"I'm not so sure that younger people today really appreciate the enormous bravery that went into the creation and production of that film, or how important a film at the time it really was"

Rod Steiger suggests profound generational differences in understanding the historical significance and courage behind a particular film’s creation, the precise film isn’t named, but context points toward a groundbreaking, controversial, or socially impactful work. He emphasizes that the film’s production required “enormous bravery,” highlighting both the creative risk and possibly personal or professional dangers faced by those involved. In earlier decades, engaging with certain social themes, political issues, or challenging long-standing taboos was often met with severe backlash, censorship, or damage to reputations and careers. By referencing the bravery involved, Steiger implies that today’s filmmakers and audiences may lack full awareness of the hostility or societal constraints artists once had to confront just to bring such a film into existence.

Steiger’s statement also explores how the passage of time can dull the perception of risk and social upheaval that once surrounded pioneering art. For younger generations, the film’s impact may be softened by a changed cultural landscape: what was once controversial may now be part of mainstream discourse, or even seem tame by modern standards. This shift may inadvertently foster a sense of detachment from the original stakes involved in the artwork’s creation, making it easier to take for granted freedoms that, at the time, were hard-won and far from guaranteed.

Moreover, Steiger laments a potential loss in appreciation of the film’s historical context and its crucial role during its release period. The “importance” he refers to goes beyond mere entertainment; it encompasses the film’s influence on societal attitudes, conversations, and possibly even policy. The film may have marked a turning point, challenged unjust systems, or offered visibility to marginalized groups. Yet, Steiger suggests, the immediacy and necessity of such messages can be overlooked when modern viewers see the film as just another entry in the vast timeline of cinema, rather than as a work of courage that redefined what was possible in its era.