Citizen Kane Hits the Auction Block!

Dallas, Texas: Widely considered the finest American film ever made, Orson Welles' ambitious bio-picture Citizen Kane, depicting the life of Charles Foster Kane ? a thinly disguised version of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst ? was a flop during its initial release, and was actually booed at the 1941 Academy Award ceremonies every time one of its many nominations was announced. In fact, Hearst himself was so angered by the picture that he accused Welles of being a Communist in the hopes of preventing the picture's release. It was quickly shelved soon after its debut, relegated to the studio's vaults, not to be seen again until a re-release in the 1950s caused a reevaluation of the work.

Despite all the criticism and controversy upon its release, Citizen Kane is today regarded as a landmark film. Voted the Number One film of all time by the American Film Institute, and Number Two by Entertainment Weekly, the film is a true classic, a masterpiece of lighting, staging, direction and storytelling, and has become the yardstick by which many other films are measured. Universally regarded as Welles' masterwork, Kane is studied, debated and dissected by both film scholars and aficionados alike, and is a perennial favorite at film festivals and on home video.

Consequently, the advertising material created to produce the film has become some of the most sought-after in the entire hobby. The classic Style A one sheet, showing a defiant Kane against a white background, the words, "It's terrific," splashed across his chest, is a cornerstone of the poster collecting hobby, but the Style B one sheet is far rarer and far more desirable.

"One of the 'holy grails' for movie poster collectors," said Grey Smith, director of Vintage Movie Poster Auctions for Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries, "this rare style B one sheet offers a wonderful alternative to the artwork of most of the Citizen Kane campaign. Beautifully capturing a young Orson Welles as Kane, with lovely portraits of Dorothy Comingore and Ruth Warrick facing him, this is considered the nicer style for the original American release on this title. This particular example, to be offered on our upcoming auction, is a magnificent unrestored poster, which displays brilliant colors and white paper.

The Citizen Kane Style B one sheet will be offered in Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Vintage Movie Poster Signature Auction, to be held July 12 & 13, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. For more information, or to bid online, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com/MoviePosters.

Citizen Kane (RKO, 1941). One Sheet (27" X 41") Style B
Estimate: $25,000 - $35,000

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com.

Prospective consignors and sellers of vintage movie posters and related material should contact Grey Smith at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 367, or 214-252-4367, or email GreySm@HeritageAuctions.com.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Nicole Jewell at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272, or visit www.HeritageAuctions.com to order by email.