A movie is never any better than the stupidest man connected with it. Ben Hecht More Quotes by Ben Hecht More Quotes From Ben Hecht Movies are one of the bad habits that have corrupted our century. They have slipped into the American mind more misinformation in one evening than the Dark Ages could muster in a decade. Ben Hecht age mind dark I haunted streets, whorehouses, police stations, courtrooms, theater stages, jails, saloons, slums, madhouses, fires, murders, riots, banquet halls and bookshops. I ran everywhere in the city like a fly buzzing in the works of a clock, tasted more than any fit belly could hold, learned not to sleep, and buried myself in a tick-tock of whirling hours that still echo in me. Ben Hecht jail cities sleep Like the actor, authority has faith in its false whiskers. But its deepest faith is in the human illusion. People will hang on to illusion as eagerly as life itself. Ben Hecht actors have-faith people I have written a raucous valentine to a poet's dream and agony. Ben Hecht agony valentines-day dream Criticism can never instruct or benefit you. Its chief effect is that of a telegram with dubious news. Praise leaves no glow behind, for it is a writer's habit to remember nothing good of himself. I have usually forgotten those who have admired my work, and seldom anyone who disliked it. Obviously, this is because praise is never enough and censure always too much. Ben Hecht dubious news criticism Chicago is a sort of journalistic Yellowstone Park, offering haven to a last herd of fantastic bravos. Ben Hecht yellowstone chicago offering Innocent people can get into terrible jams, too. One false move and you're in over your head. Ben Hecht fate people moving Much more frequent in Hollywood than the emergence of Cinderella is her sudden vanishing. At our party, even in those glowing days, the clock was always striking twelve for someone at the height of greatness; and there was never a prince to fetch her back to the happy scene. Ben Hecht glowing greatness party Three years ago, the white hope of the theatre. Today, a mug. That's New York for you. Puts you on a Christmas tree, and then - the alley. Ben Hecht new-york white years There is nothing as dull as an intellectual ally after a certain age. Ben Hecht allies intellectual age Out of the thousand writers huffing and puffing through movieland there are scarcely fifty men and women of wit or talent. The rest of the fraternity is deadwood. Yet, in a curious way, there is not much difference between the product of a good writer and a bad one. They both have to toe the same mark. Ben Hecht differences fifty men Despite all our toil and progress, the art of medicine still falls somewhere between trout casting and spook writing. Ben Hecht writing art fall I discovered early in my movie work that a movies never any better than the stupidest man connected with it. There are times when this distinction may be given to the writer or director. Most often it belongs to the producer. Ben Hecht movie men directors Kindness, tolerance, integrity, modesty, generosity - these are attributes that events permit us. They are our holiday moods, and we are as proud of them as of the fine clothes we have hung away to wear on occasions. Ben Hecht holiday clothes kindness integrity I have lived in other cities but been inside of only one. I once wore all the windows of Chicago and all its doorways on a key ring. Salons, mansions, alleys, courtrooms, depots, factories, hotels, police cells, the lake front, the rooftops and the sidewalks were my haberdashery. Ben Hecht lake inside ring police What better is there to sigh for than happiness, yesterday's or tomorrow's. Ben Hecht better tomorrow yesterday happiness Since my boyhood, I have sought always to please, but out of a kindness in me, never out of fear or respect for what was in others. Ben Hecht me respect fear kindness Love is the magician that pulls man out of his own hat. Ben Hecht hat own man love-is love There's only one law you gotta follow to keep outta trouble. Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doin' it. Ben Hecht yourself you trouble law I discovered early in my movie work that a movie is never any better than the stupidest man connected with it. There are times when this distinction may be given to the writer or director. Most often it belongs to the producer. Ben Hecht better never man work
