Citizen Kane (1941): cast, story & where to watch
1941 · Film · ★ 8
Released in 1941, Citizen Kane is a drama and mystery film directed by Orson Welles, running about 119 minutes. “It's terrific!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Newspaper magnate, Charles Foster Kane is taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. As a result, every well-meaning, tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that deeply wounding event.
Who’s in it. Citizen Kane stars Orson Welles as Charles Foster Kane, Joseph Cotten as Jedediah Leland, Dorothy Comingore as Susan Alexander Kane and Ray Collins as Jim W. Gettys, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, Citizen Kane sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue. It went on to earn $23.2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Citizen Kane page.
If you liked it. Fans of Citizen Kane tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Citizen Kane (1941)?
- In US, Citizen Kane is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Citizen Kane worth watching?
- Citizen Kane holds an audience score of 8.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and mystery. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Citizen Kane?
- Citizen Kane stars Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Ray Collins and George Coulouris.
- When was Citizen Kane released?
- Citizen Kane was released in 1941, with a runtime of about 119 minutes.