Stephen Frears Quotes

Truth is quite constricting, in a way. You endlessly see at the start of a film 'This is a true story'.

I want my films to get audiences. I am not interested in making them just for myself.

To be successful at anything, you need the right to fail, not just occasionally.

I'm Jewish; I'm not religious at all, and I wouldn't pretend to know anything about Catholic politics.

As a director, my job is to protect. I protect scripts, actors, cameramen, designers.

I never thought I was very good at developing material. I grew up at the BBC where they sent you scripts.

I have people around me. I have a semi-permanent crew. If I make a film, they just turn up. They don't even invite themselves. They don't ask if they can come - they just turn up!

When I go and teach, it sort of opens me up in some way. And when you're open, you're more receptive.

The only way you can learn about making films is by making them, by putting your stamp on the thing.

I remember reading the script for 'Dangerous Liaisons' and thinking that I could quite happily spend the rest of my life watching this film; the story and the writing were so wonderful.

There's the physical life and the voice, but at some point you abandon all of that, you know what the spirit of the person is and you let it descend and just get on with it.

I teach film directing, inasmuch as you can. It's not really possible to teach film direction, but I sit there as a sort of testimony of experience and know-how, I suppose.

I like a lot of takes. I just go on until the actors get it right.