Carlo Ponti ,Sr.was an Italian film producer with over 140 production credits, and the husband of Italian movie star Sophia Loren... (wikipedia)
People talk about making art films - experimental films. I can make an art film every day of the week. Nothing to it. What's difficult is to combine a commercial film with art.
There is no sense in making a film that no-one will go and see, just to create a perfect, but useless, work of art.