Analysis Of Human Nature In Orson Welles Movies

Orson Welles’ films portray the dark side of human nature. The motif of darkness is conveyed through still images, mood music, short, foreboding phrases, the conjuring of sinister ideas, and objects that represent darkness. A common theme that engulfs his movies is murder by gunshot. Many of the characters in his movies appear borderline psychopathic because of their inconsiderate tendencies. In the rare instances his characters did care for someone, it was only a lover and even then, they were only occasionally treated how one would expect today.

Each of the characters in Orson Welles’ films show some aspect of human nature in a negative light, as Welles himself was “dark, self-absorbed, and very troubled.” Revealing Welles’ most biting critique of man, most of his characters manifest some form of egocentrism. Such selfishness is exemplified in Citizen Kane, though it is slightly different than Welles other films in that there are no gunfights and no one is murdered. Throughout the film, we see that Kane accumulates an increasing amount of power while losing more of his soul. Encompassing the film are themes of

He initiated a fight in a car with his girlfriend, pulled a gun on her, and killed her. Afterwards, he proceeded to shoot himself. Some of the characters in Welles’ films portrayed human nature in a borderline psychopathic way; as does my next modern day example. Unfortunately, a twenty-one-year-old girl who lived a town over from me went missing. As it turns out, a man had kidnapped, tortured, and murdered her. Upon further investigation, his basement was found stocked with torture devices and many body remnants were dug up in his backyard. Regrettably, the dark side of human nature that Welles reveals throughout his films is very relevant today as shown through misogynists and the relationships between men and women in