Jean Cocteau Quotes

After the writer’s death, reading his journal is like receiving a long letter.

Film will only become an art when its materials are as inexpensive as pencil and paper.

What is line? It is life. A line must live at each point along its course in such a way that the artist’s presence makes itself felt above that of the model... With the writer, line takes precedence over form and content. It runs through the words he assembles. It strikes a continuous note unperceived by ear or eye. It is, in a way, the soul’s style, and if the line ceases to have a life of its own, if it only describes an arabesque, the soul is missing and the writing dies.

Depuis le jour de ma naissance, ma mort s'est mise en marche. Elle marche à ma rencontre, sans se presser.

Mystery has its own mysteries, and there are gods above gods. We have ours, they have theirs. That is what’s known as infinity.

Wealth is an inborn attitude of mind, like poverty. The pauper who has made his pile may flaunt his spoils, but cannot wear them plausibly.

Poets don’t draw. They unravel their handwriting and then tie it up again, but differently.

The Louvre is like the morgue; one goes there to identify one’s friends.

I am a lie who always speaks the truth.

A prig always finds a last refuge in responsibility.

I have a piece of great and sad news to tell you: I am dead.