Quote

I have been in movies that I thought I wasn't very good in.

Without a great man writing and directing for me, I realised I was a mediocre movie star at best.

In my early days, I didn't know what a good film or a bad film was, and I was trying to make some money. As it happens I was lucky. I made some good films.

Directing was a natural thing for me. Actually, it was far less stressful directing than being the lead actor. I was able to have my input in all aspects of it.

I did this one movie with a great director named Wayne Kramer. It was 'Crossing Over,' and Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta were in it. I was one of the leads, and I thought this was it. It got shelved for two years, and then it was in theaters maybe a week. After that, I adopted a philosophy of, 'Hope for the best, expect the worst.'

When I made my first film, I didn't think of it as directing, so it wasn't like I set out to become a director.

I was one of the horses of the Louis B. Mayer stable, and I thought the films I was given after my Academy Awards were not worthy.

Directing film is the hardest thing I have ever done.

I enjoyed directing, and I really found that it was a great new field to try my hand in.