--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is hard to do a film that wants to say…" description: "\"It is hard to do a film that wants to say something because, unfortunately, most everything has been said.\" — Sergio Leone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-sa_1800377.jpg" --- # It is hard to do a film that wants to say something… ![“It is hard to do a film that wants to say something because, unfortunately, most everything has been said.” quote by Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-sa_1800377.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-sa_1800377.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-sa_1800377.jpg) > “It is hard to do a film that wants to say something because, unfortunately, most everything has been said.” [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. Creating a film with a fresh message is difficult because most ideas have already been expressed, challenging originality. **In simple terms:** Originality is hard when ideas are already explored. Key Takeaway Find new angles on familiar themes. Themes creativity originality film making Mood inspired thoughtful Type artistic strategic When to use this quote - scriptwriting - directing - marketing - audience analysis Key Concepts narrative theory innovation cultural saturation Questions to Reflect On - How can you reinvent a classic story? - What techniques keep a film feeling fresh? A Different Perspective Even new perspectives can feel derivative if not executed uniquely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) ## Related quotes > [The doctor unfortunately said I was fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-douglas-home/the-doctor-unfortunately-said-i-was-fit/) [Alec Douglas-Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-douglas-home/) > [I don't make movies. I don't feel that I have to have artistic control. Part of this comes from the fact that the book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-don-t-make-movies-i-don-t-feel-that-i-have-to-have-artistic-control/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [In entertainment, if you have a message in a film, no one wants to be spoon-fed the message. No one wants to be told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-fowler/in-entertainment-if-you-have-a-message-in-a-film-no-one-wants-to-be/) [Jermaine Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-fowler/) > [When you make a film, everyone wants to define it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-haigh/when-you-make-a-film-everyone-wants-to-define-it/) [Andrew Haigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-haigh/) > [I've always been curious what the negotiation is because obviously there's certain movies that every film wants a trailer on, like Star Wars, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kinberg/i-ve-always-been-curious-what-the-negotiation-is-because-obviously/) [Simon Kinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kinberg/) > [Everyone who makes a Star Wars film wants to make it their own but they also have to be true to the concept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mads-mikkelsen/everyone-who-makes-a-star-wars-film-wants-to-make-it-their-own-but/) [Mads Mikkelsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mads-mikkelsen/) > [It's hard to top what you see in the film, they were just such a great group of people to work with and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-hendricks/it-s-hard-to-top-what-you-see-in-the-film-they-were-just-such-a-great/) [Christina Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-hendricks/) > [The structure and formula are now so well-known that it's become very hard for the film-maker not to commit the cardinal sin: letting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ol-parker/the-structure-and-formula-are-now-so-well-known-that-it-s-become-very/) [Ol Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ol-parker/) > [It's hard. It's hard to get a film made properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennett-miller/it-s-hard-it-s-hard-to-get-a-film-made-properly/) [Bennett Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennett-miller/) > [It's hard to have a film and television career and do music work at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/it-s-hard-to-have-a-film-and-television-career-and-do-music-work-at/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [It's hard to see a film one time and really "get it," and write fully and intelligently about it. That's a review. That's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/it-s-hard-to-see-a-film-one-time-and-really-get-it-and-write-fully/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [It's hard to see a film that's been made from a book that you really loved because it's such a different experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-harris/it-s-hard-to-see-a-film-that-s-been-made-from-a-book-that-you-really/) [Ed Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-harris/) > [It's hard to get a film, you know, you need a very special film to be able to get that experimental. But, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/it-s-hard-to-get-a-film-you-know-you-need-a-very-special-film-to-be/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [To be honest I would like to do more movies, I've been a victim of my own success in that sense, as if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/to-be-honest-i-would-like-to-do-more-movies-i-ve-been-a-victim-of-my/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [We work hard on every film, and then it's up to the audience whether they like it or not. At the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabhu-deva/we-work-hard-on-every-film-and-then-it-s-up-to-the-audience-whether/) [Prabhu Deva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabhu-deva/) ## 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 Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [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 even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is hard to do a film that wants to say something because, unfortunately, most everything has been said.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sergio Leone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-say-something-because/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-say-something-because/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-sa_1800377.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-sa_1800377.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/sergio-leone-7185_cinema_it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-sa_1800377.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is hard to do a film that wants to say something because, unfortunately, most everything has been said.” — Sergio Leone", "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": "Sergio Leone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is hard to do a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-say-something-because/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/it-is-hard-to-do-a-film-that-wants-to-say-something-because/#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 } } ] } ```