My films ought to be judged on whether they're entertaining or good as films, but not on the political view necessarily. I'm trying to be morally responsible and no more. I don't have an agenda I'm trying to push.

I tend to be what I would call more progressive than conservative, but I think either extreme is excessive.

I mean, movies are like your kids or your fingers and toes or something, it's pretty hard to pick favorites.

You know, essentially when you do a play you're reinterpreting a work of art that already exists. That's not what happens with a movie.

Well, there's no question that a good script is an absolutely essential, maybe the essential thing for a movie.

Burt Lancaster was largely responsible for me becoming a director.

[Stanley] Kubrick was a fascinating, larger than life guy who had been a friend for many years prior to our working together on that film. I found the best part of working with him to be the long conversations we had between set-ups.