Quotes from Orson Welles

When people accept breaking the law as normal, something happens to the whole society.

I have the terrible feeling that, because I am wearing a white beard and am sitting in the back of the theatre, you expect me to tell you the truth about something. These are the cheap seats, not Mount Sinai.

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.

As a producer, sitting on the other side of the desk, I have never once had an agent go out on a limb for his client and fight for him. I've never heard one say, 'No, just a minute! This is the actor you should use.' They will always say, 'You don't like him? I've got somebody else.' They're totally spineless.

Criminals are never very amusing. It's because they're failures. Those who make real money aren't counted as criminals. This is a class distinction, not an ethical problem.

Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.

Living in the lap of luxury isn't bad except that you never know when luxury is going to stand up.

I don't pray really, because I don't want to bore God.

I feel I have to protect myself against things. So I'm pretty careful to lose most of them.

The ideal American type is perfectly expressed by the Protestant, individualist, anti-conformist, and this is the type that is in the process of disappearing. In reality there are few left.

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.

The notion of directing a film is the invention of critics - the whole eloquence of cinema is achieved in the editing room.

I don't want to forgive myself. That's why I hate psychoanalysis I think if you're guilty of something you should live with it. Get rid of it - how can you get rid of a real guilt? I think people should live with it, face up to it.

The director is the most overrated artist in the world. He is the only artist who, with no talent whatsoever, can be a success for 50 years without his lack of talent ever being discovered.

My definition of success is not having things thrown at me!

People are losing the capacity to listen to words or follow ideas.

I've always found it very sanitary to be broke.

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.

There were centuries when civilization had no theater.

I never said I was a genius.

'The Godfather' was the glorification of a bunch of bums who never existed.

Only very intelligent people don't wish they were in politics, and I'm dumb enough to want to be in there.

I think I made essential a mistake in staying in movies, because I - but it's a mistake I can't regret, because it's like saying, 'I shouldn't have stayed married to that woman, but I did because I love her.'

In my real movie-going days, which were the thirties, you didn't stand in line. You strolled down the street and sallied into the theater at any hour of the day or night.