The Troupe of the Mercury Theatre in Citizen Kane

Going into the film I wasn’t quite excited to view this film simply because I don’t find black and white movies interesting due to the old style of acting and filming. I’m so used to modern day cinema and all that goes into it that makes it vastly different than the film style black and white movies have. The black and white style of cinematography still lives on to this day. Even though our technology has advanced drastically compared to back when it was the only option was to film in black and white and not have any colors, movie watchers can still find movies that were filmed in black and white. Moving past that and actually watching the film I found myself extremely interested in this film due to the focus on the film industry as well as the era of journalism this movie took place in. The subject of yellow journalism is present in this film and personally, I’m very intrigued with this subject because this style of journalism that was frowned upon and looked down on has resurfaced in present time under a new name, “Fake News.” The fake news crisis really came to light during the last 2016 presidential race. President Trump unofficially made this term very well-known during his campaign due to his belief that the mainstream media’s criticisms about his personal life, business life, and so on. Any attack or argument against him resulted in him labeling any publication as fake news like he infamously did to CNN news multiple times.

Touching back on the subject of yellow journalism, as much as it was frowned upon and looked down by real and qualified journalists, many people enjoyed reading these outrageous news articles and the demand for them that was obvious fueled writers to put out more of these type of articles. In the movie William Randolph Hearst and his impact he had on the journalism world with his success of his yellow journalism is present in the film. Charles Foster Kane mirrors William Randolph Hearst’s life. Charles Foster Kane is a stubborn and cruel man due to his upbringing which isn’t an excuse for his actions. Journalists brand him and his newspaper as yellow journalism. When this movie premiered, William Randolph Hearst received the script and was furious to make the connection of the main character to his own life.

The documentary over the consequences of the film highlighted the controversy this filmed caused. Orson Wells made a name for himself due to the controversy he caused. Around this time, Hearst papers started assaulting Welles and his stage preparations for reasons that were not clarified in the film. Welles shaped the Mercury Theater as a kind of test bunch against the set-up conventions, and a large number of the central players in Citizen Kane originated from this troupe. The documentary largely shows the widely positive feedback this documentary received on showcasing the aftermath of this film. This information this narrative interchanges its stories of Hearst and Welles at specific interims, maybe endeavoring to cement the connection between their characters and lives. Shockingly, since a considerable lot of the individuals engaged with these accounts have passed away, the film depends on the standard narrative methodology of gradually zooming into still photos of the occasions or individuals being talked about. Scattered with these shots are sure interviewees, newsreel film, and clasps from Native Kane. The narrative talks about and demonstrates how Hearst was not a stooped, despondent man in his later years as the film proposes. In any case, it points out that his notoriety endured because of the film and has kept on enduring throughout the years.