--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always think that if you deal with…" description: "\"I always think that if you deal with extremely emotional, even melodramatic, subject matter, as I constantly do, the best way to handle those situation..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/peter-greenaway-2444_best-way_i-always-think-that-if-you-deal-with-ext_2236612.png" --- # I always think that if you deal with extremely emotional… ![“I always think that if you deal with extremely emotional, even melodramatic, subject matter, as I constantly do, the best way to handle those situations is at a sufficient remove. It's like a doctor and a nurse and a casualty situation. You can't help the patient and you can't help yourself by…” quote by Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/peter-greenaway-2444_best-way_i-always-think-that-if-you-deal-with-ext_2236612.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/peter-greenaway-2444_best-way_i-always-think-that-if-you-deal-with-ext_2236612.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/peter-greenaway-2444_best-way_i-always-think-that-if-you-deal-with-ext_2236612.png) > “I always think that if you deal with extremely emotional, even melodramatic, subject matter, as I constantly do, the best way to handle those situations is at a sufficient remove. It's like a doctor and a nurse and a casualty situation. You can't help the patient and you can't help yourself by emoting. And I don't think cinema is intended for therapy, so I object also to that huge, massive manipulation which is perpetrated on the public.” [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When dealing with highly emotional or melodramatic topics, maintain professional distance to avoid personal overwhelm and ineffective storytelling. **In simple terms:** Keep emotional distance for clarity. Key Takeaway Maintain detachment when handling intense subjects. Themes art filmmaking emotion ethics audience Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - film criticism - creative process - media consumption Key Concepts subjectivity detachment manipulation Questions to Reflect On - Is emotional distance always beneficial? - How does detachment affect audience connection? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating audience; may seem cold or unempathetic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Manipulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manipulation/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurse/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [If you think about it, most cinema is built along 19th-century models. You would hardly think that the cinema had discovered James Joyce sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/if-you-think-about-it-most-cinema-is-built-along-19th-century-models/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [I do indeed think that cinema is mortal. There is a lot of evidence already that it is dying on its feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/i-do-indeed-think-that-cinema-is-mortal-there-is-a-lot-of-evidence/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [There are those who think that Zeffirelli's Hamlet is the way to treat Shakespeare. I think that cinema can handle much more. 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