'Citizen Kane' drops to 99 score on Rotten Tomatoes after 1941 negative review added

1941: Orson Welles takes the lead role in his film 'Citizen Kane', directed by himself for RKO.
1941: Orson Welles takes the lead role in his film 'Citizen Kane', directed by himself for RKO. Photo credit Hulton Archive/Getty Images

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Orson Welles’ "Citizen Kane", widely regarded as one of the best movies ever made, lost its perfect score on the website Rotten Tomatoes, over a review published nearly 80 years ago.

The 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes was broken last month after the website added a negative review published in the Chicago Tribune almost 80 years ago on May 7, 1941.

The review was published under the pseudonym “Mae Tinee” and accompanied with the headline “Citizen Kane Fails to Impress Critic as Greatest Ever Filmed.” It was published in the Chicago Tribune a few days after “Citizen Kane” began showings in theaters in 1941.

The critic wrote the movie is “a flop” and the noir-inspired visuals and use of shadows “gives one the creeps.”

“It’s interesting. It’s different. In fact, it’s bizarre enough to become a museum piece,” the review goes on to read. “But its sacrifice of simplicity to eccentricity robs it of distinction and general entertainment value.”

The review made it onto the Rotten Tomatoes website all these years later, because Rotten Tomatoes rolled out an archive project and collected old reviews.

So "Citizen Kane" has gone from a perfect 100 to 99.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images