Even if a film is considered an indisputable masterpiece today, that doesn’t mean that everyone left the theater cheering at the premiere. Many a classic has even been booed at the Oscars.
Which is the best movie of all time? If you go by the usual canon lists, one title is likely to be repeated quickly: Citizen Kane. Directed by Orson Welles, the 1941 drama tells the story of the rise and fall of US newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane – a masterpiece for many film fans.
For years, Citizen Kane alternated with Vertigo – From the Realm of the Dead as the best film on the prestigious Sight and Sound list, which is only voted for every ten years. But Citizen Kane didn’t have such a good standing from the start. There was even a campaign aimed directly against the movie.
William Randolph Hearst launched a smear campaign against Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane
As our international colleagues at Espinof have reported, Welles made a powerful enemy in the wake of Citizen Kane. The fictional Kane story bears similarities to the career of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. At the time, he was not at all thrilled to discover parts of his life in the film
(Citizen Kane)
Hearst used all his power to take down Citizen Kane. With several daily and weekly newspapers and radio stations behind him, this was easy for the media mogul. Citizen Kane was virtually banned from reporting. Not even the title was allowed to be mentioned. Despite this, the film received 9 Oscar nominations
After Hearst’s smear campaign, there was a hail of boos at the 1942 Oscars for every mention of Citizen Kane
When it finally came to awarding the golden boys on February 26, 1942, Citizen Kane had to endure a barrage of spiteful boos for every nomination, as Time Magazine writes. Whether Hearst was directly behind this is not documented. Given his previous actions, however, the possibility is there.
An archived issue of Variety lists other reasons for the booing silence. Many saw the nine Oscar nominations as compensation for Hearst’s smear campaign and therefore undeserved. In addition, Welles did not have a good standing with extras, who were allowed to vote in several categories.
In the stream: Here you can watch Citizen Kane on Amazon Prime Video
In the end, Citizen Kane only won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Score, Best Actor, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography and Best Sound. Today, it is considered a groundbreaking masterpiece in film history
