Citizen Kane - Characters & Cast

Kane's primary motivation is a desperate, lifelong quest for the love and validation he lost as a child when his mother sent him away. This manifests as a need to be loved by the masses, which drives his newspaper empire and political ambitions. He believes that if he can control what people think, he can make them love him. However, his methods are rooted in domination rather than genuine affection.

Kane begins as a young, energetic idealist who champions the common person. As he amasses enormous wealth and power, his idealism corrupts into a tyrannical desire for control over both the public and his personal relationships. His journey is a classic rise-and-fall arc, where his ambition and inability to love lead to alienation from his friends and wives. He ultimately dies a lonely, isolated man in his vast, empty mansion, having gained the world but lost his soul.

Leland is motivated by a genuine belief in journalistic integrity and the principles upon which the Inquirer was founded. He wants to hold Kane accountable to his own declared ideals. His motivation is to preserve the truth, even if it means confronting and losing his best friend.

Jedediah starts as Kane's closest friend and most ardent supporter, drawn to Kane's initial idealism and charm. He serves as the moral compass of the newspaper. Over time, he becomes increasingly disillusioned as he watches Kane betray their shared principles in his pursuit of power. Their friendship fractures completely when Kane fires him for writing a negative review of Susan's opera debut, and Leland ends his life cynical and estranged from the man he once admired.

Initially, Susan is motivated by a simple desire for a quiet life and affection. As Kane's wife, her primary motivation becomes survival and, eventually, escape. She longs to be free from his control and the public humiliation of her forced opera career, which pushes her to a suicide attempt and ultimately to abandoning him.

When Kane meets Susan, she is a sweet but untalented singer. He is initially drawn to her simplicity. After becoming his mistress and then his second wife, her life is completely dominated by his ambition. He forces her into a humiliating and failed opera career, not for her sake, but for his own ego. The pressure and control crush her spirit, transforming her into a bitter, resentful alcoholic. Her arc culminates in her finally finding the strength to leave him, choosing her own freedom over his suffocating wealth.

Bernstein's motivation is simple and unwavering: loyalty to Charles Foster Kane. He is content to serve the man who gave him his start and built an empire. Even in his old age, he defends Kane's legacy and seems genuinely fond of the man, despite his flaws.

Mr. Bernstein is Kane's fiercely loyal business manager from the very beginning. His character does not have a significant arc; he remains devoted to Kane throughout his life, even long after Kane's death. He embodies unwavering, almost blind loyalty, choosing to remember the charismatic and powerful Kane of his youth rather than the monstrous figure he became. His perspective is colored by nostalgia and a deep-seated admiration for his boss.