Peter Finch

For some peculiar reason, two films about Oscar Wilde were started at the same time, back in 1959 or 1960. I played Wilde in one, and Robert Morley was in the other. As it turned out, at that particular moment there was no market for any Oscar Wilde movie at all.

I do not believe that with a fictional character you can force yourself too far away from yourself. There has to be some of you in it.

Most of the time, I'm pleased that people don't recognize me. But I don't hate it when they do.

If I was going to be broke I decided I might as well be with actors as anyone else. They were cheerful idiots and seemed to take it better.

Success is not two cars or a swimming pool. It's the approval of your peers.

I don't want to get on the treadmill of earning more money. I'd rather live cheaply and allow myself more freedom. I can honestly say I've never taken a film just for the dough, although I've made some ghastly mistakes.

If I'm going through life broke, I might as well live in the company of cheerful idiots like actors.

Good acting should teach people to understand rather than judge.

The parts of a film should be in proportion to the whole, and a long film pasted together out of quick little scenes makes me dizzy.

Hollywood must have been terrific once.

If you have 50 years in the business, you can probably count on only five good movies.

Success is a very tough mistress. For years, while you're struggling, she wants nothing to do with you. Then one day, you find yourself in the room with her, and even though the key is on the inside, you can't leave.