--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the 40 or so years I've known David…" description: "\"In the 40 or so years I've known David Puttnam, not only has he pursued an outstanding career in films and now politics, but he has been the keeper of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/melvyn-bragg-9049_british_in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-p_435565.jpg" --- # In the 40 or so years I've known David Puttnam, not only… ![“In the 40 or so years I've known David Puttnam, not only has he pursued an outstanding career in films and now politics, but he has been the keeper of the flame of the British film industry.” quote by Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/melvyn-bragg-9049_british_in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-p_435565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/melvyn-bragg-9049_british_in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-p_435565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/melvyn-bragg-9049_british_in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-p_435565.jpg) > “In the 40 or so years I've known David Puttnam, not only has he pursued an outstanding career in films and now politics, but he has been the keeper of the flame of the British film industry.” [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He credits David Puttnam with sustaining British cinema and bridging film and politics. **In simple terms:** Puttnam helped keep British film alive. Key Takeaway Support cultural institutions. Themes culture leadership film industry Mood proud reflective Type biographical commendatory When to use this quote - film festivals - policy advocacy - industry mentorship Key Concepts legacy public service artistic stewardship Questions to Reflect On - How can we protect national cinema today? - What role should politicians play in arts? A Different Perspective Balancing artistic vision with commercial pressures is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-film/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Film industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-industry/) [Flame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flame/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [I feel like all my films have my politics. As a film-maker, whatever story you're telling, your value system comes out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoya-akhtar/i-feel-like-all-my-films-have-my-politics-as-a-film-maker-whatever/) [Zoya Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoya-akhtar/) > [I wanted to be an architect, fate took me to films. Now that I am into politics, I want to give my best here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopa-ganguly/i-wanted-to-be-an-architect-fate-took-me-to-films-now-that-i-am-into/) [Roopa Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roopa-ganguly/) > [All films are political, whether they mean to be or not. Star Wars is political. As soon as you have conflict, which is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/all-films-are-political-whether-they-mean-to-be-or-not-star-wars-is/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [As a black actress, all I was offered in British film was the best friend role, whereas in television, I was offered a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-okonedo/as-a-black-actress-all-i-was-offered-in-british-film-was-the-best/) [Sophie Okonedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-okonedo/) > [When I became the chair of the British Film Institute, I didn't understand how much of my time would be taken up with trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-minghella/when-i-became-the-chair-of-the-british-film-institute-i-didn-t/) [Anthony Minghella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-minghella/) > [I could never really choose a favorite book, but whenever I'm asked what my favorite movie is, I always say 'Withnail & I,' a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lutz/i-could-never-really-choose-a-favorite-book-but-whenever-i-m-asked/) [Lisa Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lutz/) > [London exists normally in a state of bleach bypass. There's the artistic context of "Blow Up" and "Performance" and all the Sixties and Seventies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/london-exists-normally-in-a-state-of-bleach-bypass-there-s-the/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [If you think back to the great French directors it's difficult to think of British film-makers who are comparable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/if-you-think-back-to-the-great-french-directors-it-s-difficult-to/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [A lot of the reasons that I'm resistant to making films in the U.S. have nothing to do with not doing a film in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leigh/a-lot-of-the-reasons-that-i-m-resistant-to-making-films-in-the-u-s/) [Mike Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leigh/) > [I'd rather do theater and British films than move to L.A. in hopes of getting small roles in American films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-d-rather-do-theater-and-british-films-than-move-to-l-a-in-hopes-of/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [After 'The Gamekeeper' I made one other film called 'Looks and Smiles,' but making British films was very difficult. There wasn't a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/after-the-gamekeeper-i-made-one-other-film-called-looks-and-smiles/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [The BFI recently did a study of the British films that have the most people of color in them in the last 10 years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-clarke/the-bfi-recently-did-a-study-of-the-british-films-that-have-the-most/) [Noel Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-clarke/) > [I'm somebody who is very, very proud to have been a part of the British film industry all my life and to have kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/i-m-somebody-who-is-very-very-proud-to-have-been-a-part-of-the/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) ## More by Melvyn Bragg > [The success of the arts has come through a mix of public subsidy, substantial private support, and good box-office receipts, but central to Labour's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/the-success-of-the-arts-has-come-through-a-mix-of-public-subsidy/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [“We shall fight on the beaches,” said Churchill in 1940, “we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/we-shall-fight-on-the-beaches-said-churchill-in-1940-we-shall-fight/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [Too old at 72? Careful. Ageism is out. We'll have the law on you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/too-old-at-72-careful-ageism-is-out-we-ll-have-the-law-on-you/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [The class barricades have been stormed by the forces of a broad culture, which is made up of clusters of individuals who have decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/the-class-barricades-have-been-stormed-by-the-forces-of-a-broad/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [“It is impossible to get enough books, don't you find? But where are we without them? Just words on the wind... Not words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/it-is-impossible-to-get-enough-books-don-t-you-find-but-where-are-we/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [I don't believe in a personal God, no. And I don't believe in resurrection as it is in the New Testament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/i-don-t-believe-in-a-personal-god-no-and-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [As the 20th century unspooled, a cultural warming melted down many frozen class characteristics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/as-the-20th-century-unspooled-a-cultural-warming-melted-down-many/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [I'm a Labour party supporter, but I'm also a democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/i-m-a-labour-party-supporter-but-i-m-also-a-democrat/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [When anybody tells you something about writing, somebody will tell you something completely different and they will also be right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/when-anybody-tells-you-something-about-writing-somebody-will-tell-you/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [A lot of the novels I admire are 'admirably provincial.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/a-lot-of-the-novels-i-admire-are-admirably-provincial/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [My memory seems to be holding on quite well. There is no reason why it shouldn't if you keep training it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/my-memory-seems-to-be-holding-on-quite-well-there-is-no-reason-why-it/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [I'll never forget my interview with Barry Humphries - one of the oddest I've ever done. He insisted that for half the time he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/i-ll-never-forget-my-interview-with-barry-humphries-one-of-the-oddest/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [We were working class, and you don't lose that. Later on, I bolted on media middle class... and now people like me are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/we-were-working-class-and-you-don-t-lose-that-later-on-i-bolted-on/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [Dame Barbara Cartland was an endearing eccentric, and when I interviewed her, she wanted me to listen to her dictating to her secretary one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/dame-barbara-cartland-was-an-endearing-eccentric-and-when-i/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) > [I actually admire some of the books by a lot of the writers who write magic realism very much, but it's not for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/i-actually-admire-some-of-the-books-by-a-lot-of-the-writers-who-write/) [Melvyn Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) [Explore all 75 Melvyn Bragg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/) ## More British quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [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/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. 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The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) [Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the 40 or so years I've known David Puttnam, not only has he pursued an outstanding career in films and now politics, but he has been the keeper of the flame of the British film industry.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melvyn Bragg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-puttnam-not-only-has-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "British" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-puttnam-not-only-has-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/melvyn-bragg-9049_british_in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-p_435565.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/melvyn-bragg-9049_british_in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-p_435565.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/melvyn-bragg-9049_british_in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-p_435565.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the 40 or so years I've known David Puttnam, not only has he pursued an outstanding career in films and…” — Melvyn Bragg", "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": "Melvyn Bragg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvyn-bragg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the 40 or so years...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-puttnam-not-only-has-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvyn-bragg/in-the-40-or-so-years-i-ve-known-david-puttnam-not-only-has-he/#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 } } ] } ```