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William Monahan

William Monahan Quotes

Screenwriter

William Monahan, born on November 3, 1960, is an American screenwriter known for his profound insights into crime themes and his exquisite narrative skills. His works, including 'The Departed' and 'The Departed', have earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

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Famous William Monahan Quotes

“You know a shooter when you see it. At least the creative people do. If a picture isn't obvious in the first draft you're kind of screwed.”

People Ifs Knows Firsts Kind Creative Obvious Creative People Shooter

Author:William Monahan

“A criminal has a kind of freedom by definition that the ordinary citizen doesn't have. The criminal's able to realize himself in ways not available to the general population, if you want to put it that way. They're interesting and unpredictable. Characters always have to break some sort of bound or other to be interesting. It also helps if they're paradoxical.”

Ifs Way Want Kind Character Helping Able Realizing Interesting Break Citizens Ordinary Bounds Population Definitions Available Criminals Unpredictable Paradoxical Ordinary Citizens

Author:William Monahan

“Doing crime films...maybe it's to some extent a matter of taste. Certainly my first novel had a criminal element and was about the similarity of criminals and artists. Pretextually, it was sort of a money bag thriller. But it was aggressively not what it seemed to be. It was kind of Duchamps.”

Firsts Kind Matter Film Artist Novel Crime Taste Elements Criminals Bags Similarity Thrillers

Author:William Monahan

“I don't move until an actor is happy, but it was very important to me as a so-called "first time director" to keep the machine moving. It was especially important to me to keep it moving and not be some kind of precious writer-director.”

Firsts Kind Important Moving Actors Directors First Time Machines Keep It Moving

Author:William Monahan

“When they see you get what you want and move on, quickly, you've done a contract with the crew from that point. In Britain if the sparks call you Guv on day two, you never need an award of any other kind.”

Ifs Want Needs Kind Two Done Moving What You Want Britain Awards Contracts Sparks Crew

Author:William Monahan

“You just have to know what you want and what you're doing and it leads to a kind of general well-being, which I think you sensed when you were there.”

Thinking Knows Want Wells Kind What You Want Well Being

Author:William Monahan

“In all honesty a gangster picture was the easiest kind of film for me to get made.”

Kind Made Film Honesty Gangsters

Author:William Monahan

“I can work in London. A British journalist asked me if I had any trouble working with an English crew, as an American, and I said I might have if I was from Scotland, but I'm from Massachusetts, which is sort of Oxfordshire, but more intellectual. That's kind of unforgivable but you've got to let them have it.”

Ifs Kind Said I Can Might Trouble Intellectual British London Journalist Crew Scotland Massachusetts Unforgivable

Author:William Monahan

About the Author

Born: November 3, 1960
Known for: Screenwriter
Quotes: 135

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