My silhouetted form, obese and bald,
Augmented by that celebrated slur,
Still resonates, and even now I’m called
The cinema’s preeminent auteur,
Epitomising what François Truffaut
Respected most; an individual voice,
Original and clear. I ran the show:
Found scripts to shoot, approved each casting choice,
Saw every aspect of the mise-en-scène
Upheld the mood I wanted. I was fond,
So very fond, of having guiltless men
Plus pretty women (preferably blonde)
Entangled in intrigues. I relished doubt,
Not payoffs. As I regularly said,
Sustaining this is what it's all about;
Explosions kill dramatic tension dead.