After the opening scene in which Charles Foster Kane utters his final word and passes away, the film transitions to the “News on the March” newsreel. The choice to incorporate the documentary style into Citizen Kane was most likely because Welles felt it was the best way to create the illusion that this man was real. Handheld shots were utilized and supposedly some of the negatives were run across the editing room floor to add scratches and dust to make it appear like it has been projected so many times. Combined with the “voice of god” narration, this segment of the film attempts to show the viewer the true story of the character’s successes and failures in life. It also sets up an objective view of who Kane was, and these facts will either be supported or contradicted as the film goes on and the reporter interviews those close to Kane.
When Orson Welles conceptualized the “News on the March” segment, he was just continuing what he started with his War of the Worlds radio broadcast, which was trying to convince the audience into believing something is real, making the film more enjoyable.
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