Citizen Kane

Rules for Movie Memory Duel:
1)  Both halves of Brerin must have watched the movie together. 
2)  It must be at least 3 months since having seen the movie. 
3) Each half is given 3 minutes to compose their honest memories of the movies.

Erin

This is a movie about an eccentric millionaire’s life. It shows his mansion full of odd statues and taxidermy but it is devoid of life. This main character has been in the news and done lots of big things but in the end he longs for the simplicity of a childhood long past. The movie comes back to a sled of his with the inscription “rosebud,” which answers a question we ask ourselves as viewers throughout the movie…what does “rosebud” mean, both literally and figuratively?

Brad

Citizen Kane is about a man with the last name of Kane who becomes a big business magnate in the newspaper world but then we find out that he isn’t as happy as he used to be as a child. He was adopted of some sort and lived with his adopted parents in the middle of the US, maybe Kansas or Oklahoma. He had a sled that was called Rosebud and he was the happiest of all when he was young and innocent with his Rosebud. Fast forward and he’s become the successful business magnate but he has lost himself. He orders people around. Has too much money. A big house called Xanadu but it doesn’t bring him happiness. He has a wife too who is probably just in it for the money? He runs into problems with his business and his relationships and misses his childhood. Eventually we see him on his deathbed where he doesn’t have anyone close, and he thinks back to his childhood and says “Rosebud,” his famous last word. Ah. So good.

Hindsight Analysis: This was watched at least 3 years ago but seems to have made more of an impression than Unforgiven. We didn’t do too poorly, with similarities between our summaries suggesting some accuracy. Erin remembered the plot point involving searching for the meaning of “Rosebud” which Brad did not recall, however it appears Erin forgot the main character’s name was, indeed, Mr. Kane and the namesake of the movie.