--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My basic mistake in 'The World's Greatest…" description: "\"My basic mistake in 'The World's Greatest Lover' was that I made the leading character a neurotic kook and sent him to Hollywood. I should have made hi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/gene-wilder-3914_audience_my-basic-mistake-in-the-world-s-greatest_2964820.jpg" --- # My basic mistake in 'The World's Greatest Lover' was that… ![“My basic mistake in 'The World's Greatest Lover' was that I made the leading character a neurotic kook and sent him to Hollywood. I should have made him a perfectly normal, sane, ordinary person, and sent him to Hollywood. The audience identifies with the lead character.” quote by Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/gene-wilder-3914_audience_my-basic-mistake-in-the-world-s-greatest_2964820.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/gene-wilder-3914_audience_my-basic-mistake-in-the-world-s-greatest_2964820.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/gene-wilder-3914_audience_my-basic-mistake-in-the-world-s-greatest_2964820.jpg) > “My basic mistake in 'The World's Greatest Lover' was that I made the leading character a neurotic kook and sent him to Hollywood. I should have made him a perfectly normal, sane, ordinary person, and sent him to Hollywood. The audience identifies with the lead character.” [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Audiences connect with relatable, ordinary protagonists; making a neurotic lead alienates viewers and hinders a. **In simple terms:** Relatable leads engage audiences. Key Takeaway Create normal, relatable characters for better connection. Themes storytelling character development audience connection film relatability Mood analytical reflective Type critical educational When to use this quote - screenwriting - casting - directing Key Concepts psychology of identification narrative structure cinema studies Questions to Reflect On - What makes a character relatable? - How does character relatability affect a film’s success? A Different Perspective May oversimplify audience tastes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Neurotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-neurotic-4535087/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Greatest Lover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-lover-4535089/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Lead Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lead-character-420863/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leading Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leading-character-1908872/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Neurotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neurotic/) [Neurotic Kook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neurotic-kook-4535088/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-person/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Sane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sane/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [LOVE HAS A VOICE,LOVE HAS A NAME AND THE NAME IS JESUS.THE GREATEST LOVER OF ALL TIMES.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jezreel-scott/love-has-a-voice-love-has-a-name-and-the-name-is-jesus-the-greatest/) [Jezreel Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jezreel-scott/) > [“I love my wife whether she's fat, thin, fucking square, round, fucking oblong shape. She's the greatest lover I've ever had. She's the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-love-my-wife-whether-she-s-fat-thin-fucking-square-round-fucking/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [Would you rather be the world's greatest lover, but have everyone think you're the world's worst lover? Or would you rather be the world's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/would-you-rather-be-the-world-s-greatest-lover-but-have-everyone/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Leading with character gives the wise leader clear-cut advantages. They are easier to trust and follow; they honor commitments and promises; their words and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/leading-with-character-gives-the-wise-leader-clear-cut-advantages/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [The music is not used repetitiously to create film atmosphere. It is, in fact, the leading character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mondello/the-music-is-not-used-repetitiously-to-create-film-atmosphere-it-is/) [Bob Mondello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mondello/) > [I had never had a positive leading character - somebody that wasn't an antihero, or who wasn't more of a guy that you're supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-had-never-had-a-positive-leading-character-somebody-that-wasn-t-an/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [ \[And on going from character to leading actor\] I don't approach anything differently; I just approach it as a character. I'm always astounded at… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/and-on-going-from-character-to-leading-actor-i-don-t-approach/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I think possibly the first film that has music as its leading character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/i-think-possibly-the-first-film-that-has-music-as-its-leading/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [The leading character isn't always the most important or interesting character; when people think that the protagonist is the character portrayed, it's people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pilou-asbaek/the-leading-character-isn-t-always-the-most-important-or-interesting/) [Pilou Asbaek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pilou-asbaek/) > [In a novel, the author gives the leading character intelligence and distinction. Fate goes to less trouble: mediocrities play a part in great events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/in-a-novel-the-author-gives-the-leading-character-intelligence-and/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [And, for any performer, to be able to go deep into character is fantastic. In film you only get to do that if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/and-for-any-performer-to-be-able-to-go-deep-into-character-is/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [I am a character actress. Well, let's say, I am a leading character actress who does interesting, odd parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-staunton/i-am-a-character-actress-well-let-s-say-i-am-a-leading-character/) [Imelda Staunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-staunton/) > [Develop a clean line of action for your leading character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-wilder/develop-a-clean-line-of-action-for-your-leading-character/) [Billy Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-wilder/) > [A sum of money is a leading character in this tale about people, just as a sum of honey might properly be a leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-sum-of-money-is-a-leading-character-in-this-tale-about-people-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ For example, how you would introduce a leading character into your film, and as an absolute ingenious example, \[Elia\] Kazan in his film Viva… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/for-example-how-you-would-introduce-a-leading-character-into-your/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) ## More by Gene Wilder > [Dont put the sheep on the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/dont-put-the-sheep-on-the-table/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [When your mother gives you confidence about anything that you do, you carry that confidence with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/when-your-mother-gives-you-confidence-about-anything-that-you-do-you/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I'm an actor, not a clown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-m-an-actor-not-a-clown/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [ \[Gilda Radner\] died in '89, and I got non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2000. I've just passed the five-year mark and I'm now what you call… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/gilda-radner-died-in-89-and-i-got-non-hodgkin-s-lymphoma-in-2000-i-ve/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I like - it's not that I want to be someone different from me, but I suppose it partly is that. I love creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-like-it-s-not-that-i-want-to-be-someone-different-from-me-but-i/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I live in a small town in Connecticut, and they don't write scripts there, but I get them anyway because my agent is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-live-in-a-small-town-in-connecticut-and-they-don-t-write-scripts/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [Little surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/little-surprises-around-every-corner-but-nothing-dangerous/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I don't like giving speeches. It makes me nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-don-t-like-giving-speeches-it-makes-me-nervous/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [On screen, Gene Wilder could often be summed up as an accident waiting to happen, that frizzy, flyaway hair, the eyes darting this way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/on-screen-gene-wilder-could-often-be-summed-up-as-an-accident-waiting/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [Gene Wilder often said that his job as an actor wasn't to make something funny but to make it real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/gene-wilder-often-said-that-his-job-as-an-actor-wasn-t-to-make/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [When I'm not working on something, I seem to go through periods of depression. It helps to keep busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/when-i-m-not-working-on-something-i-seem-to-go-through-periods-of/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [What I learned from Mel Brooks was audacity - in performance as in life. Maybe you go too far, but try it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/what-i-learned-from-mel-brooks-was-audacity-in-performance-as-in-life/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I'm going to tell you what my religion is. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Period. Terminato. Finito.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-m-going-to-tell-you-what-my-religion-is-do-unto-others-as-you-would/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [Gene Wilder characters wanted to be calm, but to the great delight of audiences, they rarely succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/gene-wilder-characters-wanted-to-be-calm-but-to-the-great-delight-of/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [I love acting, especially if it's a fantasy of some kind, where it's not just realistic, it's not naturalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-love-acting-especially-if-it-s-a-fantasy-of-some-kind-where-it-s/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) [Explore all 119 Gene Wilder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My basic mistake in 'The World's Greatest Lover' was that I made the leading character a neurotic kook and sent him to Hollywood. I should have made him a perfectly normal, sane, ordinary person, and sent him to Hollywood. 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