Citizen Kane
written by Orson Welles & Herman J. Mankiewicz
Kane: The trouble is, Mr. Thatcher, you don't realize you're talking to two people. As Charles Foster Kane, who owns eighty-two thousand, three hundred and sixty-four shares of Public Transit, preferred - you see, I do have a general idea of my holdings - I sympathize with you. Charles Foster Kane is a scoundrel, his paper should be run out of town; a committee should be formed to boycott him. You may, if you can form such a committee, put me down for a contribution of one thousand dollars. On the other hand, I am the publisher of the Inquirer! As such, it is my duty - and I'll let you in on a little secret, it's also my pleasure - to see to it that the decent, hard-working people in this community aren't robbed blind by a pack of money-mad pirates just because - they haven't anybody to look after their interests.
I'll let you in on another little secret, Mr. Thatcher. I think I'm the one to do it; you see, I have money and property. If I don't look after the interests of the underprivileged, maybe somebody else will - maybe somebody without any money or property - and that would be too bad...
Thatcher: Yes, well, I happened to see your financial statement today, Charles. Now tell me, honestly, my boy, don't you think it's rather unwise to continue this philanthropic enterprise, this Inquirer that's costing you a million dollars a year...
Kane: ... You're right, Mr. Thatcher. I did lose a million dollars last year; I expect to lose a million dollars this year; I expect to lose a million dollars next year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I'll have to close this place in - sixty years.
Kudos and much thanks go to J. Salter for corrections to this monologue, it is very much appreciated.