I am not very good with relationships. With anyone. I can't be locked up with anyone for too long.

I think the first British actor who really worked well in cinema was Albert Finney. He was a back-street Marlon Brando. He brought a great wittiness and power to the screen. The best actor we've had.

I was bullied as a boy - lots of kids are, but hopefully most of us get on with our lives and grow up.

My father wasn't a cruel man. And I loved him. But he was a pretty tough character. His own father was even tougher - one of those Victorians, hard as iron - but my dad was tough enough.

People forget that Mozart wrote for commissions. There's a thing in psychology where they think if it's popular, it can't be serious.

We're always looking over our shoulders, 'what they will think, what the press will think, what will this one - am I making the right career move?' When you're young you have to do all that to survive, I suppose.

I remember coming to New York in 1974 to do a play here called 'Equis.' And I remember the first morning getting up and walking around the streets, and I thought, 'I'm home.' I felt really at peace here.

I once asked a Jesuit preist what was the best short prayer he knew. He said "Fuck it." as in "Fuck it, it's in Gods hands.

I wouldn't use the word 'scared' for my role as Hitchcock, but it was my most insecure. Taking on such a formidable, giant personality such as Hitchcock; he was one of the great geniuses of world cinema. Sheer genius.

I hope I would not be so arrogant as to doubt anyone's religion or belief.

My father was grounded, a very meat-and-potatoes man. He was a baker.

Well, everyone likes movies when they're a little kid.

This industry has been really good to me. It's been a great life. I'm not through yet. I'm ready when you are, Mr. DeMille.

I'm one of the slowest drivers on the road. I mosey along. If you're doing anything too fast, including living life too fast, that creates sudden death. If I have to be somewhere on time, I make sure I leave early enough.

I've been composing music all my life and if I'd been clever enough at school I would like to have gone to music college.

A conductor can't be too arrogant with an orchestra and try to impose himself too much.

I know that some actors and directors like to have intensity on set. I don't, particularly. Certainly, if they want that, that's fine, but I can't work like that.

I can't stand directors who try to micro-manage everything. When it happens these days I just walk off set, saying if they don't like the way I'm doing it they can get someone else.

I like to take it easy.

I don't know why they gave me a knighthood - though it's very nice of them - but I only ever use the title in the U.S. The Americans insist on it and get offended if I don't.

I've got no need to prove to myself that I can do Shakespeare. I've done it.

I am able to play monsters well. I understand monsters. I understand madmen.

And I love a scary movie. It makes your toes curl and it's not you going through it.

Every time I try to retire, or even think of retiring from acting, my agent comes up with a script.

I don't have people following me around, like bodyguards. I don't know how people live like that. Maybe the young movie stars have to live like that, I don't know. But it seems a little crazy to me. I don't think you need all that stuff.

I don't know what acting is, but I enjoy it.

I came here in 1974 to do a play, and then I went to L.A. I really like living in America. I feel more at home here than anywhere else.

I have dual citizenship, it just so happens I live in America.

I think all those actors from that generation, like Bogart - they were wonderful actors. They didn't act. They just came on and they did it, and the characters were wonderful.

I know that the arts are important. I'm not denying that, but I can't associate myself with all the claptrap that goes on around it.

I'm devious, cruel, cunning and addictive.

I have no interest in Shakespeare and all that British nonsense... I just wanted to get famous and all the rest is hogwash.

I worked with Lawrence Olivier some years ago. He was a great mentor.

I'm always cast in these strange men... that's not me, really.

I worked with Steven Spielberg on Amistad... he seemed so very secure in himself that he let me do things.

I'm the slowest driver in the world.

Today is the tomorrow I was worried about yesterday.

It was a challenge, to work with Oliver Stone.

Richard Burton came from the same town as me, so I thought I'd follow my nose, and follow my luck. I think I've been very lucky.

Oh yes. I'm an actor, so I just learn my lines, and show up and do it. I gave it a little bit of thought.

I like the good life too much, I'm not good at going on stage night after night and on wet Wednesday afternoons.

I'm married. My wife, Stella - a beautiful woman. She's brought a lot of peace to my life, a lot of wisdom.

In the theatre, people talk. Talk, talk until the cows come home about journeys of discovery and about what Hazlitt thought of a line of Shakespeare. I can't stand it.

The art of acting is not to act. Once you show them more, what you show them, in fact is bad acting.

Beware the tyranny of the weak. They just suck you dry.

Acting is just a process of relaxation, actually. Knowing the text so well and trusting that the instinct and the subconscious mind, whatever you want to call it, is going to take over.

I'm not a health freak. I just work out every day.

The magical, supernatural force that is with us every second is time. We can't even comprehend it. It's such an illusion, it's such a strange thing.

Actors I admire? Ed Harris, or course, I think he's terrific; because I know he always had to fight being what he looked like a lot, but I think he's a terrific actor.

If I spent all my time criticising myself, I wouldn't be able to function. There are actors who theorise till the cows come home. I haven't the patience for them. It's maybe shallow, but that's why I'll never be part of the acting set.