"Because it was so close to me, I had to really hold back."

Interviewer:   Do you find it distracting to think about the metaphors you're working with as you use them and to think about the possible resonances of the story?

Louis Malle:   You know, it comes to you because people who read your script might mention it. Usually it doesn't come to you up front, and I think it is dangerous if it does. [...] I'm not really trying to understand my metaphors.