Norman Jewison Quotes

I was very disappointed that Denzel didn’t win Best Actor for The Hurricane because I thought he deserved it.

I try to find stories that I would think that everyone would find interesting, and just a good entertaining story, and then if I can find a story that has a raison d’etre behind it that I feel is important then that’s the best for me.

I think you get better as you get older.

I mean they’re making remakes of my films and I’m not even dead yet! Why would you want to make a remake?

I don’t make films to win prizes. I make films to make films.

When the small independent film, which depends on its artistic appeal rather than wide commercial distribution by an MPAA member, is now denied access, the playing field becomes unfair and uneven.

I’m in the mood for another Moonstruck experience, for another romantic comedy.

I’m going to do an adaptation of the Italian film, Bread and Tulips. I really like that film.

A lot of American actors I work with are in character all day long. You can’t talk to them. It’s Method and the whole thing.

Every generation deals with the breaking down of its tradition, and I think that they rediscovered the film.

It’s an entire industry focusing on young male viewers that want action and violence. They sell us something that isn’t valid. They’re selling films like a product.

Michael Caine is a movie star, but he’s also a great actor. I can’t say that about every movie star. It’s the concentration he has.

Moonstruck… was one of the few romantic comedies to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.

We also have a tendency to root for the fugitive. We’re always on the side of the animal being chased.

Betrayal… is my favorite subject.

I work with a lot of movie stars.

But Madonna has a small amount of talent when it comes to movies.

And I think all Nazis didn’t see themselves as bad people. I’ve never met a racist yet who thought he was a racist. Or an anti-Semite who thought they were anti-Semitic.

Do what you’re told, and everything will be all right.

I think all Nazis didn’t see themselves as bad people. I’ve never met a racist yet who thought he was a racist. Or an anti-Semite who thought they were anti-Semitic.

As you know, in America there’s no rights for the artist, so whatever films I’ve made kind of belong to the studio, so if they want to remake it they can.

I still get a lot of material but I find that as one gets older you get more fussy. You know you’re going spend a year or a year and a half on this and you know there are only so many films in you so you get a little bit more selective.

But I’ve never met a racist yet who thinks he’s a racist. That’s always the disturbing thing about when we begin to look at ourselves.

Look, I’m just a storyteller. When I make a film, I never want the film to become a vehicle of social propaganda.

I’m just a storyteller.

I was really excited to have the opportunity to make Fiddler.

Well, you know the old line – to be nominated is what it’s all about. I think that I’ve done pretty well – I’ve had about 46, or 47 nominations from my movies, and my films have won about 12 awards in total, so I don’t really have any complaints.

The album for Fiddler really took off. I think it was a combination of John Williams and the score. It was a very classy big album.

We’re always on the side of the animal that’s being chased. We always seem to be on the side of the rabbit or the fox and not on the side of the hounds.

Everything Sholom Aleichem talks about in his plays and his short stories is about people, family, man’s relationship with his God, the breaking down of tradition.

With most British actors, it’s amazing. I think they start with the character on the outside and work in.

When you shoot a musical, you’re shooting to lipsynch tracks, so we had to figure out our choreography and work out what we wanted to do with each number before we did it.

I don’t like to think that maybe I’m just getting old. I’m not too excited about watching a huge explosion. I’m more interested in people and characters.

I think I’ve done pretty well. I’ve had about 46, or 47 nominations from my movies, and my films have won about 12 awards, so I don’t have any complaints.

When I make a film, I never want the film to become a vehicle of social propaganda. If I wanted to do that, I’d make documentaries.