In 1940, Orson Welles, RKO studio head George Schaefer (movie producer), and screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz struggle in making what will be considered as the greatest United States film of all time, ''Citizen Kane''. Welles and Mankiewicz attend a party at Hearst Castle where meeting the hypocritical and tyrannical William Randolph Hearst gives him the inspiration to make a film about his life. Mankiewicz is against it as he knows Hearst's wrath will be horrible, but Welles says this is the film. Mankiewicz finally agrees.