--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was making 'Bourne Identity,' I…" description: "\"When I was making 'Bourne Identity,' I wasn't making a dumb action movie like they were expecting it to be.\" — Doug Liman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/doug-liman-2533_action_when-i-was-making-bourne-identity-i-wasn_1226120.jpg" --- # When I was making 'Bourne Identity,' I wasn't making a… ![“When I was making 'Bourne Identity,' I wasn't making a dumb action movie like they were expecting it to be.” quote by Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/doug-liman-2533_action_when-i-was-making-bourne-identity-i-wasn_1226120.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/doug-liman-2533_action_when-i-was-making-bourne-identity-i-wasn_1226120.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/doug-liman-2533_action_when-i-was-making-bourne-identity-i-wasn_1226120.jpg) > “When I was making 'Bourne Identity,' I wasn't making a dumb action movie like they were expecting it to be.” [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The director aimed for a sophisticated thriller, not a typical action blockbuster. **In simple terms:** Wanted depth over cheap thrills. Key Takeaway Focus on character depth in action films. Themes film directing genre expectations Mood thoughtful strategic Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - scriptwriting - film production - genre blending - audience expectation Key Concepts narrative character development cinema studies Questions to Reflect On - How can action movies maintain depth without losing excitement? - What defines a “dumb” action film? A Different Perspective Balancing depth with commercial appeal is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Action movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action-movie/) [Bourne identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bourne-identity/) [Dumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb/) [Dumb Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb-action-372349/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making/) [Making Bourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-bourne-3773228/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-like/) ## Related quotes > [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I can't impress people with the pedigree of obscure French filmmakers that got me into film. It was Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-can-t-impress-people-with-the-pedigree-of-obscure-french-filmmakers/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [That's why 'The Bourne Identity' has that sort of shaky style, because for the most part, Matt Damon and I were sneaking around Paris…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/that-s-why-the-bourne-identity-has-that-sort-of-shaky-style-because/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > ['North by Northwest' was a big influence for 'The Bourne Identity.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/north-by-northwest-was-a-big-influence-for-the-bourne-identity/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [When I was shooting 'The Bourne Identity,' I had a mantra: 'How come you never see James Bond pay a phone bill?' It sounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/when-i-was-shooting-the-bourne-identity-i-had-a-mantra-how-come-you/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I started my career wanting to make a 'James Bond' movie, and I couldn't get hired! I made 'The Bourne Identity,' and ultimately the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-started-my-career-wanting-to-make-a-james-bond-movie-and-i-couldn-t/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I chose 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' specifically 'cause I had just made 'The Bourne Identity' and made a film that glamorized being an action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-chose-mr-mrs-smith-specifically-cause-i-had-just-made-the-bourne/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [In 'The Bourne Identity,' I wanted to give the audience the feeling of being in the car with Jason Bourne, not just watching him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/in-the-bourne-identity-i-wanted-to-give-the-audience-the-feeling-of/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [More of 'The Bourne Identity's script was taken from the events of the Iran Contra, which my father investigated for the Senate, than what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/more-of-the-bourne-identity-s-script-was-taken-from-the-events-of-the/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I populated 'The Bourne Identity' with real characters from American history, specifically characters from the Iran-Contra affair, which my father ran the investigation of.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-populated-the-bourne-identity-with-real-characters-from-american/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [When I set out to make 'Bourne Identity,' my main goal for the franchise was to create something where it feels like you're in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/when-i-set-out-to-make-bourne-identity-my-main-goal-for-the-franchise/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [The more real I got on 'The Bourne Identity,' the more interesting it got. So 'Fair Game' was the chance to go a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/the-more-real-i-got-on-the-bourne-identity-the-more-interesting-it/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I thought I was done making CIA movies after 'The Bourne Identity.' I really had used my father's work in Iran-Contra on 'The Bourne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-thought-i-was-done-making-cia-movies-after-the-bourne-identity-i/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [An action movie should, like any other, follow the narrative traditions of literature. That means there should be subtlety, a slow build and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/an-action-movie-should-like-any-other-follow-the-narrative-traditions/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [I always try to get games of different genres. This is the reason Postal is a comedy, and Far Cry is a real, pure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-boll/i-always-try-to-get-games-of-different-genres-this-is-the-reason/) [Uwe Boll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-boll/) ## More by Doug Liman > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Sometimes rules are there to save your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/sometimes-rules-are-there-to-save-your-life/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [TV has no choice, but to rely on character, and everybody knows that. I love working in it. 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I love that Universal wants to put one out every two years. Because it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/the-bourne-franchise-means-the-world-to-me-i-love-that-universal/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [When you make a war movie, the other side has to be the enemy. You're making a war movie from the point of view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/when-you-make-a-war-movie-the-other-side-has-to-be-the-enemy-you-re/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [The more real I got on 'The Bourne Identity,' the more interesting it got. So 'Fair Game' was the chance to go a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/the-more-real-i-got-on-the-bourne-identity-the-more-interesting-it/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Amazon may be the only studio that's run by people who come out of making independent movies, real hands-on moviemaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/amazon-may-be-the-only-studio-that-s-run-by-people-who-come-out-of/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Casting is everything. I put a huge amount of work into casting, and consistently across my career, I am most proud of my bold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/casting-is-everything-i-put-a-huge-amount-of-work-into-casting-and/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [The movie I end up with is the movie I aspired to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/the-movie-i-end-up-with-is-the-movie-i-aspired-to-make/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) [Explore all 162 Doug Liman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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