Successful parties create their own monsters.
Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.
As soon as I got successful, the Scottish press started picking on me. It's something they reserve just for me.
'The English Patient' was a huge turning point in my career and my life; it became this huge thing. But the whole Oscar build-up got completely out of control; I spent more time talking about that film than I spent making it!
I feel like winning the title was a curse. It was something that I always wanted to achieve. I got it, but it didn't turn out the way I thought. The business side of it has not been very good.
I'm from Europe, and I was very aware that there are a lot of literature snobs - especially in Europe. As soon as something becomes a success, it has to be bad, and then they'll do everything they can to stab it to death.
I'm so tired of hearing about 'Renascence,' I'm nearly dead. I find it's as hard to live down an early triumph as an early indiscretion.
