Politics and History in Citizen Kane, the Front Page, and Network

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José Alejandro Méndez Blanch History and Culture of Other English–Speaking Countries II Academic year 2012–2013 * * * * * History and Politics of the United States through Citizen Kane, The Front Page, and Network With its unparalleled capacity for realism, cinema seems uniquely positioned to bring history to life for a mass audience. Whether retelling stories about past events or reflecting more contemporary issues, cinema has been arguably the primary source of historical knowledge for many people from its earliest years right up to the present day. The following written paper purports to explore a given number of key historical and political issues that happened in the United States of America and overseas during the 20th century. The task will be made through three noteworthy films: Citizen Kane, The Front Page, and Network. Although every film seems to be political and/or historical, inasmuch as they are determined by the ideology which produces it, the three abovementioned fiction movies have been selected by being reliable sources of historical knowledge related to the governments, public and private affairs, culture or ideology. In 1941, the American actor, director, producer and writer George Orson Wells releases his masterpiece Citizen Kane. Often considered by critics, filmmakers and fans as one of all–time greatest films, this is a ground-breaking drama loosely based on the life of William Randolph Hearst. Aging newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane dies in his sprawling Florida estate after uttering a single, enigmatic final word — “Rosebud” — and Newsreel producer Rawlston sends reporter Jerry Thompson out with the assignment of uncovering the meaning behind the great man’s dying thought. As Thompson interviews Kane’s friends, family, and associates, one learns the facts of Kane's eventful and ultimately tragic life such as his abandonment by

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