They've tried to manufacture other Marilyn Monroes and they will undoubtedly keep trying. But it won't work. She was an original.
Interpretation
The uniqueness of Marilyn Monroe cannot be replicated, despite attempts to do so.
Billy Wilder emphasizes the irreplaceable nature of Marilyn Monroe's talent and persona, suggesting that no matter how hard people try to recreate or imitate her, they will always fall short. This reflects the idea that true originality is unmatched and cannot be manufactured, highlighting the value of individual authenticity in a world often driven by imitation.
In practice
During a film class discussing iconic performers, this quote highlights the challenge of achieving true originality.
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.
I can paint pictures, but I cannot rule men.
A ballerina takes steps given to her and makes them her own. Each individual brings something different to the same role.
I don't think writers choose the genre, the genre chooses us. I wrote out of the wish to create order out of disorder, the liking of a pattern.
One of the things that happens in novels it's almost like a continual debate with yourself. That's why you're writing the book. It's why you create characters: so you can argue with yourself.
A few can touch the magic string, and noisy fame is proud to win them: Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them!
The main thing about directing is: photograph the people's eyes.
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