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With Orson Welles plotting the route and Gregg Toland manning the cinematography helm, "Citizen Kane" boasts what is perhaps the most consistent and complete showcase of carefully planned visual compositions in film history. Several different techniques are used to add visual flair throughout the movie, but one often used is this "rule of three". By positioning three characters in different parts of the frame, certain ideas about their relationships and attitudes are communicated to the subconscious mind and discerning viewer.

The first time we see the "rule of three" in action is during the flashback to Kane's childhood. Mrs. Kane and Thatcher are talking about Charles' future and the particulars of Mrs. Kane's newly acquired wealth. Mrs. Kane and Thatcher are in the foreground; Mr. Kane, who is opposed to sending Charles away, hovers in the middle ground whilst Charles plays far in the background outside in the snow.

When Mrs. Kane approaches the window and the view cuts to a new angle, this arrangement is shifted. Mrs. Kane is now in the foreground, Mr. Kane in the middle and Thatcher in the background. This represents the amount of authority each character has over Charles. His mother clearly wields all the power, while his father holds some, and Thatcher is out of the equation at this point. Thatcher's movement into the middle ground with Mr. Kane suggests a shift in power to come and also emphasizes that Mrs. Kane could have chosen either man with Charles' upbringing. Mr. Kane is directly to the right behind her in this shot and Thatcher is clearly off to the left of her a distance, but as she exits, she goes directly toward Thatcher, clearly representing her choice.

In one of the few instances in which finances are directly addressed, the rule of three is again wielded. When Kane has to sign over his paper ownings back to Thatcher in 1929 due to depression losses, Bernstein reads the document in the absolute foreground, Thatcher sits in the middle, and Kane walks to a window in the far background. As Kane enters from frame right where Bernstein is, this signifies that he prefers Bernstein by far, as he appears incredibly larger than Thatcher. His distance from the two businessmen as they discuss the details of the transaction symbolizes Kane's opposition to being concerned with financial matters, especially his own. To Kane, money is no object and he is never worried about any of the particulars of his own fortune. As he says himself, he only uses it to

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