10 Classic Films Critics Originally Hated

Citizen Kane stands tall as the American Film Institute's favourite movie these days, twice beating out the likes of The Godfather, Raging Bull and Lawrence of Arabia for the top slot. Modern praise has targeted the plot structure, cinematography, music and editing as innovative and ingenious. Historians consider Orson Welles' debut as both movie star and director as a then unprecedented work of art.

Nice as that is for all involved, its initial release suffered a much frostier reception. The Charles Foster Kane character was modelled on several wealthy figures from the time, particularly media baron William Randolph Hearst. Furious over the film's quasi-depiction of him, Hearst had any and all mention of the film banned from his newspapers. Worse still, he ordered his journalists to begin slandering Welles.

Drowning in the feuds between film critics who did and did not work for Hearst, the film's release was delayed and almost cancelled outright before finally getting a limited release in May 1941. Several reviewers dismissed the film as corny and boring at the time, citing a disdain for its approach to photography and the moralist ending.

Despite the setbacks, it fast became clear there were those within the film industry that appreciated its quality. Winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Citizen Kane was also a hit with critics abroad where Hearst's chokehold on the media was not quite as apparent.

Modern reappraisals of the film have cemented its legacy as a cornerstone in cinema, with a wide reaching influence over the art of film ever since.