--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Always remember, there's no point trying…" description: "\"Always remember, there's no point trying to be faithful to the book because film and writing are just two completely different things. Any film stands ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/william-s-burroughs-528_being-faithful_always-remember-there-s-no-point-trying_1903709.png" --- # Always remember, there's no point trying to be faithful to… ![“Always remember, there's no point trying to be faithful to the book because film and writing are just two completely different things. Any film stands on its own, apart from whether it's based on a novel.” quote by William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/william-s-burroughs-528_being-faithful_always-remember-there-s-no-point-trying_1903709.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/william-s-burroughs-528_being-faithful_always-remember-there-s-no-point-trying_1903709.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/william-s-burroughs-528_being-faithful_always-remember-there-s-no-point-trying_1903709.png) > “Always remember, there's no point trying to be faithful to the book because film and writing are just two completely different things. Any film stands on its own, apart from whether it's based on a novel.” [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Films should be judged on their own merits, not as faithful reproductions of books. **In simple terms:** Films stand alone. Key Takeaway Evaluate movies independently of source material. Themes art adaptation creativity Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical opinionated When to use this quote - movie reviews - screenwriting - publishing - educational curricula Key Concepts film theory literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - Should adaptations prioritize originality or fidelity? - How does source material influence viewer expectations? A Different Perspective Some audiences expect fidelity, causing disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being faithful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-faithful/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Faithful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faithful/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Film writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-writing/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [In my writing I am acting as a map maker, an explorer of psychic areas, a cosmonaut of inner space, and I see no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/in-my-writing-i-am-acting-as-a-map-maker-an-explorer-of-psychic-areas/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Making really great music, making really great films, writing great books is an antidote to all of that. And, as people, as artists, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/making-really-great-music-making-really-great-films-writing-great/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [Film writing and concert writing are two very different things. In film writing I am serving the film and it tells you what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-zigman/film-writing-and-concert-writing-are-two-very-different-things-in/) [Aaron Zigman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-zigman/) > [It's very hard to write music for a film because you're writing about somebody else's experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandro-nivola/it-s-very-hard-to-write-music-for-a-film-because-you-re-writing-about/) [Alessandro Nivola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandro-nivola/) > [Essentially, the scripts are not that different. Let's say, in literary terms, it's the difference between writing horizontally and writing vertically. In live television,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/essentially-the-scripts-are-not-that-different-let-s-say-in-literary/) [Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/) > [Usually with film writing I start with characters, and set about writing their story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/usually-with-film-writing-i-start-with-characters-and-set-about/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Both sex and death are eternal themes. You could make thousands of movies on this theme, and whether you have a human being who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-almodovar/both-sex-and-death-are-eternal-themes-you-could-make-thousands-of/) [Pedro Almodovar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-almodovar/) > [Look, I'd take a suggestion from my grandmother if I thought it would improve a film I was writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ol-parker/look-i-d-take-a-suggestion-from-my-grandmother-if-i-thought-it-would/) [Ol Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ol-parker/) > [I spent a lot of time on Diane Arbus film, not only writing it, but running around talking through various production issues. All this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-jenkins/i-spent-a-lot-of-time-on-diane-arbus-film-not-only-writing-it-but/) [Tamara Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-jenkins/) > [I want to start a thing that encompasses music, film and writing as well. I dont think Ive established myself enough in film and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-want-to-start-a-thing-that-encompasses-music-film-and-writing-as/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [I think television is moving more into movies, particularly with serialization and almost cinematic proportions and expectations. A show like 'Game of Thrones' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-singer/i-think-television-is-moving-more-into-movies-particularly-with/) [Bryan Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-singer/) > [It's interesting going between small parts and then bigger roles where you carry the film. If the writing is good, and if the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-gleeson/it-s-interesting-going-between-small-parts-and-then-bigger-roles/) [Brendan Gleeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-gleeson/) > [My original goal was just to do stand-up but then I became interested in films - writing a film, shooting one someday, and getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/my-original-goal-was-just-to-do-stand-up-but-then-i-became-interested/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [The nuts and bolts of shooting a film and writing a film are still really difficult. But what makes it easier is the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-shooting-a-film-and-writing-a-film-are-still/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) > [I'm not a writer. I think I can write short stories and poetry, but film writing, brilliant film writing, is a talent - you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/i-m-not-a-writer-i-think-i-can-write-short-stories-and-poetry-but/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) ## More by William S. Burroughs > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“Well as, one judge said to the other, 'Be just and if you can't be just be arbitrary.' Regret cannot observe customary obscenities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/well-as-one-judge-said-to-the-other-be-just-and-if-you-can-t-be-just/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say 'I want to see the manager.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/after-one-look-at-this-planet-any-visitor-from-outer-space-would-say/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [For seven days she lay in bed looking sullenly at the ceiling as though resenting the death she had cultivated for so many years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-seven-days-she-lay-in-bed-looking-sullenly-at-the-ceiling-as/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [When you stop growing you start dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/when-you-stop-growing-you-start-dying/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Life is a cutup. And to pretend that you write or paint in a timeless vacuum is just simply . . . not .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/life-is-a-cutup-and-to-pretend-that-you-write-or-paint-in-a-timeless/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [When all lies, deceit, pretense is stripped away, what remains? The truth of a painting, or a book or a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/when-all-lies-deceit-pretense-is-stripped-away-what-remains-the-truth/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“There is no final enough of wisdom, experience - any fucking thing. No Holy Grail, No Final Satori, no solution. Just conflict. Only thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/there-is-no-final-enough-of-wisdom-experience-any-fucking-thing-no/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“For John Dillinger In hope he is still alive Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1986 In hope he is still alive Thanks for the wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-john-dillinger-in-hope-he-is-still-alive-thanksgiving-day/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his asshole to talk? His whole abdomen would move up and down, you dig,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/did-i-ever-tell-you-about-the-man-who-taught-his-asshole-to-talk-his/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [You need a good bedside manner with doctors or you will get nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/you-need-a-good-bedside-manner-with-doctors-or-you-will-get-nowhere/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [There couldn't be a society of people who didn't dream. They'd be dead in two weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/there-couldn-t-be-a-society-of-people-who-didn-t-dream-they-d-be-dead/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [I prefer cats to people, for the most part. Most people aren't cute at all, and if they are cute they very rapidly outgrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-prefer-cats-to-people-for-the-most-part-most-people-aren-t-cute-at/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [ \[Arab peoples\] are stuck back thousands of years and they think they're going to get out with a TV set. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/arab-peoples-are-stuck-back-thousands-of-years-and-they-think-they-re/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“It is not the intensity but the duration of pain that breaks the will to resist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/it-is-not-the-intensity-but-the-duration-of-pain-that-breaks-the-will/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Explore all 484 William S. Burroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) ## More Being faithful quotes > [Being faithful shouldn't be challenging, cheating should. Too bad its the other way around though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-faithful-shouldn-t-be-challenging-cheating-should-too-bad-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [..ReLAtionship is just like reading a bo0k... it d0esnt w0rk if y0ur n0t on the same paGe..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megz/relationship-is-just-like-reading-a-bo0k-it-d0esnt-w0rk-if-y0ur-n0t/) Megz > [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [You're trying too HARD to convince me that you're a TRUE friend & DEEP Down Inside you know you're not but you stick around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nisha-marie/you-re-trying-too-hard-to-convince-me-that-you-re-a-true-friend-deep/) [Ta'Nisha Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nisha-marie/) > [Some people expect the world outta relationships, but you cant change the person. They will not become perfect cause your dating…which is what makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meagansrevolution/some-people-expect-the-world-outta-relationships-but-you-cant-change/) MeagansRevolution > [Walk by faith, and not by sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/walk-by-faith-and-not-by-sight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you fall in love. you do what ever it is just to prove that we love our love one. but we forgot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wonderboy/when-you-fall-in-love-you-do-what-ever-it-is-just-to-prove-that-we/) [Wonderboy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wonderboy/) > [When she tells you no one else can be compared to you, that's when you know you're the luckiest guy in the world. -Nesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-she-tells-you-no-one-else-can-be-compared-to-you-that-s-when-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep the faith. It will all be worth it in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/your-hardest-times-often-lead-to-the-greatest-moments-of-your-life/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Cheaters want you to be faithful while they're being unfaithful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/cheaters-want-you-to-be-faithful-while-they-re-being-unfaithful/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [First and foremost, be faithful to your superiors, keep all promises, refuse the friendship of all who are not like you; and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/first-and-foremost-be-faithful-to-your-superiors-keep-all-promises/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A woman can give a man a million reasons to be faithful, and he will find one reason to cheat. A man can give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-woman-can-give-a-man-a-million-reasons-to-be-faithful-and-he-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To believe is to not only hold others to their word but also to prove ourselves reliable in the guarantees we have offered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-pokhrel/to-believe-is-to-not-only-hold-others-to-their-word-but-also-to-prove/) [Suman Pokhrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-pokhrel/) > [If you have 100 reasons for Leaving u have one reason to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/if-you-have-100-reasons-for-leaving-u-have-one-reason-to-stay/) Unkown > [I love women. I love their hearts. There are a lot of women who are suffering. A lot of women who have been disappointed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/i-love-women-i-love-their-hearts-there-are-a-lot-of-women-who-are/) [Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/) [Browse all 417 Being faithful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-faithful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Always remember, there's no point trying to be faithful to the book because film and writing are just two completely different things. Any film stands on its own, apart from whether it's based on a novel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William S. 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