American historian and critic Terry Teachout is renowned for his perceptive observations on the arts. One of his well-known quotations addresses the function of music in motion pictures. He makes the point that although a great film score gives a film a lot of depth and emotional resonance, it cannot make a badly made film into a masterpiece on its own.

Consider a painter who produces a complex landscape but leaves out all the colors. The absence of vivid colors can make a painting seem unfinished or lifeless, regardless of how well-executed the artist is. In a similar vein, Teachout contends that although music plays a crucial role in movies to heighten feelings and story progression, it cannot make up for subpar directing or storytelling.

Teachout's viewpoint emphasizes how various aspects of a movie are interdependent. Careful musical accompaniment is just as important for holding an audience's attention as a strong narrative or striking images. Even so, he says, a poor score might not be sufficient to totally detract from a movie's overall effect.

Many people in the film industry and moviegoers who understand how different creative elements must coexist peacefully to produce a genuinely unforgettable cinematic experience find resonance in his words.