"Ford didn't know what to do with Mister Roberts that wasn't repeating what was successful in New York. He was trying to do things to the play that would be his in the film"

In this quote, Henry Fonda is talking about the challenges dealt with by director John Ford in adjusting the play "Mister Roberts" for the cinema. Fonda, who starred in both the play and the film, recommends that Ford had a hard time to find an unique approach to the product that would set it apart from its effective run in New York. Instead of merely duplicating the play's success, Ford attempted to make the film his own by including his own personal touches and analyses to the story. This quote highlights the delicate balance between remaining real to the source product and bringing one's own imaginative vision to a job.