Movie: Citizen Kane In terms of realism, "Citizen Kane" heavily uses images that masquerade as documentary footage, when in fact they're just constructed to look like documentary. Did you notice actual documentary footage being used? What makes you think it's documentary footage and not, like certain examples in the textbook, footage shot to look like documentary? What is the function of this footage in the film? Why is it there? What purpose does it serve? If any of you are aware of this film's connection with the real-life historical figure of William Randolph Hearst, that may tip you off as to how realism is working in the film.