Scoundrels Quotes

Don`t remake a successful picture, because you`re liable to be the flop. Steve Martin and I made a much better picture of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) than Marlon Brando and David Niven did. What I wouldn`t do anymore is play any guest shots. I`ve given that up. I did it as some fun and it backfired in Get Carter (2000) so I`m not doing it again. Now I hear that they`re going to remake The Italian Job (1969) with me in the Noel Coward part. I`d consider it, yes.

I prefer to remake flops. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was a remake of a flop, and The Quiet American is a remake of a flop.

Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled.

Religion is all-too-often a refuge for scoundrels.

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

In revolutions authority remains with the greatest scoundrels.

Unfortunately, these kinds of storms not only bring out the best in people but also the worst in people. The people down there in New Orleans are going to be depressed, and they are going to be easy prey for a lot of these scoundrels.

Force always attracts men of low morality, and I believe it to be an invariable rule that tyrants of genius are succeeded by scoundrels.

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one`s time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.