I think it's better to be overly ambitious and fail than to be underambitious and succeed in a mundane way. I have been very fortunate. I failed upward in my life!

It's ironic that at age 32, at probably the greatest moment of my career, with The Godfather having such an enormous success, I wasn't even aware of it, because I was somewhere else under the deadline again.

Music is a big factor in helping the illusion of the film come to life. The same way music brings back different periods of our lives.

I had an older brother who was very interested in literature, so I had an early exposure to literature, and and theater. My father sometimes would work in musical comedies.

The essence of cinema is editing.

I always think upon Lee Strasberg with warmth, and reviewing his wisdom is a pleasure.

It was the man's dream, and his inspiring attempt to make them come true that remain important.