The face of Garbo is an Idea, that of Hepburn an Event.

When life knocks you to your knees, and it will, why, get up! If it knocks you to your knees again, as it will, well, isn't that the best position from which to pray?

You must learn, day by day, year by year, to broaden your horizon.

[on Hollywood] It looks, it feels, as though it had been invented by a Sixth Avenue peepshow man.

The arts are not just instantaneous pleasure - if you don't like it, the artist is wrong. I belong to the generation which says if you don't like it, you don't understand and you ought to find out.

[At age 76:] A good life is like a good play -- it has to have a satisfying and exciting third act.

The great actors are the luminous ones. They are the great conductors of the stage.