I grew up believing that people make things move, like the word “movie”. The world, like a moving picture, was moving forward. I wanted to advance, too, as rapidly as my quick mind and fast legs would carry me. I also grew up believing in truth—not just the word itself, but the deeper conviction that getting to the truth was a noble cause. My nature has always been to tell people the truth, even if they feel insulted. I care too much about people to bullshit them. If they’re offended by the truth, why waste my time on them? When a young director comes to me for advice on a script, I don’t pull any punches, especially if the thing’s overwritten.

—Samuel Fuller