Daniel replies:

Here is a story.  I got a phone call from a young friend.  """"Hello.  I am suddenly the third from the top man at a major motion picture studio.  I am in charge of acquiring new scripts.  Would you like to write a movie?""""  """"Sure.""""  """"Good.  What movie would you like to write?""""  """"You want to know right this minute?""""  """"Yes.  I have to go into a meeting.  What movie?""""  """"I am a genius, but I can't come up with a whole idea for a movie in a minute.""""  """"No, not what movie that you might make up.  What movie that you have seen.  We don't make movies, we re-make movies.  What movie have you seen that you would like to write a new script for?""""  """"Oh!  In that case, I have one.  The Horse's Mouth, based on the Joyce Carey novel and made in 1958 starring Alec Guiness.""""  """"Got it.  I'll call you tomorrow and tell you how it went in the meeting.""""  The next day:  """"Sorry, we can't remake that movie.  It didn't make enough money the first time.""""  """"I see.  Do I get to pick another one?""""  """"No.  Now you have a reputation for not being commercial.""""



I think I still have that reputation.