--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'An Inspector Calls' is a British…" description: "\"'An Inspector Calls' is a British classic, and I am thrilled to be working on this beautiful screen adaptation with Aisling Walsh.\" — David Thewlis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/david-thewlis-5383_adaptation_an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic_2939696.jpg" --- # 'An Inspector Calls' is a British classic, and I am… ![“'An Inspector Calls' is a British classic, and I am thrilled to be working on this beautiful screen adaptation with Aisling Walsh.” quote by David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/david-thewlis-5383_adaptation_an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic_2939696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/david-thewlis-5383_adaptation_an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic_2939696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/david-thewlis-5383_adaptation_an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic_2939696.jpg) > “'An Inspector Calls' is a British classic, and I am thrilled to be working on this beautiful screen adaptation with Aisling Walsh.” [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The classic play is being reimagined for screen, highlighting its enduring relevance. **In simple terms:** Adapting a classic for film. Key Takeaway Embrace timeless stories in new media. Themes adaptation theatre film legacy Mood enthusiastic reflective Type analytical creative When to use this quote - production meetings - script development - casting decisions Key Concepts cultural preservation creative reinterpretation Questions to Reflect On - What elements must stay true? - How to modernize without losing essence? A Different Perspective Balancing original intent with modern audience expectations can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adaptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptation/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [Inspector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspector/) ## Related quotes > [Working is beautiful and rewarding, but acquisition of wealth for its own sake is disgusting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bunsen/working-is-beautiful-and-rewarding-but-acquisition-of-wealth-for-its/) [Robert Bunsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bunsen/) > [By George!" cried the inspector. "How did you ever see that?" Because I looked for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-george-cried-the-inspector-how-did-you-ever-see-that-because-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is the great inspector, with a myriad eyes, who never sleeps, and whose daily reports are submitted, not to a functionary or department,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-thomas-stead/it-is-the-great-inspector-with-a-myriad-eyes-who-never-sleeps-and/) [William Thomas Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-thomas-stead/) > [“Well, so much the better for him,’ said the inspector. ‘When he is altogether mad, he will suffer less.’ As you can see, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/well-so-much-the-better-for-him-said-the-inspector-when-he-is/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“. . . and there was for a moment an unbreakable bond between us: the eternal bond of chemistry. I glowed with all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bradley/and-there-was-for-a-moment-an-unbreakable-bond-between-us-the-eternal/) [Alan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bradley/) > [“If you ever think you might want a career in politics, Inspector, think again. It's merely a continuous and mostly vain attempt to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/if-you-ever-think-you-might-want-a-career-in-politics-inspector-think/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [For many years I was a self-appointed inspector of snowstorms and rainstorms and did my duty faithfully, though I never received payment for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/for-many-years-i-was-a-self-appointed-inspector-of-snowstorms-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Brittles stood at attention until Jack looked at him, then he bowed slightly. “I’m sorry to disturb you, sir, but an Inspector Swindler from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/brittles-stood-at-attention-until-jack-looked-at-him-then-he-bowed/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“Activity was always to Inspector Slack’s taste. To rush off in a car, to silence rudely those people who were anxious to tell him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/activity-was-always-to-inspector-slack-s-taste-to-rush-off-in-a-car/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“For many years I was self-appointed inspector of snow-storms and rain-storms, and did my duty faithfully; surveyor, if not of highways, then of forest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/for-many-years-i-was-self-appointed-inspector-of-snow-storms-and-rain/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“If it’s any of your business, Inspector, that’s what happens when someone dies and leaves you twenty grand in their will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-ellis/if-it-s-any-of-your-business-inspector-that-s-what-happens-when/) [Joy Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-ellis/) > [“It’s all about the company you keep, isn’t it, Chief Inspector? Now Mr Trenton, who I know wouldn’t hurt a fly, has certain…preferences, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ellis/it-s-all-about-the-company-you-keep-isn-t-it-chief-inspector-now-mr/) [Mark Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ellis/) > [“Praying to the Almighty, Javert?” called a voice, and Javert opened his eyes to see Rousseau and Leclerc smirking at him. Javert tipped his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-brickl/praying-to-the-almighty-javert-called-a-voice-and-javert-opened-his/) [Kelsey Brickl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-brickl/) > [I didn't promote war when I was a weapons inspector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/i-didn-t-promote-war-when-i-was-a-weapons-inspector/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [“Thieving was not a sheer absurdity. It was a form of human industry, perverse indeed, but still an industry exercised in an industrious world;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/thieving-was-not-a-sheer-absurdity-it-was-a-form-of-human-industry/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) ## More by David Thewlis > [I don't think Alfonso was a big expert on Potter either. He was feeling his way through it more than I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-don-t-think-alfonso-was-a-big-expert-on-potter-either-he-was/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I often draw from people in my own experience to base a character on, going back to my days with Mike Leigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-often-draw-from-people-in-my-own-experience-to-base-a-character-on/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [The very best thing about doing it is seeing the reaction on kid's faces when you tell them you've done it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/the-very-best-thing-about-doing-it-is-seeing-the-reaction-on-kid-s/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I keep myself content by doing lots of different stuff and make sure that my next role is completely different to the last. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-keep-myself-content-by-doing-lots-of-different-stuff-and-make-sure/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [Publishing a novel was such a proud thing for me. When I was a kid, I used to say to my mum and dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/publishing-a-novel-was-such-a-proud-thing-for-me-when-i-was-a-kid-i/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I'm not one of those people who's against doing remakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-m-not-one-of-those-people-who-s-against-doing-remakes/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I think the most beautiful sound is a child laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-think-the-most-beautiful-sound-is-a-child-laughing/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I'd only read a bit of the first book. And I just knew about all the media furor over it. But I'd not read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-d-only-read-a-bit-of-the-first-book-and-i-just-knew-about-all-the/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I was still listening to the Beatles until I came here, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-was-still-listening-to-the-beatles-until-i-came-here-you-know/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I was a young actor in my 20s, going out in Soho, having a wild time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-was-a-young-actor-in-my-20s-going-out-in-soho-having-a-wild-time/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I started doing the big Hollywood stuff, and I realised, 'Oh, there's no rehearsal at all; you just turn up on the set, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-started-doing-the-big-hollywood-stuff-and-i-realised-oh-there-s-no/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [“I feel like I'm in a film about a struggling artist who keeps getting up at all hours of the night to look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-feel-like-i-m-in-a-film-about-a-struggling-artist-who-keeps-getting/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [Restoration I did because I really loved e novel and I like Michael Hoffman, who directed it, but it wasn't a really challenging part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/restoration-i-did-because-i-really-loved-e-novel-and-i-like-michael/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [It wasn't the greatest script in the world, but not many people can say they've played a wicked king in a swashbuckling Arthurian special-effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/it-wasn-t-the-greatest-script-in-the-world-but-not-many-people-can/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [I don't think its good for the soul to invest too much of yourself in technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-don-t-think-its-good-for-the-soul-to-invest-too-much-of-yourself-in/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) [Explore all 101 David Thewlis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) ## More Adaptation quotes > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) Edward Einhorn > [“Why I am Passionate and Dedicated 1000% to producing and bringing my books Loving Summer, Bitter Frost, and other book series to the Screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailin-gow/why-i-am-passionate-and-dedicated-1000-to-producing-and-bringing-my/) [Kailin Gow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailin-gow/) > [My familiarity with the successful use of very long steel ropes for mining purposes naturally suggested their adaptation to the new purpose of deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-agassiz/my-familiarity-with-the-successful-use-of-very-long-steel-ropes-for/) Alexander Agassiz > [The survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature, but the fittest are rarely the strong. The fittest are those endowed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-smalley/the-survival-of-the-fittest-is-the-ageless-law-of-nature-but-the/) [Dave Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-smalley/) > [The facts of variability, of the struggle for existence, of adaptation to conditions, were notorious enough; but none of us had suspected that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-facts-of-variability-of-the-struggle-for-existence-of-adaptation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble. An animal perfectly in harmony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-law-of-nature-we-overlook-that-intellectual-versatility-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world may not be ready yet for the film equivalent of books on tape, but this peculiar phenomenon has arrived in the form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-world-may-not-be-ready-yet-for-the-film-equivalent-of-books-on/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [“Evolution is more about adaptivity than adaptability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/evolution-is-more-about-adaptivity-than-adaptability/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [There is change by necessity or adaptation, and there is contrived change or novelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/there-is-change-by-necessity-or-adaptation-and-there-is-contrived/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The tendency for depression to repeat reflects the normal default settings of a plastic mood system that is open to experience. The unfortunate consequence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rottenberg/the-tendency-for-depression-to-repeat-reflects-the-normal-default/) [Jonathan Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rottenberg/) > [“The unglamorous truth is that there are but a handful of uniquely human traits that we have clearly demonstrated are adaptations evolved to thrive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rutherford/the-unglamorous-truth-is-that-there-are-but-a-handful-of-uniquely/) [Adam Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rutherford/) > [“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/you-must-be-shapeless-formless-like-water-when-you-pour-water-in-a/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“On the rare occasions on which a movie was shown, there was as much suspense in the audience over whether the electricity would hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/on-the-rare-occasions-on-which-a-movie-was-shown-there-was-as-much/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [Working on an adaptation is not as satisfying, because it's not your original work: you're interpreting. With 'L.A. Confidential,' I loved the book. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-helgeland/working-on-an-adaptation-is-not-as-satisfying-because-it-s-not-your/) [Brian Helgeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-helgeland/) [Browse all 476 Adaptation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'An Inspector Calls' is a British classic, and I am thrilled to be working on this beautiful screen adaptation with Aisling Walsh.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Thewlis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic-and-i-am-thrilled-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adaptation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic-and-i-am-thrilled-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/david-thewlis-5383_adaptation_an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic_2939696.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/david-thewlis-5383_adaptation_an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic_2939696.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/david-thewlis-5383_adaptation_an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic_2939696.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“'An Inspector Calls' is a British classic, and I am thrilled to be working on this beautiful screen…” — David Thewlis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Thewlis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "'An Inspector Calls' is a British...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic-and-i-am-thrilled-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/an-inspector-calls-is-a-british-classic-and-i-am-thrilled-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```