If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.
Interpretation
The issues we face often stem from earlier decisions or actions.
This quote by Billy Wilder emphasizes the idea that problems we encounter later in a process are often rooted in earlier stages. It suggests that to truly understand and address our current challenges, we must look back to our initial decisions and the groundwork we laid. By recognizing that early choices influence later outcomes, we can gain valuable insight into resolving current difficulties and improving future actions.
In practice
In a workshop about project management, this quote can be used to stress the importance of thorough planning.
Film’s thought of as a director’s medium because the director creates the end product that appears on the screen. It’s that stupid auteur theory again, that the director is the author of the film. But what does the director shoot-the telephone book? Writers became much more important when sound came in, but they’ve had to put up a valiant fight to get the credit they deserve.
What critics call dirty in our pictures, they call lusty in foreign films.
I have ten commandments. The first nine are, thou shalt not bore. The tenth is, thou shalt have right of final cut.
Happiness is working with Jack Lemmon.
Hindsight is always twenty-twenty.
I'd worship the ground you walked on if only you walked in a better neighborhood.
My future is in my past and my past is my present. I must now make the present my future.
Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.
The tongue can conceal the truth, but the eyes never! You're asked an unexpected question, you don't even flinch, it takes just a second to get yourself under control, you know just what you have to say to hide the truth, and you speak very convincingly, and nothing in your face twitches to give you away. But the truth, alas, has been disturbed by the question, and it rises up from the depths of your soul to flicker in your eyes and all is lost.
Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung.
Can you see God? You haven't seen him? I've never seen the wind. _x000D_ I see the effects of the wind, but I've never seen the wind. There's a mystery to it.
I think that is the big danger in keeping a diary: you exaggerate everything.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.