A bit overrated by everyone and their mother, this film is a masterpiece, in ALMOST every sense of the word. Yes, I had a problem with the film, although it’s not a major one. The sound. There were multiple scenes in the film which were detracted from, in my mind, because of the sound choices. There were points where the mood should have been dark and eerie, but instead the music was comical and upbeat. It wasn’t right and drew me out of the otherwise fantastically captivating, and intensely brooding film noir. It’s still a masterpiece just not in the sound department. It deserves all its praise.

The performances stand out as some of the best of its decade, and maybe some of the best of all time. Orson Welles cements himself as an all around master of cinema. His performance slowly builds on itself throughout the film even when he is not in the story. Every other performance delivers in being the mysterious character they needed to be. They build suspicion and bring to light questions in the audience’s mind.

The screenplay also stands as one of the best in film history. I usually have the upper hand on any mystery story and can figure the story out before a twist happens. This film however had me on the edge of my seat and awe-struck by the plot twists. Coupled with fantastic cinematography, this film stands above decades and decades of cinema.