by Elisa Giudici

From a revealing and free-flowing conversation at Cannes today, the impression I got of Christopher McQuarrie,the acclaimed writer-director and creative force behind many of Tom Cruise's biggest hits, was of a compelling and fascinating personality. What emerged was a portrait of a man unflinchingly candid, at times almost brutal in detailing his own perceived limitations and failures, who also spoke with deep loyalty about Cruise, the figure he credits as the enabler of his remarkable career.

Here are 8 key insights from his remarks: