Citizen Kane – A Marriage Just Like Any Other Scene (4/10) | Movieclips 

This is my favourite scene as it highlights Kanes deteriorating marriage over the course of years through the use of editing techniques, lighting, positioning/mise en scene and music/sound. 

The scene opens with a dolly shot moving towards the two sitting closely suggesting intimacy between the pair as it positions the audience to view them as deeply in love however, throughout this scene the underscore of waltz music gradually builds in tension to emphasise the downward trajectory of the marriage and paired with the mise en scene it beautifully highlights the fact it’s gradually disintegrating. For instance, the table seems to function as a symbol of distance and how Kane and Emily have grown apart both physically and emotionally as the scene descents into silence between the pair. The scene is almost cyclical as it’s a backwards dolly shot, a reverse of the opening, but the lighting here is much darker compared to the initial shot suggesting their marriage can’t be revived and has ended/is ending. 

As the table grows longer the scene also begins to separate in two shown by shot reverse shot editing between them as they become isolated from one another in their own frames oppose to the beginning where they shared a frame.  

Props are also added in the foreground between them perhaps acting as a barrier to further separate them. 

Montage editing is effective in this scene as it allows Welles to manipulate time for the benefit of the audience whilst still seeing the couple in the same setting. This is done by using a fast, spinning blur of the windows to transition through time, whilst suggesting nothing monumental has occurred.