Citizen Kane, released in 1941, is one of the greatest American films. The film is widely considered a cautionary tale for the late 1930s and early 1940s. The main character, Charles Foster Kane, is portrayed as a character similar to the totalitarian dictators who emerged during this time period, such as Adolf Hitler. Totalitarian dictatorships aim to create unity among the masses and gain control over individuals and society. There are three key characteristics of totalitarian governments portrayed in the film Citizen Kane. This form of government uses propaganda to influence the opinion of the mass population, obtains power through the unity, support and trust of the masses, and seeks to control every aspect of their political states. Charles Foster Kane's character portrays these different characteristics of totalitarian dictators, alerting viewers to the possible political paths of the present and future. In the movie Citizen Kane, Charles Foster Kane was the head of the Inquirer newspaper empire. As Mr. Kane became more powerful in his life, he began to use his newspapers as a written propaganda machine. This went against his initial principles of running a newspaper that reported the news truthfully and honestly. An example of Kane using the newspaper to influence the ideas and opinions of Inquirer readers is in relation to Susie Alexander and her work. Susie's opera received negative reviews from several newspapers, including the Inquirer, but Kane asked her to continue singing. He published many newspapers that gave the impression that the work was one of the best, even though he himself knew this was not true. His headlines and articles kept people... in the center of the paper... on the table. The only thing that could result from complete control by a certain power is destruction, as seen in World War II. In conclusion, the film Citizen Kane is a cautionary tale for the late 1930s and early 1940s. It shows several elements of a totalitarian government and characteristics of a totalitarian dictator. The elements seen in the film that warn citizens of the political movements of the time are the use of propaganda, the rallying of the masses, and absolute control over all aspects of a country. Each of these characteristics is visible in the film Citizen Kane and through the character of Charles Foster Kane, all of which describe a totalitarian government. The film's depiction of the characteristics of a totalitarian government shows that the sole purpose of this form of government is destruction..