--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is not a movie about smelling the…" description: "\"This is not a movie about smelling the urine! It's another kind of movie.\" Volker Schlöndorff got Billy Wilder to agree to these conversations - you ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/dustin-hoffman-4662_agree_this-is-not-a-movie-about-smelling-the-u_1538303.jpg" --- # This is not a movie about smelling the urine! It's another… ![“This is not a movie about smelling the urine! It's another kind of movie." Volker Schlöndorff got Billy Wilder to agree to these conversations - you can buy it - because Volker spoke German at times. And he said to Billy Wilder: "What is in your mind?" And he said: "If you're going to try to tell…” quote by Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/dustin-hoffman-4662_agree_this-is-not-a-movie-about-smelling-the-u_1538303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/dustin-hoffman-4662_agree_this-is-not-a-movie-about-smelling-the-u_1538303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/dustin-hoffman-4662_agree_this-is-not-a-movie-about-smelling-the-u_1538303.jpg) > “This is not a movie about smelling the urine! It's another kind of movie." Volker Schlöndorff got Billy Wilder to agree to these conversations - you can buy it - because Volker spoke German at times. And he said to Billy Wilder: "What is in your mind?" And he said: "If you're going to try to tell the truth to the audience, you'd better be funny or they'll kill you." And I haven't forgotten that.” [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes that honesty in storytelling must be paired with humor, or audiences will reject it. **In simple terms:** Truthful films need humor to succeed. Key Takeaway Balance sincerity with entertainment. Themes film creativity communication honesty humor audience storytelling Mood thoughtful reflective artistic Type cinematic philosophical creative When to use this quote - scriptwriting - directing - acting - film criticism - marketing Key Concepts narrative theory comic relief audience engagement artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - When does humor enhance truth? - Can seriousness ever be enough? A Different Perspective Humor can mask truth; seriousness may alienate viewers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I knew Billy Wilder socially and would have loved to work with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-knew-billy-wilder-socially-and-would-have-loved-to-work-with-him/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [I'm not going to have a perfect career. It's better to be Billy Wilder and make lots of movies and have five or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/i-m-not-going-to-have-a-perfect-career-it-s-better-to-be-billy-wilder/) [Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/) > [One of my favourite movies is Billy Wilder's 'The Apartment.' It's shot in super wide screen, and it's beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mangold/one-of-my-favourite-movies-is-billy-wilder-s-the-apartment-it-s-shot/) [James Mangold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mangold/) > [I love Billy Wilder, and I love the way that his films can be very touching and very moving and very romantic, and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-love-billy-wilder-and-i-love-the-way-that-his-films-can-be-very/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [The whole film business was built on immigrants: Billy Wilder and Michael Curtiz and all these hefty lads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-fessenden/the-whole-film-business-was-built-on-immigrants-billy-wilder-and/) [Larry Fessenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-fessenden/) > [I want to thank three persons, I want to thank Billy Wilder, I want to thank Billy Wilder and I want to thank Billy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-want-to-thank-three-persons-i-want-to-thank-billy-wilder-i-want-to/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [I used to eat lunch with Billy Wilder when I first came out here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/i-used-to-eat-lunch-with-billy-wilder-when-i-first-came-out-here/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [As far as directors, I'm a big fan of any kind of Billy Wilder stuff. Anything he does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/as-far-as-directors-i-m-a-big-fan-of-any-kind-of-billy-wilder-stuff/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Billy Wilder is really is a heavy influence on Bound. We felt that film noir was a genre where you could create a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/billy-wilder-is-really-is-a-heavy-influence-on-bound-we-felt-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm influenced by those '40s, '50s, and '60s films: things like 'The Apartment' - I was a big fan of Billy Wilder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-m-influenced-by-those-40s-50s-and-60s-films-things-like-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [First off, I love Woody Allen. His early movies, like 'Hannah and Her Sisters,' are incredible. I also love anything by Billy Wilder, Ron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-story/first-off-i-love-woody-allen-his-early-movies-like-hannah-and-her/) [Tim Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-story/) > [Any story that Billy Wilder told, you can tell in a Western.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kasdan/any-story-that-billy-wilder-told-you-can-tell-in-a-western/) [Lawrence Kasdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kasdan/) > [“It was difficult for Rumfoord to take Billy seriously, since Rumfoord had so long considered Billy a repulsive non-person who would be much better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-was-difficult-for-rumfoord-to-take-billy-seriously-since-rumfoord/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “I’m going to lose weight for you,” she \[Valencia Merble\] said. “What?” “I’m going to go on a diet. I’m going to become beautiful… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-m-going-to-lose-weight-for-you-she-valencia-merble-said-what-i-m/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More by Dustin Hoffman > [Well this is aptly called a junket, for both of us. I have never been to a house of prostitution, but I understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/well-this-is-aptly-called-a-junket-for-both-of-us-i-have-never-been/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [I think the most insulting thing you can do to a director is to challenge when he or she is satisfied with your interpretation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-think-the-most-insulting-thing-you-can-do-to-a-director-is-to/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [A "take" is an opportunity to fail ... and we think that we have to get it right all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/a-take-is-an-opportunity-to-fail-and-we-think-that-we-have-to-get-it/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [“(In response to the question: What is your least favorite word?) It's three words that we usually use as one: woulda, shoulda, coulda. 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At least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/acting-didn-t-solve-much-if-it-did-i-would-have-ended-up-much-less/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [I don't like the fact that I have to get older so fast, but I like the fact that I'm aging so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-don-t-like-the-fact-that-i-have-to-get-older-so-fast-but-i-like-the/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [We need to band together as a unit every day, especially to conquer the strength of the AIDS virus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/we-need-to-band-together-as-a-unit-every-day-especially-to-conquer/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [There were a few things that went into it. 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