Via Starwars.com:

Citizen Kane is one of those movies that makes every great list. The critics love it, cineastes love it, movie fans love it, and filmmakers love it. Released in 1941, it’s a thorough examination of the life of Charles Foster Kane. Kane himself is a newspaper magnate based loosely on the real-life William Randolph Hearst, and spends his time allowing power and wealth corrupt him. Written, directed, and starring Orson Welles, Citizen Kane broke all the rules of cinema. The story wasn’t told in linear fashion, and even though it was a fairly straightforward drama it could easily be classified as an early special effects picture.

Citizen Kane is one of those movies that, like Star Wars, changed what was possible in film after its release. It was a new way of telling stories and showing other filmmakers what the medium was truly capable of.

There are many comparisons to be made between the filmmakers of these movies as well. Orson Welles was only 25 when he created his magnum opus, inventing new methods to tell stories on film. George Lucas wasn’t much older when he began work on the first Star Wars film. I’ve already written much about the technical similarities that Lucas pulled from Welles and Citizen Kane, you can read that piece here. What I want to talk about now is how George Lucas brought some of the themes and story flourishes from Citizen Kane into the story of Anakin Skywalker.

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