Directed, produced and co-wrote by Orson Welles, Citizen Kane (1941) is considered by many professional critics as the best American film ever made. For the uninitiated, the story follows reporter Jerry Thompson (William Alland) who is assigned the task of determining the meaning of the final words (ie Rosebud) of Charles Foster Kane (Welles). The reporter traces the life of Kane from childhood to media mogul and through failed political ambitions and personal endeavors. While the film was progressive in its non-linear storyline, the movie was groundbreaking in its cinematography (eg lighting and deep focus techniques). The film was largely based on the real life of William Randolph Hearst who tried to have the film destroyed and panned it in his newspapers. The bottom line is that Citizen Kane is justifiably admired for its substantial influence on latter directors, producers and screenwriters.