I'm afraid of only two things: being lazy and being cowardly.

We're all put to the test... but it never comes in the form or at the point we would prefer, does it?

It's hard for a Jew of my generation, an American Jew, who is philo-Zionistic, not to romanticize Israel.

I pray you indulge me for a space, for I am going to set out on a speech which may have some duration, but whose theme may be gleaned from its opening phrase: how dare you.

Consider: for all the gobbledegook [film studio] executives spout about backstory, all that we, the audience, want to know is what happens next. That's the only thing that's going on. . . . Character is nothing other than action, and character-driven means The plot stinks, and you'd better hope the star is popular enough to open the movie in spite of it.

The audience perceives only what the actor wants to do to the other actor.

The Oscars demonstrate the will of the people to control and judge those they have elected to stand above them (much, perhaps, as in bygone days, an election celebrated the same).