--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that my films are westerns only…" description: "\"I think that my films are westerns only in their exterior aspects. Within them are some of my truths, which happily, I see, belong to lots of parts of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/sergio-leone-7185_america_i-think-that-my-films-are-westerns-only_1616489.jpg" --- # I think that my films are westerns only in their exterior… ![“I think that my films are westerns only in their exterior aspects. Within them are some of my truths, which happily, I see, belong to lots of parts of the world. Not just America.” quote by Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/sergio-leone-7185_america_i-think-that-my-films-are-westerns-only_1616489.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/sergio-leone-7185_america_i-think-that-my-films-are-westerns-only_1616489.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/sergio-leone-7185_america_i-think-that-my-films-are-westerns-only_1616489.jpg) > “I think that my films are westerns only in their exterior aspects. Within them are some of my truths, which happily, I see, belong to lots of parts of the world. Not just America.” [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He claims his movies appear as westerns outwardly, but they contain universal truths beyond America. **In simple terms:** Films look like westerns but hold broader truths. Key Takeaway Recognize deeper meanings in genre films. Themes film analysis culture universality Mood thoughtful analytical Type interpretive reflective When to use this quote - movie reviews - film classes - personal reflection - global storytelling Key Concepts cinema studies narrative truth cross‑cultural themes Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify universal themes in genre cinema? - What truths do you see beyond the surface? A Different Perspective Some may argue the films are still culturally specific. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Westerns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/westerns/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I'd like to do a number of films. Westerns. Genre pieces. Maybe another film about Italian Americans where they're not gangsters, just to prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/i-d-like-to-do-a-number-of-films-westerns-genre-pieces-maybe-another/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Some films are pure entertainment of course, but what interests me and what I want to do are projects that really make you think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/some-films-are-pure-entertainment-of-course-but-what-interests-me-and/) [Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/) > [I've studied film a lot, so I know much more about film than music, but I don't think I could have made films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-hval/i-ve-studied-film-a-lot-so-i-know-much-more-about-film-than-music-but/) [Jenny Hval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-hval/) > [You really think that on my films people tell me what to do? I don't think so. On my films I decide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baz-luhrmann/you-really-think-that-on-my-films-people-tell-me-what-to-do-i-don-t/) [Baz Luhrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baz-luhrmann/) > [I don't think films about elderly people have been made very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-don-t-think-films-about-elderly-people-have-been-made-very-much/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [I like the saying: "The world is as you are." And I think films are as you are. That's why, although the frames of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-like-the-saying-the-world-is-as-you-are-and-i-think-films-are-as/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [I don't think about my films being multi-starrers or not, I don't think that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananya-panday/i-don-t-think-about-my-films-being-multi-starrers-or-not-i-don-t/) [Ananya Panday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananya-panday/) > [I'd like to think that my films are personal enough to exist without hearkening back to their respective novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-darabont/i-d-like-to-think-that-my-films-are-personal-enough-to-exist-without/) [Frank Darabont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-darabont/) > [I always think of my films within the context of where aesthetics meet economics. That's the nature of making art - not being naive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-sachs/i-always-think-of-my-films-within-the-context-of-where-aesthetics/) [Ira Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-sachs/) > [I don't think films and television can be killed by the web. They shall always remain but as time passes we shall see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/i-don-t-think-films-and-television-can-be-killed-by-the-web-they/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [I think about my films for a long time, maybe years, but I write them in days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-kashyap/i-think-about-my-films-for-a-long-time-maybe-years-but-i-write-them/) [Anurag Kashyap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-kashyap/) > [There are so many factors when you think of your own films. You think of the people you worked on it with, and somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-romero/there-are-so-many-factors-when-you-think-of-your-own-films-you-think/) [George A. Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-romero/) > [I do not think that my films or films by any other filmmaker represent "THE TRUTH." I do not feel the need to categorize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-wiseman/i-do-not-think-that-my-films-or-films-by-any-other-filmmaker/) [Frederick Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-wiseman/) > [I think films give us the possibility to see, within the destiny of a single individual, the destiny of a collective group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-rohrwacher/i-think-films-give-us-the-possibility-to-see-within-the-destiny-of-a/) [Alice Rohrwacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-rohrwacher/) > [I never look back and think too much about my films. I've done some work I've been proud of over the years but which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-never-look-back-and-think-too-much-about-my-films-i-ve-done-some/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) ## More by Sergio Leone > [Virginia Woolf was one example. She was called the "Lover of 100 Gangsters."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/virginia-woolf-was-one-example-she-was-called-the-lover-of-100/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [ I don't enter into particulars with \[Ennio Morricone\]. I give him the feeling and the suggestions of the characters. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-don-t-enter-into-particulars-with-ennio-morricone-i-give-him-the/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [It is clear that the vehicle of the western was a very interesting vehicle for me to contraband some of my ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/it-is-clear-that-the-vehicle-of-the-western-was-a-very-interesting/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [Especially in gangster films, with the gangster's moll - she would always be more or less of an object. And I'm not convinced of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/especially-in-gangster-films-with-the-gangster-s-moll-she-would/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [When you manage to express something with a look and the music instead of saying it with words or having the character speak, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/when-you-manage-to-express-something-with-a-look-and-the-music/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [My mother was an actress. My father was an actor and a director. I am the son of filmmakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/my-mother-was-an-actress-my-father-was-an-actor-and-a-director-i-am/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [It's a little hard to avoid putting both war and politics in, in that they both come into the activity, but on their own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/it-s-a-little-hard-to-avoid-putting-both-war-and-politics-in-in-that/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [ My films are often characterized by the lack of women present in them, except for this last one \[Once Upon a Time in America\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/my-films-are-often-characterized-by-the-lack-of-women-present-in-them/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [I always fish out antique ideas, very old ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-always-fish-out-antique-ideas-very-old-ideas/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [I don't want to do a war film per se. Nor do I want to do a political film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-don-t-want-to-do-a-war-film-per-se-nor-do-i-want-to-do-a-political/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [I'm not saying that the Americans had the same impact as the Jesuits, but I do see them as a very specialized populace, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-m-not-saying-that-the-americans-had-the-same-impact-as-the-jesuits/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [The world is in America. In Italy is only Italy. France is full of France. Germany is full of Germany. In a continent that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/the-world-is-in-america-in-italy-is-only-italy-france-is-full-of/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [What I do is give Ennio Morricone suggestions and describe to him my characters, and then, quite often, he'll possibly write five themes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/what-i-do-is-give-ennio-morricone-suggestions-and-describe-to-him-my/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [ I didn't want \[actress\] just to be a woman standing at the window, waving hello and goodbye to men as they came and went… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-didn-t-want-actress-just-to-be-a-woman-standing-at-the-window/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [Sometimes, I even recite the role to the actor if it's not clear. And I beg them not to imitate me, because I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/sometimes-i-even-recite-the-role-to-the-actor-if-it-s-not-clear-and-i/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) [Explore all 94 Sergio Leone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that my films are westerns only in their exterior aspects. Within them are some of my truths, which happily, I see, belong to lots of parts of the world. 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