Rated 4.3 out of 5 This is one of the greatest movies of all time, but it would never have existed without this legendary western starring John Wayne!

Long before signing Citizen Kane, considered by many to be the founding work of modern cinema, Orson Welles took a long look at another big screen classic to immerse himself in it.

In 1941, at the age of just 25, Orson Welles The history of cinema was noted Citizen KaneA film recognized for its innovative story, innovative direction and emotional achievement. But this masterpiece wasn’t born in a vacuum: Welles developed his vision by immersing himself in the work of directors from John Ford on down.

One of his models? fantastic ride (Stage coachIn 1939, the cult western with John Wayne was released. This film, which tells the story of a group of travelers who face danger in the wilds of Arizona, had a great influence on the young director.

Repeated views like exercise

According to a biography of Welles written by Simon Callow, the future filmmaker saw a genius A fantastic ride At least 40 times before he started producing his own film. He was not content to watch the film passively: he analyzed every detail, often surrounded by technicians and studio staff, relentlessly questioning the director’s and story’s choices.

He compared this approach to a real film lesson: “Every night after dinner for about a month, I ran The Fantastic Ride, often with a few studio technicians or department heads, and asked questions. ‘How was it done?’ Why did they do this? It was like going to school“, he confided in Callow’s book.

Decorative work for the future cinema monument

With 7 Oscar nominations and still intact status among the best westerns of all time – namely according to the American Film Institute – A fantastic ride Not only motorized John Wayne as a star, but also formed the basis for the cinematic training of a young, still unknown director.

Without this rigorous training and admiration for Ford’s work, Citizen Kane It probably wouldn’t have the same visual depth or technical virtuosity that so impressed subsequent generations.

Fantastic Ride is available on LaCinetek. Citizen Kane can also be seen again on Ciné+ OCS, FILMO or even LaCinetek, or simply on VOD.

(Re)discover the Citizen Kane trailer below: