writing didn’t keep me as hooked as I’d hoped.
June 22, 2023
(3.5 stars) (Audiobook) This work looks at the history of the making of one of the great films in cinematic history, Citizen Kane, and the primary driver of the picture, Orson Wells. It follows the making of the film in a chronological order, covering the making of the film and the lives of the people involved. There is much to learn, and I certainly did. However, Lebo will make a habit of repeating points when it is not really required, which can be a major drawback to the work. Still, Lebo does dispell many of the myths surrounding the film, the controversy with William Randolph Hearst, the reasons why it did not get a great initial reception, and how it eventual grew into perhaps the greatest film ever made. Worth the read for the film buff, even with some of the noted flaws.
November 9, 2023
Harlan Lebo is the authority on Citizen Kane. The research is extensive. Every cinephile will be satisfied with the meticulous attention to detail (camera angles, lenses, distances from the shot, dissolves, fades, vignettes, optical prints, re-writes/revised drafts, script sketches, musical score, etc...)
Reading this text is an investment of time. You won't get through this in four or five sittings, but you'll enjoy every moment of the book and want to re-read it for what you might have missed in the first read.
A wonderful read. Sad to put it down and get transported from Kane's world back to my own.
Kudos to Lebo and much appreciation from fans!
Reading this text is an investment of time. You won't get through this in four or five sittings, but you'll enjoy every moment of the book and want to re-read it for what you might have missed in the first read.
A wonderful read. Sad to put it down and get transported from Kane's world back to my own.
Kudos to Lebo and much appreciation from fans!
January 29, 2019
Fairly thorough look at the making of Citizen Kane, background of Welles and the controversy surrounding the films creation and release. Interesting read. Recommended if you want to more about the film.
June 14, 2024
I'm really enjoying this book! It's fascinating and very detailed. I'm learning all about script writing schedules and innovative cinematography techniques - particularly interesting as tech has changed so much since then. Can't wait to finish it and watch Citizen Kane again!
August 28, 2024
Part Two is when Lebo's voice really really worked for me. Much of Part One got maybe too much into recounting the film itself + draft details, etc., when I was always more interested in the stories and people behind it.
May 6, 2017
Part 1 was a fascinating account of the making of Citizen Kane. Orson Welles was amazing.
Part 1 is amazing.
Part 1 is amazing.
July 22, 2017
The last third of the book petered out a little for me.
December 29, 2017
Loved every page from beginning to end. Highly informative and well researched. This underdog story has me more convinced than ever that CK is the greatest film of all time. Incredible!
December 19, 2018
Good overall summary of the reasons Citizen Kane remains great. Good the film buff and the expert. .
September 9, 2022
Everything and I mean EVERYTHING I ever wanted to know about my favorite film. Granted, my eyes glassed over during the technical stuff (sorry) but still a great book.
February 18, 2025
Great! Citizen Kane is one of my all time favorite movies and I loved learning about the making of this film.
June 19, 2017
This is the only book you need on this great American film, unless you're a Welles compleatist. Lebo charts the phenomenal rise of the artist as a young man, who made Kane at 25 and spent the rest of his life trying to surpass that freshman masterpiece. He never did, despite the arguments you may hear from Welles apologists who swear The Magnificent Ambersons is better. Or Touch of Evil. Or the Trial. Or even F for Fake. They're not. If they were, there would be books about those lesser films.
March 12, 2017
I'm currently obsessed with Citizen Kane, and I am now obsessed with this book!!!
May 8, 2016
This book was definitely interesting I felt like the first couple chapters were excellent and enjoyed learning about the great man that was Orson Welles, but as the book went on and as the details got more and more drawn out I realized this book probably has a very particular market. And I am not that market I do enjoy the movie Citizen Kane and appreciate it for the groundbreaking work that it was but this book is like for super film nerds. People who enjoy the minutia of how a movie is made down ti the last drop. While there might be a movie or two I would probably enjoy learning THAT MUCH detail about Citizen Kane is not one. I also felt like at certain points the writer was just trying to fill pages. I mean the opening of the book is a several page plot description and later there is another several page description if the original script. Again I could see how this book could for sure have a particular market, but for the average movie buff it's a little much.
June 26, 2016
Just when you think there can't be anything more to read about Citizen Kane comes this; there may be a lot of new material here, but it serves as a solid summarizing of almost everything that's been published (and whispered) about the making of the movie masterpiece, the attempt by Hearst to suppress it, and its reception by critics and the public. For the most part, Lebo does not try to definitely say what is truth and what is myth--given all the contradictory things that have been said over the years, that would be impossible--but he puts it all together to be sorted through in great detail. The new things he adds are points about what's onscreen, including comments about filming and editing style that are interesting enough to demand that I watch the movie again as soon as I finished the book. This may not quite be complete enough to be the last word, but I doubt I'll see a better attempt to be in my lifetime.
July 24, 2016
Lebo's book about the greatest film ever is impressive in its detail, as carefully considered as the film itself. I certainly recommend it for fans of the movie, of Welles, and of cinema in general because of the wealth of information contained here. However, the book's greatest strength is also its main flaw: it is so comprehensive, so thorough that it feels bloated at times, excessive, like it's going to buckle under its own weight. The book itself is a metaphor for Kane's appetites and his Xanadu. At several times, Lebo gives too much information, whether talking about an extra who played a woman walking down a New York street with her back to the camera or what lunch Welles ate on X day of production. Then he goes ahead and records it again in the extended scene guides and cast lists in the appendices. It does get a bit tedious. Still, that tedium is not enough to ruin this book as a resource.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews