When Chaplin found a voice to say what was on his mind, he was like a child of eight writing lyrics for Beethoven's Ninth.

Now, what is it which makes a scene interesting? If you see a man coming through a doorway, it means nothing. If you see him coming through a window - that is at once interesting.

If something smells bad, why put your nose in it?

A director must be a policeman, a midwife, a psychoanalyst, a sycophant and a bastard.

The ultimate trick is to convince, persuade. Every single person out there is an idiot, but collectively they're a genius.

Hollywood didn't kill Marilyn Monroe, it's the Marilyn Monroes who are killing Hollywood.

[on pop idol Donny Osmond] He has Van Gogh's ear for music.