In the sprawling mansion of Xanadu, located in the sun-drenched landscapes of Florida, the aged Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) clings to life. As he lies on his deathbed, his frail hand clutches a snow globe tightly. With a final whisper, he utters the mysterious word, "Rosebud," before passing away; the globe slips from his grip, shattering upon hitting the floor. This poignant moment ignites a sensational wave of news coverage across the globe, with a newsreel obituary chronicling the extraordinary life of Kane—a once-mighty and immensely wealthy newspaper mogul.
Born into humble circumstances, Kane's rise to power is nothing short of meteoric, yet marred by personal scandals. Throughout his lifetime, he underwent two divorces and presided over a sprawling media empire comprising 13 newspapers and numerous radio stations nationwide. His opulent Xanadu, the priciest private construction endeavor since the pyramids, also boasted a private zoo, reinforcing his image as a figure of extravagance and excess. Envy and resentment simmered beneath the surface of his relationships, particularly with Walter Parks Thatcher (George Coulouris), who took over the stewardship of Kane's wealth after Kane's parents entrusted him.
Kane's political ambitions faltered due to a scandal involving a romantic liaison, leaving him in solitude in his twilight years—unloved and abandoned. The ominous air around his death leads Jerry Thompson (William Alland), the producer of the newsreel, to spearhead an investigation into the meaning of Kane's cryptic last word. Thompson embarks on an investigative journey, seeking to interview Kane’s associates and loved ones.
Thompson approaches Kane's second wife, Susan Alexander Kane (Dorothy Comingore), who now grapples with alcoholism and runs a nightclub. However, she rebuffs his efforts to converse about her husband. Undeterred, Thompson probes into the archives of late banker Thatcher, discovering through Thatcher's memoirs that Kane's life was steeped in transition from a poverty-stricken childhood in Colorado.
Rewind to 1871: Following the discovery of gold on her property, Kane's mother, Mary Kane (Agnes Moorehead), decides to send her son to live with Thatcher, believing he deserves a better education. While they discuss this decision indoors, young Kane (Buddy Swan) plays merrily with a sled in the snow, unwilling to leave his childhood home. His mother harbored deep fears regarding Kane's father, whom she deemed irresponsible, handing over the control of the gold mine to Thatcher's bank to secure a trust fund for Kane to access at 25.
When the pivotal birthday arrives, Kane bursts into the newspaper world, diving headfirst into yellow journalism. He seizes control of the New York Inquirer, crafting sensationalist articles that violently attack Thatcher's enterprises. His tenacious rise results in conflict and relentless financial strains, costing him $1 million annually to sustain his publication. Ultimately, the stock market crash of 1929 forces Kane to divest a considerable stake in his newspaper empire to Thatcher.
In the present, Thompson converses with Mr. Bernstein (Everett Sloane), Kane's devoted business manager, who reflects on how Kane employed the finest journalists and escalated his paper’s prestige to new heights. Kane's influence peaked when he managed to manipulate public opinion during the Spanish-American War, ultimately marrying Emily Norton (Ruth Warrick), a relative of a U.S. President, catapulting the circulation of his paper from a modest 26,000 to an impressive 684,000—surpassing his fiercest competitor.
Later, Thompson seeks out Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten), Kane's estranged best friend, now living in a retirement home. Leland recounts the fragmentation of Kane's marriage to Emily as tensions arose from his relentless critiques of the President's policies, compelling Kane to pursue an affair with budding singer Susan Alexander while embarking on a political campaign. Both Emily and Kane's political rival soon uncover the affair, culminating in a scandal that obliterates Kane's political aspirations. He marries Susan but thrusts her into a humiliating career in opera, demanding success without acknowledging her lack of talent or desire.
Moving back to the present, after much turmoil, Susan finally agrees to speak with Thompson, reflecting on her dismal attempts at an operatic career and her eventual desire to escape Kane's oppressive influence. Following a traumatic suicide attempt brought on by Kane's overwhelming control, Susan leaves, driving Kane into a rage that leads him to violently dismantle her bedroom. Amidst the destruction, he suddenly calms upon spotting the snow globe, murmuring, "Rosebud."
As relevance shifts back to Xanadu, Kane's belongings are meticulously evaluated for preservation or disposal. Ultimately, Thompson reaches the somber conclusion that the elusive meaning of Kane's last word may forever remain unanswered. As the film reaches its poignant finale, the camera unveils a revelation: Rosebud is not just a word but the name of the sled young Kane cherished while he played outside his childhood home—a stark reminder of lost innocence. Thought to be mere rubbish, the sled is unceremoniously incinerated, leaving behind a bittersweet legacy of Kane's life and the truths he could never reconcile.
