Orson Welles

Director, Actor, Producer

Orson Welles was a groundbreaking filmmaker and actor, renowned for his innovative approach to storytelling in works like 'Citizen Kane.'

Born
May 6, 1915
Died
October 10, 1985
Quotes
199
Rank
#379

About Orson Welles

Orson Welles — Life and Legacy

Orson Welles was a multifaceted artist whose contributions to film and theater have left an indelible mark on the industry. Best known for his revolutionary film 'Citizen Kane,' Welles challenged conventional storytelling techniques and explored complex themes of truth and power. His quote, 'The enemy of society is middle class morality,' encapsulates his belief that societal norms often inhibit creativity and genuine expression. Welles's work frequently confronted the status quo, urging audiences to question authority and embrace their individuality. Welles's perspective on art was deeply intertwined with his understanding of power dynamics. He famously stated, 'A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet,' highlighting the necessity of artistic vision in filmmaking. This reflects his conviction that cinema should not merely entertain but also provoke thought and inspire change. His ability to weave intricate narratives with emotional depth set him apart from his contemporaries, making his insights particularly relevant today. The relevance of Welles's quotes lies in their ability to resonate with contemporary audiences, encouraging them to reflect on their own lives and the societal structures that influence them. His legacy continues to inspire filmmakers and artists, reminding us of the power of authenticity and the importance of questioning the world around us.

Quote collection

Orson Welles quotes (page 1 of 10)

199 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.

Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"n Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"Race hate isn't human nature; race hate is the abandonment of human nature."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"Popularity should be no scale for the election of politicians. If it would depend on popularity, Donald Duck and The Muppets would take seats in senate."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"The essential is to excite the spectators. If that means playing Hamlet on a flying trapeze or in an aquarium, you do it."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"Everything about me is a contradiction, and so is everything about everybody else. We are made out of oppositions; we live between two poles. There's a philistine and an aesthete in all of us, and a murderer and a saint. You don't reconcile the poles. You just recognize them."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"If there hadn't been women we'd still be squatting in a cave eating raw meat, because we made civilization in order to impress our girlfriends."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"Personally, I don't like a girlfriend to have a husband. If she'll fool her husband, I figure she'll fool me."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"I started at the top and worked my way down."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story."

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"I have the terrible feeling that, because I am wearing a white beard and am sitting in the back of the theatre, you expect me to tell you the truth about something. These are the cheap seats, not Mount Sinai."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"Nobody who takes on anything big and tough can afford to be modest."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"Don’t give them what you think they want. Give them what they never thought was possible."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"I don't say we all ought to misbehave, but we ought to look as if we could."

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"My theory is that everything went to hell with Prohibition, because it was a law nobody could obey. So the whole concept of the rule of law was corrupted at that moment. Then came Vietnam, and marijuana, which clearly shouldn't be illegal, but is. If you go to jail for ten years in Texas when you light up a joint, who are you? You're a lawbreaker. It's just like Prohibition was. When people accept breaking the law as normal, something happens to the whole society, you see?"

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Orson Welles Director, Actor, Producer
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"When people accept breaking the law as normal, something happens to the whole society."

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