In common with all Protestant or Jewish cultures, America was developed on the idea that your word is your bond. Otherwise, the frontier could never have been opened, 'cause it was lawless. A man's word had to mean something. Orson Welles More Quotes by Orson Welles More Quotes From Orson Welles The first thing one must remember about film is that it is a young medium. And it is essential for every responsible artist to cultivate the ground that has been left fallow. Orson Welles essentials artist firsts I have a great love and respect for religion, great love and respect for atheism. What I hate is agnosticism, people who do not choose. Orson Welles great-love hate people Hollywood is a gold-plated suburb suitable for golfers, gardeners, assorted middlemen, and contented movies stars. I am none of these things. Orson Welles hollywood stars gold A director is someone who presides over a series of accidents. Orson Welles accidents series directors . . . you [film critics] always overstress the value of images. You judge films in the first place by their visual impact instead of looking for content. This is a great disservice to the cinema. It is like judging a novel only by the quality of its prose. I was guilty of the same sin when I first started writing for the cinema. . . . Now I feel that only the literary mind can help the movies out of that cul de sac into which they have been driven by mere technicians and artificers. Orson Welles impact film-critics writing Our songs will all be silenced, but what of it? Go on singing. Orson Welles singing goes-on song Only in a police state is the job of a policeman easy. Orson Welles police liberty jobs Human nature is eternal; therefore one who follows his nature keeps his original nature, in the end. Orson Welles shanghai human-nature ends I can think of nothing that an audience won't understand. The only problem is to interest them; once they are interested, they understand anything in the world. Orson Welles hollywood world thinking Personally, I don't like a girlfriend to have a husband. If she'll fool her husband, I figure she'll fool me. Orson Welles fool girlfriend husband An artist is always out of step with the time. He has to be. Orson Welles artist education teacher If I don't like somebody's looks, I don't like them. Orson Welles ifs looks I dont believe in learning from other peoples pictures. I think you should learn from your own interior vision of things and discover, as I say, Innocently, as though there had never been anybody. Orson Welles vision believe thinking Now we sit through Shakespeare in order to recognize the quotations. Orson Welles beer order book When you are down and out something always turns up - and it is usually the noses of your friends. Orson Welles friends inspirational funny Even if I'd stayed [in the US to finish 'The Magnificent Ambersons'] I would've had to make compromises on the editing, but these would've been mine and not the fruit of confused and often semi-hysterical committees. If I had been there myself I would have found my own solutions and saved the pictures in a form which would have carried the stamp of my own effort. Orson Welles confused effort editing I would just like to mention Robert Houdin who in the eighteenth century invented the vanishing birdcage trick and the theater matinee - may he rot and perish. Good afternoon. Orson Welles vanishing afternoon may They teach anything in universities today. You can major in mud pies. Orson Welles pie college today I have made an art form of the interview. The French are the best interviewers, despite their addiction to the triad, like all Cartesians. Orson Welles addiction interviews art Crooks aren't the worst people, just the stupidest. The fleas of the world. Orson Welles crooks stupidity people