Citizen Kane Scene 16 Summary

  • Charles' writing staff at The Inquirer talks about the positive review they're going to give Susan Alexander's singing performance on the front page of the paper.
  • But Leland hasn't finished writing his piece yet, so Kane goes to see him. Bernstein informs the writing staff that Kane and Leland haven't spoken for years.
  • Bernstein follows Kane into Leland's office, where Leland is passed out over his typewriter with a half-empty bottle of liquor next to him. Kane tells him to close the door.
  • Kane wants to know what Leland has written, so Bernstein stoops over the typewriter to read it. Leland has totally panned Kane's new wife and her abilities.
  • Kane asks for a typewriter so he can finish Leland's notice in the paper. When Leland wakes up, he finds out that Kane is finishing Leland's review just the way Leland wanted it—scathing and negative.
  • When Leland heads out to the office, Kane fires him.
  • Back in the present, Thompson asks Leland why Kane would have finished his notice as a negative review. Leland says Kane did it to prove he was an honest man, since he was always trying to prove one thing or another.
  • Years later, Kane wrote to Leland when he was old and living alone in his mansion. But Leland never answered the letter.
  • Before Thompson leaves, Leland asks him to smuggle him some cigars into his hospital because his doctor won't let him have any. Then some nurses lead him away.