Penelope Gilliatt Quotes

• People in a temper often say a lot of silly, terrible things they mean.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Silly, Anger, Mean

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• Movies have now reached the same stage as sex - it's all technique and no feeling.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Movie, Sex, Feelings

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• A satirist, often in danger himself, has the bravery of knowing that to withhold wit's conjecture is to endanger the species.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Knowing, Bravery, Satire

  Penelope Gilliatt (1990). “To wit: skin and bones of comedy”, Scribner

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• Prague is like a vertical Venice steps everywhere.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Venice, Prague, Steps

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• The masters of the comic spirit are often our prophets.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Humor, Spirit, Comedy

  Penelope Gilliatt (1990). “To wit: skin and bones of comedy”, Scribner

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• Rosalia is dressed in raven clothes forty years too old for her, so that she seems to be in mourning for her life.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Years, Ravens, Clothes

  Penelope Gilliatt (1980). “Three-Quarter Face: Reports & Reflections”, Coward McCann

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• Great comedy calls large matters into question.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Matter, Comedy, Great Comedy

  Penelope Gilliatt (1990). “To wit: skin and bones of comedy”, Scribner

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• jokes are ideally pleasurable. They are an act of assassination without a corpse, a moment of total annihilation that paradoxically makes anything possible.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Humor, Comedy, Moments

  Penelope Gilliatt (1990). “To wit: skin and bones of comedy”, Scribner

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• Why is it that beautiful women never seem to have curiosity? Is it because they know they're classical? With classical things the Lord finished the job. Ordinary ugly people know they're deficient and they go on looking for the pieces.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Beautiful, Jobs, People

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• Black and white are the most ravishing colors of all in film.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Movie, Black And White, Color

  Penelope Gilliatt (1980). “Three-Quarter Face: Reports & Reflections”, Coward McCann

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• [On Watermelon Man:] ... it is impossible to look at this film without its giving you a share in its insane bad taste, which is rather companionable of it.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Men, Giving, Insane

  Penelope Gilliatt (1990). “To wit: skin and bones of comedy”, Scribner

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• [On John Cleese:] He sometimes seems to swat at his own thoughts as if they were bees.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Bees, Sometimes, Seems

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• Funniness is the wild card in the pack.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Humor, Cards, Funniness

  Penelope Gilliatt (1990). “To wit: skin and bones of comedy”, Scribner

  5 Copy quote

• It [humor] inhabits the marginal.

  Penelope Gilliatt

  Humor

  4 Copy quote

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