The kind of acting that's wholly literary or cerebral is wrong. It's useless for me to have actors so much in their heads that they can't be organic.

The reason my films work is because every actor on set is very secure. They're able to fly.

But actually I make films that I think are extremely sophisticated and cinematic.

The problem with the British film industry is the nervousness and insecurity about - and genuflection toward - Los Angeles.

The way an actor is trained doesn't ultimately have much bearing on my work. I'm interested in the actor as artist.

Resolve was never stronger than in the morning, after the night, when it was never weaker

I grew up looking at... going to the movies a lot, as much as they'd let you. I grew up in Manchester in the north of England in the '40s and '50s. I saw a lot of movies. They were all Hollywood and British movies. I didn't see a film that wasn't in English until I was 17 when I went to London to be a student.