- [When asked about the transition from child star to adolescent actor] "You're 14 or 15, and they can hire an 18-year-old and not have the child-labor law restrictions, and so they do. Just at the point when you're feeling confused and vulnerable, you're being rejected."
- It was always my dream to be a director. A lot of it had to do with controlling my own destiny, because as a young actor you feel at everyone's disposal. But I wanted to become a leader in the business.
- [When asked what his future holds in 1979] "If I had to choose between a great acting job and a good directing job, I'd choose the directing job."
- I've always been interested in the Depression as this very dramatic pivotal period in American history. My dad grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and remembers playing with his toy tractor under the table while the local farmers talked with his grandfather about forming a local militia to protect the crops because they were afraid unemployed people from the town would come in and grab the crops.
- "There is something inherently tough about Americans. They will not accept defeat. The astronauts of Apollo 13 (1995) would not give up, John Nash in A Beautiful Mind (2001) would not give up, and Jim Braddock would not surrender to poverty".
- I've acted with all types, I've directed all types. What you want to understand as a director, is what actors have to offer. They'll get at it however they get at it. If you can understand that, you can get your work done.
- I'm not a caterer. I just have to stay with my creative convictions. At some point, you have to just get past the special-interest groups and do what you're there to do, which is make a movie.
- It was always our goal to try to present schizophrenia in a very personal way. So the delusional characters are symbols, you know, manifestations. It's all a bit more allegorical, it's not pure case study, it's not a clinical presentation.
- [On the death of Don Knotts]: Outside of his loving family, I'm sure that Andy Griffith was Don Knotts's greatest fan. When I summon up memories of working with Don on "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960), the first images are of Andy laughing and reveling in Don's genius. Don had been funny before the show and sustained his comedy superstardom later in movies and on TV. But I will always remember the transformation that would begin as mild-mannered Don rehearsed his scene, tweaked the dialogue, refined the timing - and then took off and soared as cameras rolled. The only question: Could Andy keep from falling out of his chair laughing in the middle of the take? Nine times out of 10, Andy, the consummate pro, held on until the director yelled 'Cut!' and he and the rest of us could finally release the pressure valve and let the laughter out. On the rare times when Andy would blow the take, he was always forgiven - even by Don, who knew deep down there was plenty more comedy where that came from
|
Movie/TV title: