Quotes

In England, as here, there are always two kinds of audiences: the Royal Shakespeare and the West End. In the last 10 years, audiences have been changed by television. One can tell: people don't concentrate and they expect lighter fare - and I do hate disappointing the audiences. One lady came up to me afterwards here, very complimentary, and then she said 'Well, this is terrible heavy.' And I thought 'Oh dear, you think this is heavy? Because it isn't, it's just serious.

There's no such thing as a legend. Nearly everyone has forgotten Laurence Olivier. What's that dreadful word - 'dynasty', as in the Redgraves and Foxes? Acting is not in the blood - otherwise what are Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and I doing here? I'm the least well known, for a very good reason. Judi's an incredible actress who wouldn't be so popular if she hadn't been in As Time Goes By (1992). Maggie has always done movies, and won Oscars. I plough away at the classics.

I think most British people who say they can do an American accent are so bad at it. I find it excruciating. I find it excruciating the other way around, too.

I'm rarely wrong.

When I worked on Wolf (1994), Jack Nicholson came onto the set preceded by five people looking after him. It was impossible to get to know him. We'd barely been introduced and were about to do a shot when I noticed his flies were undone. So, I told him. Jack couldn't have cared less, said thank you and zipped himself up. But for everyone else, you'd have thought I'd lifted the Pope's gowns and shown his knickers. Ridiculous!

I haven't done as much TV because I've loved the theatre, and it's sad to me that theatre gets shoved in the corner. I couldn't bear not to do theatre.

I think it's quite right that I'm retired at 90. And I've had a terribly good life, a wonderful life. I don't say I *want* to die, but I'll be quite happy to, I think. I've had a wonderful life. I really couldn't have had better.