Failure in the theater is more dramatic and uglier than any other form of writing. It costs so much, you feel so guilty.
Lillian HellmanRead
The audience too should be respected by being presented with a film as they remember it, and for those who have not seen it, as it was intended to be seen. Anything less is a degradation of the film and its audience.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Films should honor the audience's experience and intentions behind the storytelling.
George Stevens emphasizes the importance of respecting the audience's connection to films. He argues that films should be presented in a manner that reflects how the audience remembers them and how they were originally intended to be experienced, warning that failing to do so diminishes both the quality of the film and the value placed on the audience's engagement.
Themes
FilmAudiencePresentationRespectMemory
In practice
Example use cases
In a film studies class, a professor might cite this quote to discuss the importance of director's intent.
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