"These things don't just come, arrive and settle like a bird picking up a few bits of crumbs. They develop. I think the best word for these things is develop. They develop because of the human beings who just happen to be there at the time"
About this Quote
Macnee’s line is an actor’s quiet rebuttal to the myth of effortless magic. He rejects the popular story we tell about culture and success: that the good stuff just drops in, alights, and tidies itself into place like a “bird picking up a few bits of crumbs.” That image is deliberately small and dismissive. Crumbs are accidental; birds are instinctive; nothing in that picture involves risk, patience, or choice. By invoking it only to swat it away, he’s puncturing the romantic idea that a great show, a great partnership, or a great moment “arrives” fully formed.
“Develop” is his corrective, and the repetition matters. He isn’t searching for a poetic synonym; he’s insisting on a process word, the kind you use for film, photographs, and characters. Development takes time, exposure, and a darkroom: conditions that don’t look glamorous while they’re happening. Coming from an actor known for a long career built on ensemble chemistry, the subtext is practical and slightly democratic. The real engine of memorable work is not destiny or genius but the accumulation of choices made by “human beings who just happen to be there at the time.”
That last clause is the twist. It undercuts auteur mythology while still honoring contingency. Yes, craft matters; no, you can’t fully script who will be in the room when lightning has a chance to strike. Macnee’s intent feels less like philosophy than professional wisdom: show up, stay present, build the thing with whoever is there, and don’t mistake the finished product for a miracle.
“Develop” is his corrective, and the repetition matters. He isn’t searching for a poetic synonym; he’s insisting on a process word, the kind you use for film, photographs, and characters. Development takes time, exposure, and a darkroom: conditions that don’t look glamorous while they’re happening. Coming from an actor known for a long career built on ensemble chemistry, the subtext is practical and slightly democratic. The real engine of memorable work is not destiny or genius but the accumulation of choices made by “human beings who just happen to be there at the time.”
That last clause is the twist. It undercuts auteur mythology while still honoring contingency. Yes, craft matters; no, you can’t fully script who will be in the room when lightning has a chance to strike. Macnee’s intent feels less like philosophy than professional wisdom: show up, stay present, build the thing with whoever is there, and don’t mistake the finished product for a miracle.
Quote Details
| Topic | Friendship |
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