--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first went to Pittsburgh, I had…" description: "\"When I first went to Pittsburgh, I had never been there before, and we hadn't even decided to shoot there yet. I just went to see the location of Micha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d65/curtis-hanson-9380_boys_when-i-first-went-to-pittsburgh-i-had-ne_1473471.jpg" --- # When I first went to Pittsburgh, I had never been there… ![“When I first went to Pittsburgh, I had never been there before, and we hadn't even decided to shoot there yet. I just went to see the location of Michael Chabon's novel. Once there, I became aware that Pittsburgh is a "wonder boy," in the narrow sense of the term, just as the human characters are.” quote by Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d65/curtis-hanson-9380_boys_when-i-first-went-to-pittsburgh-i-had-ne_1473471.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d65/curtis-hanson-9380_boys_when-i-first-went-to-pittsburgh-i-had-ne_1473471.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d65/curtis-hanson-9380_boys_when-i-first-went-to-pittsburgh-i-had-ne_1473471.jpg) > “When I first went to Pittsburgh, I had never been there before, and we hadn't even decided to shoot there yet. I just went to see the location of Michael Chabon's novel. Once there, I became aware that Pittsburgh is a "wonder boy," in the narrow sense of the term, just as the human characters are.” [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A director discovers a city's unique character while scouting for a film location, likening it to a remarkable child. **In simple terms:** He sees the city as special and lively. Key Takeaway Notice the character of places you visit. Themes creativity place inspiration Mood curious reflective Type observational inspirational When to use this quote - film scouting - travel - writing - location scouting Key Concepts urban identity artistic perception Questions to Reflect On - How does a setting influence storytelling? - What qualities make a place feel 'wonderful'? A Different Perspective The city’s vibe may not match the script’s needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Chabon Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chabon-novel-5352353/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Location](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/location/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Pittsburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pittsburgh/) [Pittsburgh Hadn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pittsburgh-hadn-5352352/) [Pittsburgh Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pittsburgh-wonder-5352350/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Went Pittsburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-pittsburgh-5352351/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [ So the city \[Pittsburgh\] was faced with that question of "What to do now?" because it can't turn back the clock and be what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/so-the-city-pittsburgh-was-faced-with-that-question-of-what-to-do-now/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [Pittsburgh has this rich industrial past, when it was the heart of the U.S. steel industry, and it burned out as the industry burned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/pittsburgh-has-this-rich-industrial-past-when-it-was-the-heart-of-the/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ Roger \[Corman\] didn't actually hire me, though. I was hired by AIP \[American International Pictures\], the studio that made the picture, which was Sam… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/roger-corman-didn-t-actually-hire-me-though-i-was-hired-by-aip/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I was happier going back to my roots: training like men do in my hometown of Pittsburgh. Back home the guys in the gyms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/i-was-happier-going-back-to-my-roots-training-like-men-do-in-my/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [I love Pittsburgh. Most of my family still lives there and I try to get back a couple of times a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-love-pittsburgh-most-of-my-family-still-lives-there-and-i-try-to/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I was depressed. I was just depressed. I did not want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler because I knew of the record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-greene/i-was-depressed-i-was-just-depressed-i-did-not-want-to-be-a/) [Joe Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-greene/) > [I lived most of my life in Texas, but I've settled down in Pittsburgh. My husband is from here. We met at a Flyleaf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-sturm/i-lived-most-of-my-life-in-texas-but-i-ve-settled-down-in-pittsburgh/) [Lacey Sturm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-sturm/) > [I miss Pittsburgh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-cott/i-miss-pittsburgh/) [Casey Cott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-cott/) > [Pittsburgh is home. I was born there, and it will always have priority in that respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamman-rucker/pittsburgh-is-home-i-was-born-there-and-it-will-always-have-priority/) [Lamman Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamman-rucker/) > [The good thing about Pittsburgh, it's a good place to be raised... it doesn't tolerate assholes. You're either a good guy or you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/the-good-thing-about-pittsburgh-it-s-a-good-place-to-be-raised-it/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [I was born in St. Louis and lived in Pittsburgh for a bit, before my family moved to Nigeria, where they're from. We lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babatunde-adebimpe/i-was-born-in-st-louis-and-lived-in-pittsburgh-for-a-bit-before-my/) [Babatunde Adebimpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babatunde-adebimpe/) > [As I and the rest of my Pittsburgh Steelers teammates prepared that week in late December 1974, we knew one thing: The road to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-greene/as-i-and-the-rest-of-my-pittsburgh-steelers-teammates-prepared-that/) [Joe Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-greene/) > [“Then you’ll do it brilliantly, darling. You’ll get to Pittsburgh yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/then-you-ll-do-it-brilliantly-darling-you-ll-get-to-pittsburgh-yet/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) > [My eight years in Detroit, obviously, were my most successful years managing. I think that Pittsburgh and Detroit are probably very, very similar. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-leyland/my-eight-years-in-detroit-obviously-were-my-most-successful-years/) [Jim Leyland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-leyland/) > [There were so many Pittsburgh poets in my hallway that if, at that instant, a meteorite had come smashing through my roof, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-were-so-many-pittsburgh-poets-in-my-hallway-that-if-at-that/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## More by Curtis Hanson > [I very much had wanted to do a picture with more humor than what I had been allowed to do earlier, which is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-very-much-had-wanted-to-do-a-picture-with-more-humor-than-what-i/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [That's what I love about Michael Douglas' performance in Wonder Boys, because I feel like he surprises audiences that know him from very different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/that-s-what-i-love-about-michael-douglas-performance-in-wonder-boys/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I love suspense movies, because in a sense they're the most dreamlike of any genre, and I'm sure I'll make another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-love-suspense-movies-because-in-a-sense-they-re-the-most-dreamlike/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I had a checkered early career, for sure, with a lot of very unhappy experiences where pictures got taken away, re-cut, re-titled... all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-had-a-checkered-early-career-for-sure-with-a-lot-of-very-unhappy/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [My very first professional writing credit was on a movie called The Dunwich Horror, and Roger Corman was the executive producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/my-very-first-professional-writing-credit-was-on-a-movie-called-the/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [There was a long period of time when Sam Fuller had a lot of projects fall through and had a lot of difficulties getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/there-was-a-long-period-of-time-when-sam-fuller-had-a-lot-of-projects/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [What I try to do is give each actor an environment in which they can do their best work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/what-i-try-to-do-is-give-each-actor-an-environment-in-which-they-can/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [Hollywood, of course, is the city of illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/hollywood-of-course-is-the-city-of-illusion/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ I can't speak to how Michael \[Douglas\] approached it in terms of his process. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-can-t-speak-to-how-michael-douglas-approached-it-in-terms-of-his/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [Put simply, there are many people who want to make movies and very few opportunities for them to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/put-simply-there-are-many-people-who-want-to-make-movies-and-very-few/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ I had the great fortune to actually become friends with Sam \[Fuller\] and ultimately collaborate with him on White Dog, which we wrote together. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-had-the-great-fortune-to-actually-become-friends-with-sam-fuller/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [You can dress it up, but it comes down to the fact that a movie is only as good as its script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/you-can-dress-it-up-but-it-comes-down-to-the-fact-that-a-movie-is/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [A day doesn't go by when I don't get a compliment on L.A. Confidential, for example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/a-day-doesn-t-go-by-when-i-don-t-get-a-compliment-on-l-a-confidential/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I make that distinction only because I came to it strictly as someone who was just a lover of storytellers and cinematic storytellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-make-that-distinction-only-because-i-came-to-it-strictly-as-someone/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ Roger \[Corman\] didn't actually hire me, though. I was hired by AIP \[American International Pictures\], the studio that made the picture, which was Sam… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/roger-corman-didn-t-actually-hire-me-though-i-was-hired-by-aip/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) [Explore all 73 Curtis Hanson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) ## More Boys quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/) [MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) [Browse all 7,168 Boys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first went to Pittsburgh, I had never been there before, and we hadn't even decided to shoot there yet. I just went to see the location of Michael Chabon's novel. 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