Orson Welles changed cinema forever with his 1941 debut, but the production of the film was surrounded by intense controversy involving William Randolph Hearst. This quiz explores the legacy of that release.
You will see questions about the technical feats like deep-focus photography, the cast, the challenging studio environment, and the secrets behind those iconic scenes. Some questions look at the history, while others ask about specific production details.
If you enjoy film history, check out our collections on Golden Age Hollywood, cinematography techniques, and troubled film sets.
What 1941 masterpiece is widely considered the target of William Randolph Hearst’s campaign to suppress its release?
Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind
Casablanca
Casablanca
The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Which famous actress, a companion of William Randolph Hearst, provided the loose real-life inspiration for the character Susan Alexander in ‘Citizen Kane’?
Jedediah Leland
Jedediah Leland
Emily Norton
Emily Norton
Susan Alexander
Susan Alexander
Marion Davies
Marion Davies
Which pioneering cinematographer was instrumental in designing the unique deep-focus photography used throughout ‘Citizen Kane’?
John Ford
John Ford
Herman J. Mankiewicz
Herman J. Mankiewicz
Orson Welles
Orson Welles
Gregg Toland
Gregg Toland
What is the final word spoken by Charles Foster Kane in the film that serves as a central mystery for the reporter?
Rosebud
Rosebud
The Sunken Treasure
The Sunken Treasure
Xanadu’s Secret
Xanadu’s Secret
The Golden Calf
The Golden Calf
Which powerful gossip columnist, closely aligned with William Randolph Hearst, led the press boycott that significantly hampered the film’s initial distribution?
Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell
Dorothy Kilgallen
Dorothy Kilgallen
Louella Parsons
Louella Parsons
Hedda Hopper
Hedda Hopper
In the film, what is the name of Charles Foster Kane’s sprawling, lonely mansion?
San Simeon
San Simeon
Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle
Xanadu
Xanadu
The Estate
The Estate
Which technical innovation, allowing objects in both the foreground and background to remain sharp, was a landmark achievement in ‘Citizen Kane’?
Use of Technicolor footage
Use of Technicolor footage
The use of miniature sets for urban landscapes
The use of miniature sets for urban landscapes
Deep focus photography
Deep focus photography
The use of non-linear narrative structure
The use of non-linear narrative structure
Despite earning nine nominations, which of these prestigious awards, considered the top prize for a film, did ‘Citizen Kane’ fail to win at the 14th Academy Awards?
Academy Award for Best Director
Academy Award for Best Director
Academy Award for Best Picture
Academy Award for Best Picture
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
Academy Award for Best Cinematography
Academy Award for Best Cinematography
What was the only Academy Award that ‘Citizen Kane’ won in 1942?
Best Actor
Best Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Screenplay (Original)
Screenplay (Original)
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
In what year was the film ‘Citizen Kane’ originally released?
1924
1924
1950
1950
1941
1941
1897
1897
What is the name of the newspaper Charles Foster Kane inherits in the film?
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
New York Journal
New York Journal
San Francisco Examiner
San Francisco Examiner
The New York Inquirer
The New York Inquirer
To achieve specific camera angles in ‘Citizen Kane’, what unconventional set design feature was frequently employed?
Extensive use of silent film techniques
Extensive use of silent film techniques
Invisible editing transitions
Invisible editing transitions
Shooting entirely on location rather than stages
Shooting entirely on location rather than stages
Ceiling shots using forced perspective
Ceiling shots using forced perspective
Which 2020 film focuses on the writing of ‘Citizen Kane’ and the professional relationship between screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles?
Trumbo
Trumbo
The Aviator
The Aviator
The Social Network
The Social Network
Mank
Mank
Among his efforts to suppress ‘Citizen Kane’, what extreme measure did William Randolph Hearst’s allies reportedly take to destroy the physical film?
They tried to sue for defamation of character.
They tried to sue for defamation of character.
They tried to kidnap the film’s lead editor.
They tried to kidnap the film’s lead editor.
They threatened to fire any theater chain that showed it.
They threatened to fire any theater chain that showed it.
They tried to buy the negative and destroy it.
They tried to buy the negative and destroy it.
What specific childhood object is revealed at the climax of the film to be the source of Kane’s longing?
A sled
A sled
A fountain pen
A fountain pen
A broken violin
A broken violin
A marble statue
A marble statue
Though the film is primarily associated with Hearst, the character of Walter Thatcher was partly inspired by which other prominent newspaper magnate?
Adolph Ochs
Adolph Ochs
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
Joseph Pulitzer
Joseph Pulitzer
Henry Luce
Henry Luce
From which theatrical troupe did Orson Welles recruit many of the cast members for his transition to film?
Mercury Theatre
Mercury Theatre
Group Theatre
Group Theatre
Actors Studio
Actors Studio
Federal Theatre Project
Federal Theatre Project
Who composed the haunting, unconventional score for ‘Citizen Kane’, marking his feature film debut?
Bernard Herrmann
Bernard Herrmann
Miklós Rózsa
Miklós Rózsa
Alfred Newman
Alfred Newman
Max Steiner
Max Steiner
Which major film studio produced and distributed ‘Citizen Kane’?
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
RKO Radio Pictures
RKO Radio Pictures
MGM Studios
MGM Studios
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Primarily, why did many exhibitors refuse to show ‘Citizen Kane’?
The film was deemed too short for competition.
The film was deemed too short for competition.
It was too expensive for the era.
It was too expensive for the era.
It was considered too technically primitive.
It was considered too technically primitive.
It offended the powerful newspaper industry.
It offended the powerful newspaper industry.
Which of the following was NOT a technical innovation or notable production technique used in ‘Citizen Kane’?
Optical printing for aging effects
Optical printing for aging effects
Miniature photography to create vast interiors
Miniature photography to create vast interiors
The first use of digital compositing in cinema
The first use of digital compositing in cinema
Matte paintings to expand the scale of sets
Matte paintings to expand the scale of sets
Which film famously beat ‘Citizen Kane’ for the Best Picture Academy Award in 1942?
How Green Was My Valley
How Green Was My Valley
The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon
Sergeant York
Sergeant York
Suspicion
Suspicion
You can do better
Not bad
Great!
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