You know, you have Scorsese who worked with De Niro and - or DiCaprio. You have William Wyler who worked with Bette Davis. You have George Cukor who worked with Katharine Hepburn. I just - people get to be friends and then there's a - that's a - you can take risks together and each time out you take a different risk.

David O. Russell

Categorized in : People Together Risk

That's the most beautiful thing that I like about boxing: you can take a punch. The biggest thing about taking a punch is your ego reacts and there's no better spiritual lesson than trying to not pay attention to your ego's reaction.

David O. Russell

spiritual beautiful sports

The closer you stay to emotional authenticity and people, character authenticity, the less you can go wrong. That's how I feel now, no matter what you're doing.

David O. Russell

emotional character people

I was frustrated because I couldn't get going, as I was trying to figure out how to make films. I had various jobs, I taught a SAT class, I was a bartender, I had a day job at an office and was making short films.

David O. Russell

office class jobs

The cinema that I make is a cinema about people, emotion, humanity and passion. It's not just about what they struggle through, but what they live for. That's what I love. The music they love, the people they love, the clothing, the hair and the life that they love

David O. Russell

passion struggle hair

Anything you could ever want or be you already have and are.

David O. Russell

be-you want

There's nothing better than an actor who is really, really hungry to show everything they've got.

David O. Russell

hungry actors shows

I got put on jury duty, which is where I learned how to write.

David O. Russell

jury-duty duty writing

The great lesson about filmmaking is never take "no" for an answer, especially if you have a lot of passion and inspiration to do something.

David O. Russell

passion inspiration answers

I think any spiritual experience that's worthwhile is not about ego and it will humble you in some way. And also, a Zen monk once said to me, 'If you're not laughing, then you're not getting it.'

David O. Russell

spiritual humble thinking

That's just how I see things. I think things that are the most dramatic or tragic can also look the most ridiculous and funny. That's part of being human.

David O. Russell

ridiculous looks thinking

Sadly, this picture [ Joy] does not go from strength to strength. It sinks into a morass of tedious obstacles to this woman's success. Joy the person may be able to surmount all barriers, but the film with her name on it is not so fortunate.

David O. Russell

names doe joy

There's always hope. Never give up. Walk slowly and drink lots of water. It ain't a sprint.

David O. Russell

drink giving-up water

I think I land somewhere between Scorsese and Capra in what I'm drawn to emotionally; I'm drawn to very intense emotion. Capra freaked people out when they saw Jimmy Stewart lose it in 'It's a Wonderful Life.

David O. Russell

land people thinking

I'm always looking for a way to surprise audiences. That's, I feel, my job as a director. I felt that Amy Adams playing a tough woman in 'The Fighter' was a surprise. People saw her as a princess.

David O. Russell

princess jobs people

I just love real characters; they're not pretentious, and every emotion is on the surface, they're regular working people. Their likes, their dislikes, their loves, their hates, their passions; they're all right there on the surface.

David O. Russell

hate real character

David O. Russell's best films are thrilling high wire acts that run the moment to moment risk of tumbling to the ground. In his latest, "Joy," Russell has more trouble than usual keeping his balance on the wire.

David O. Russell

risk running joy

What do we have in life, really? If we're lucky we get to a certain age, and we have each other. We have the food we like. We have our crazy little rituals. And we have each other.

David O. Russell

lucky crazy age

Some of Jimmy Stewart's performance in 'It's A Wonderful Life' is some of the most disturbing performance he ever did, when he falls apart and when he breaks down.

David O. Russell

life-is wonderful fall

One of the things I've discovered at my age is I must have enchantment. And that was not clear to me in my earlier years. When I look at my favorite films, the Frank Capra - even Scorsese, even 'Goodfellas,' what makes that movie so remarkable is there's enchantment in their world.

David O. Russell

enchantment age years

The idea that anyone would think their religious ideas make them morally superior is just preposterous.

David O. Russell

religious ideas thinking