--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: it's difficult in Hollywood to be allowed…" description: "\"it's difficult in Hollywood to be allowed to try anything. It's all a terrible compromise. There is no time for art. All that matters is what they call..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/857/greta-garbo-11556_art_it-s-difficult-in-hollywood-to-be-allowe_2327568.jpg" --- # it's difficult in Hollywood to be allowed to try anything… ![“it's difficult in Hollywood to be allowed to try anything. It's all a terrible compromise. There is no time for art. All that matters is what they call box office.” quote by Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/857/greta-garbo-11556_art_it-s-difficult-in-hollywood-to-be-allowe_2327568.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/857/greta-garbo-11556_art_it-s-difficult-in-hollywood-to-be-allowe_2327568.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/857/greta-garbo-11556_art_it-s-difficult-in-hollywood-to-be-allowe_2327568.jpg) > “it's difficult in Hollywood to be allowed to try anything. It's all a terrible compromise. There is no time for art. All that matters is what they call box office.” [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hollywood prioritizes profit over artistic freedom, forcing compromises that stifle creativity. **In simple terms:** Hollywood forces profit over art. Key Takeaway Accept constraints but seek creative integrity. Themes art industry compromise creativity Mood frustrated critical Type observational critical When to use this quote - filmmaking - acting - scriptwriting - producing - marketing Key Concepts capitalism artistic integrity power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can artists maintain vision within commercial limits? - What compromises are worth making? A Different Perspective Compromise may be necessary to fund projects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [You can compromise between good, better, and best, and you can compromise between bad and worse and terrible. 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I have always been proud of making films and will continue taking pride in all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yash-chopra/films-have-been-my-only-passion-in-life-i-have-always-been-proud-of/) [Yash Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yash-chopra/) > [I didn't think Comfort and Joy was going to be a box-office smash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-forsyth/i-didn-t-think-comfort-and-joy-was-going-to-be-a-box-office-smash/) [Bill Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-forsyth/) > [ I was, it was very high. Especially with international (box office), we did something that I didn't think this movie \["2012"\] would do. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-emmerich/i-was-it-was-very-high-especially-with-international-box-office-we/) [Roland Emmerich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-emmerich/) > [I hate how box-office failures are blamed on an actress, yet I don't see a box-office failure blamed on men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/i-hate-how-box-office-failures-are-blamed-on-an-actress-yet-i-don-t/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [To the extent that movies get released, they are generally not big box-office generators. Hollywood is clearly focusing on their holiday releases coming up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-arnold/to-the-extent-that-movies-get-released-they-are-generally-not-big-box/) [Tom Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-arnold/) > [I would do 'John Carter' again tomorrow. I'm very proud of 'John Carter.' Box office doesn't validate me as a person, or as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-kitsch/i-would-do-john-carter-again-tomorrow-i-m-very-proud-of-john-carter/) [Taylor Kitsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-kitsch/) > [When you have box-office results, Hollywood treats you different. Hollywood stands up. Once you get to the point where Hollywood sees that you create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/when-you-have-box-office-results-hollywood-treats-you-different/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [Women were real box office stars in the '40s, more so than men. People loved to see women's films. I think it was better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/women-were-real-box-office-stars-in-the-40s-more-so-than-men-people/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [I guess I judge my films by how pleased I am with the work I do, so it's kind of on another level. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-weaving/i-guess-i-judge-my-films-by-how-pleased-i-am-with-the-work-i-do-so-it/) [Hugo Weaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-weaving/) > [And yes, it is harder to make movies because budgets are getting smaller, and the companies stocks are down. The only good news on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bruckheimer/and-yes-it-is-harder-to-make-movies-because-budgets-are-getting/) [Jerry Bruckheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bruckheimer/) > [You know how many movies it took Tom Cruise before he was making 5, 6 million dollars? It probably took a billion dollars in box office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-patric/you-know-how-many-movies-it-took-tom-cruise-before-he-was-making-5-6/) [Jason Patric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-patric/) > [I believe in my privacy. I always have, and I always will. I don't think that my private life needs to be on display…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kajol/i-believe-in-my-privacy-i-always-have-and-i-always-will-i-don-t-think/) [Kajol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kajol/) > [When I was young I didn't care about education, just money and box office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/when-i-was-young-i-didn-t-care-about-education-just-money-and-box/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) ## More by Greta Garbo > [If you’re going to die on screen, you’ve got to be strong and in good health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-you-re-going-to-die-on-screen-you-ve-got-to-be-strong-and-in-good/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [I always look well when I'm near death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/i-always-look-well-when-i-m-near-death/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [I don’t like to talk to people, because I can’t express myself satisfactorily. I don’t say the things I mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/i-don-t-like-to-talk-to-people-because-i-can-t-express-myself/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [My talents fall within definite limitations. I am not as versatile an actress as some think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/my-talents-fall-within-definite-limitations-i-am-not-as-versatile-an/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [Every one of us lives his life just once; if we are honest, to live once is enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/every-one-of-us-lives-his-life-just-once-if-we-are-honest-to-live/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [If only those who dream about Hollywood knew how difficult it all is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-only-those-who-dream-about-hollywood-knew-how-difficult-it-all-is/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [Anyone who has a continuous smile on his face conceals a toughness that is almost frightening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/anyone-who-has-a-continuous-smile-on-his-face-conceals-a-toughness/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [How can one change one's entire life and build a new one on one moment of love? And yet, that's what you make me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/how-can-one-change-one-s-entire-life-and-build-a-new-one-on-one/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [I wish I were supernaturally strong so I could put right everything that is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/i-wish-i-were-supernaturally-strong-so-i-could-put-right-everything/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [“I like the sea: we understand one another. It is always yearning, sighing for something it cannot have; so am I.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/i-like-the-sea-we-understand-one-another-it-is-always-yearning/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [I don't like writers. They're dangerous people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/i-don-t-like-writers-they-re-dangerous-people/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [I'm tired and nervous and I'm in America. Here you don't know that you live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/i-m-tired-and-nervous-and-i-m-in-america-here-you-don-t-know-that-you/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [If you are blessed, you are blessed, whether you are married or single.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-you-are-blessed-you-are-blessed-whether-you-are-married-or-single/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [I don't want to be a silly temptress. I cannot see any sense in getting dressed up and doing nothing but tempting men in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-silly-temptress-i-cannot-see-any-sense-in/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [Every one of us lives this life just once, if we are honest, to live once is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/every-one-of-us-lives-this-life-just-once-if-we-are-honest-to-live/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) [Explore all 59 Greta Garbo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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