Francis Ford Coppola Quotes

A collection of quotes by Francis Ford Coppola.

Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter born on April 7, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan. He is widely recognized as one of the most talented and influential filmmakers of his generation. Coppola's interest in storytelling and cinema developed during his college years at Hofstra University and UCLA Film School.

In the early 1970s, Coppola achieved critical acclaim and widespread recognition for directing the first two installments of "The Godfather" trilogy, based on the best-selling novel by Mario Puzo. These films, released in 1972 and 1974, are considered classic examples of American cinema.

Coppola continued his success with the Vietnam War epic "Apocalypse Now" (1979), which he directed and co-wrote. This film, garnered with awards and nominations, showcased Coppola's visionary filmmaking style and meticulous attention to detail.

Despite financial setbacks and occasional failures, Coppola has consistently pushed boundaries in his work, experimenting with different genres, storytelling techniques, and technologies. Notable films from his extensive filmography include "The Conversation" (1974), "Rumble Fish" (1983), and "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1992).

Throughout his career, Coppola has received numerous accolades, including five Academy Awards, making him one of the most celebrated filmmakers in Hollywood history. His contributions to the industry have not only established him as a master of his craft but also inspired generations of filmmakers.

When newspapers started to publish the box office scores of

When newspapers started to publish the box office scores of movies, I was horrified. Those results are totally fake because they never include the promotion budget.

Francis Ford Coppola

They needed someone to write a script of The Great Gatsby ve

They needed someone to write a script of The Great Gatsby very quickly for the movie they were making. I took this job so I'd be sure to have some dough to support my family.

Francis Ford Coppola

I don't think there's any artist of any value who doesn't do

I don't think there's any artist of any value who doesn't doubt what they're doing.

Francis Ford Coppola

I think cinema, movies, and magic have always been closely a

I think cinema, movies, and magic have always been closely associated. The very earliest people who made film were magicians.

Francis Ford Coppola

I had a number of very strong personalities in my family. My

I had a number of very strong personalities in my family. My father was a concert flutist, the solo flute for Toscanini.

Francis Ford Coppola

It's ironic that at age 32, at probably the greatest moment

It's ironic that at age 32, at probably the greatest moment of my career, with The Godfather having such an enormous success, I wasn't even aware of it, because I was somewhere else under the deadline again.

Francis Ford Coppola

We had access to too much money, too much equipment, and lit

We had access to too much money, too much equipment, and little by little, we went insane.

Francis Ford Coppola

I bring to my life a certain amount of mess.

I bring to my life a certain amount of mess.

Francis Ford Coppola

Steven Spielberg is unique. I feel that the kinds of movies

Steven Spielberg is unique. I feel that the kinds of movies he loves are the same kinds of movies that the big mass audience loves. He's very fortunate because he can do the things he naturally likes the best, and he's been very successful.

Francis Ford Coppola

I've been offered lots of movies. There's always some actor

I've been offered lots of movies. There's always some actor who's doing a project and would like to have me do it. But you look at the project and think, 'Gee, there are a lot of good directors who could do that.' I'd like to do something only I can do.

Francis Ford Coppola

Most Italians who came to this country are very patriotic. T

Most Italians who came to this country are very patriotic. There was this exciting possibility that if you worked real hard, and you loved something, you could become successful.

Francis Ford Coppola

It takes no imagination to live within your means.

It takes no imagination to live within your means.

Francis Ford Coppola

We were raised in an Italian-American household, although we

We were raised in an Italian-American household, although we didn't speak Italian in the house. We were very proud of being Italian, and had Italian music, ate Italian food.

Francis Ford Coppola

Once you are labeled 'the best' you want to stay up there, a

Once you are labeled 'the best' you want to stay up there, and you can't do it by loafing around.

When I was going for my graduate degree, I decided I was goi

When I was going for my graduate degree, I decided I was going to make a feature film as my thesis. That's what I was famous for-that I had my thesis film be a feature film, which was 'You're a Big Boy Now.'

Francis Ford Coppola

As long as I can make lots of money in other businesses, I'l

As long as I can make lots of money in other businesses, I'll continue to subsidize my own work.

Francis Ford Coppola

Listen, if there's one sure-fire rule that I have learned in

Listen, if there's one sure-fire rule that I have learned in this business, it's that I don't know anything about human nature.

Francis Ford Coppola

I wanted to write and direct movies and not be forced to ada

I wanted to write and direct movies and not be forced to adapt them from a bestselling book.

Francis Ford Coppola

I had a heartbreaking experience when I was 9. I always want

I had a heartbreaking experience when I was 9. I always wanted to be a guard. The most wonderful girl in the world was a guard. When I got polio and then went back to school, they made me a guard. A teacher took away my guard button.

Francis Ford Coppola

I landed a job with Roger Corman. The job was to write the E

I landed a job with Roger Corman. The job was to write the English dialogue for a Russian science fiction picture. I didn't speak any Russian. He didn't care whether I could understand what they were saying he wanted me to make up dialogue.

Francis Ford Coppola