In fact, when they wake up in the morning, they're Jack Nicholson or Robert De Niro or Josh Brolin. And it's built-in, but they think it's all this other stuff. But it's not. They'd be great if they didn't think about their part or if they did think about it.

Life is a tragedy filled with suffering and despair and yet some people do manage to avoid jury duty.

I, interestingly, had dated a woman in the Eisenhower Administration briefly, and it was ironic to me 'cause I was trying to do toher what Eisenhower has been doing to the country for the last eight years.

When I am in New York, I want to be in Europe, and when I am in Europe, I want to be in New York.

My films are therapy for my debilitating depression. In institutions people weave baskets. I make films.

You know, it's one thing about intellectuals, they prove that you can be absolutely brilliant and have no idea what's going on.

If the [actors] are working, and I have a dinner engagement, I don't do 20 takes. I do five takes and go home. I want to go to dinner.