--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only enormously talented people could…" description: "\"Only enormously talented people could have made Death to Smoochy . Those with lesser gifts would have lacked the nerve to make a film so bad, so miscal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/roger-ebert-655_audience_only-enormously-talented-people-could-ha_1680167.jpg" --- # Only enormously talented people could have made Death to… ![“Only enormously talented people could have made Death to Smoochy . Those with lesser gifts would have lacked the nerve to make a film so bad, so miscalculated, so lacking any connection with any possible audience.” quote by Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/roger-ebert-655_audience_only-enormously-talented-people-could-ha_1680167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/roger-ebert-655_audience_only-enormously-talented-people-could-ha_1680167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/roger-ebert-655_audience_only-enormously-talented-people-could-ha_1680167.jpg) > “Only enormously talented people could have made Death to Smoochy . Those with lesser gifts would have lacked the nerve to make a film so bad, so miscalculated, so lacking any connection with any possible audience.” [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The reviewer sarcastically praises the film’s terrible quality, suggesting that only those with extreme talent could create something so misjudged. **In simple terms:** Only the most talented could make such a bad film. Key Takeaway Recognize that talent can produce both brilliance and failure. Themes film criticism talent humor Mood wry critical Type satirical analytical When to use this quote - movie analysis - industry satire - creative process Key Concepts sarcasm misjudgment creative risk Questions to Reflect On - What makes a film “bad” but memorable? - Can bad movies still have artistic value? A Different Perspective May dismiss genuine artistic intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Nerves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerves/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Talented people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talented-people/) ## Related quotes > [In the world of bad movies, 'Death to Smoochy' is a towering achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/in-the-world-of-bad-movies-death-to-smoochy-is-a-towering-achievement/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I knew Danny DeVito and he knew me, so he wanted me to try Death to Smoochy. I loved that stuff and had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-knew-danny-devito-and-he-knew-me-so-he-wanted-me-to-try-death-to/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [“The worst film of a good director is better than the best film of a bad director.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-roston/the-worst-film-of-a-good-director-is-better-than-the-best-film-of-a/) Tom Roston > [I believe post 2005, the profession is not as forgiving for the mistakes that you make. A bad film or bad performance will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohnish-bahl/i-believe-post-2005-the-profession-is-not-as-forgiving-for-the/) [Mohnish Bahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohnish-bahl/) > [“Modern politics is like watching a film with only bad guys. It soon starts to get really boring, because one of the points of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/modern-politics-is-like-watching-a-film-with-only-bad-guys-it-soon/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [I never, ever want to apologize for a film. If it's bad I'll say it's my fault. And that's what I can say so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-burns/i-never-ever-want-to-apologize-for-a-film-if-it-s-bad-i-ll-say-it-s/) [Ken Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-burns/) > [I don't consider any film of mine bad. I give all my films the importance they deserve. I look at all my roles with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mammootty/i-don-t-consider-any-film-of-mine-bad-i-give-all-my-films-the/) [Mammootty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mammootty/) > [I don't want to choose between commercial and independent cinema. I just want to choose between a good film and a bad film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalki-koechlin/i-don-t-want-to-choose-between-commercial-and-independent-cinema-i/) [Kalki Koechlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalki-koechlin/) > [Nowadays, if a studio assumes that his film is bad, there is always an executive that gets more nervous than usual and thinks that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-jarre/nowadays-if-a-studio-assumes-that-his-film-is-bad-there-is-always-an/) [Maurice Jarre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-jarre/) > [If your religion doesn't respect the rights of other religions, it is lacking something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/if-your-religion-doesn-t-respect-the-rights-of-other-religions-it-is/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Talented people almost always know full well the excellence that is in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/talented-people-almost-always-know-full-well-the-excellence-that-is/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [If I was a white rapper, the bar for me would be Eminem. Of course his white skin helped him excel to heights that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/if-i-was-a-white-rapper-the-bar-for-me-would-be-eminem-of-course-his/) [Charlamagne tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [There are so many talented people that are on G.O.O.D. Music that it's nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mannie-fresh/there-are-so-many-talented-people-that-are-on-g-o-o-d-music-that-it-s/) [Mannie Fresh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mannie-fresh/) > [Many people, including myself, thought of Jobs as an inventor, an Edison-like figure, but he wasn't. I did a documentary on James Brown recently;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/many-people-including-myself-thought-of-jobs-as-an-inventor-an-edison/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) ## More by Roger Ebert > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I am, beneath everything else, a fan. I was fixed in this mode as a young boy and am awed by people who take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-am-beneath-everything-else-a-fan-i-was-fixed-in-this-mode-as-a/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“We’d had a revelation. This was the direction American movies should take: into idiosyncratic characters, into dialogue with an ear for the vulgar and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/we-d-had-a-revelation-this-was-the-direction-american-movies-should/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“Most courtroom movies feel it necessary to end with a clear-cut verdict. But 12 Angry Men never states whether the defendant is innocent or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/most-courtroom-movies-feel-it-necessary-to-end-with-a-clear-cut/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [What every human being should do is eat a vegetarian diet based on whole foods. Period. That's it. Animal protein is bad for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/what-every-human-being-should-do-is-eat-a-vegetarian-diet-based-on/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I value the kind of prayer when you stand at the edge of the sea, or beneath a tree, or smell a flower, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-value-the-kind-of-prayer-when-you-stand-at-the-edge-of-the-sea-or/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“One of my delights in these books, on the other hand, has been to include movies not often cited as “great”—some because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/one-of-my-delights-in-these-books-on-the-other-hand-has-been-to/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [A movie isn't good or bad based on its politics. It's usually good or bad for other reasons, though you might agree or disagree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/a-movie-isn-t-good-or-bad-based-on-its-politics-it-s-usually-good-or/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [It is human nature to look away from illness. We don't enjoy a reminder of our own fragile mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-human-nature-to-look-away-from-illness-we-don-t-enjoy-a/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [ Gene \[Siskel\] often mentioned something François Truffaut once told him: the most beautiful sight in a movie theater is to walk down to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/gene-siskel-often-mentioned-something-fran-ois-truffaut-once-told-him/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/a-movie-is-not-about-what-it-is-about-it-is-about-how-it-is-about-it/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [James Cameron's films have always been distinguished by ground-breaking technical excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/james-cameron-s-films-have-always-been-distinguished-by-ground/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Friends don't let Jackasses drink and drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/friends-don-t-let-jackasses-drink-and-drive/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I think we have to get beyond the idea that we have to categorize people. We can now have action movies with two stars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-think-we-have-to-get-beyond-the-idea-that-we-have-to-categorize/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) [Explore all 427 Roger Ebert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) ## 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": "Only enormously talented people could have made Death to Smoochy . Those with lesser gifts would have lacked the nerve to make a film so bad, so miscalculated, so lacking any connection with any possible audience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Ebert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/only-enormously-talented-people-could-have-made-death-to-smoochy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/only-enormously-talented-people-could-have-made-death-to-smoochy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/roger-ebert-655_audience_only-enormously-talented-people-could-ha_1680167.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/roger-ebert-655_audience_only-enormously-talented-people-could-ha_1680167.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/feb/roger-ebert-655_audience_only-enormously-talented-people-could-ha_1680167.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only enormously talented people could have made Death to Smoochy . Those with lesser gifts would have lacked…” — Roger Ebert", "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": "Roger Ebert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only enormously talented people could have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/only-enormously-talented-people-could-have-made-death-to-smoochy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/only-enormously-talented-people-could-have-made-death-to-smoochy/#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 } } ] } ```