Favorite Film...

I am often asked the following question: What is your favorite film? It's a no-brainer for me. Citizen Kane directed by Orson Welles. In the cinematic canon of film, Citizen Kane is considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made, and certainly one of the most influential.

While every moment of the film has been choreographed to perfection (playing with angles and deeply shadowed cinematography), I suppose I am more fascinated by the story of how Citizen Kane came to life. Of course, the cinematography alone chartered a new language and style that would greatly affect future filmmakers.



The short story is that Orson Welles was a young guy who had been handed the key to Hollywood, following his success with his radio broadcast of War of the Worlds (a show that shook our nation). He was the next big thing.

I imagine it would have been easy for him to simply fit into the system, but Welles choose to take on one of the most powerful men in the world, Publishing Tycoon William Randolph Hearst.



The film's protagonist, Charles Foster, is based on the life of William Randolph Hearst--so much so that Hearst tried to have the film suppressed. Welles didn't back down, and it very well cost him his career. While the film was eventually released it wasn't until years later that Hollywood came to really recognize it for its actual worth.

I have always been drawn to the underdog, the guy or girl who, in the face of struggle, isn't afraid to stand tall for what he or she believes in. I know personally how easy it is to sometimes fall victim to those who doubt your abilities or second guess your intentions, but it is during those times of "weakness" that the beauty of the human spirit has a chance to flourish. It's a time when the strength of one's will can overcome adversity; when courage and conviction to rise to one's true potential can conquer the deepest of fears and those who would seek to prevent us from realizing our true potential.



Ultimately, I suppose we have to realize that only we control the fate of our destiny. While we may search for acceptance and validation, the true power of finding success rests in our ability to believe in the power of our imagination--and believe in ourselves.

Orson Welles believed in himself as a filmmaker. He believed in his art, in the power of storytelling, so much that his work is still relevant today.