--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Movie acting, I later realized, reminds…" description: "\"Movie acting, I later realized, reminds me of contract bridge. Each requires the same concentration, intense short-term memory, and obliviousness to ev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/gore-vidal-466_acting_movie-acting-i-later-realized-reminds-me_2509024.jpg" --- # Movie acting, I later realized, reminds me of contract… ![“Movie acting, I later realized, reminds me of contract bridge. Each requires the same concentration, intense short-term memory, and obliviousness to everything else until the last trump is called - or whatever it is they do.” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/gore-vidal-466_acting_movie-acting-i-later-realized-reminds-me_2509024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/gore-vidal-466_acting_movie-acting-i-later-realized-reminds-me_2509024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bad/gore-vidal-466_acting_movie-acting-i-later-realized-reminds-me_2509024.jpg) > “Movie acting, I later realized, reminds me of contract bridge. Each requires the same concentration, intense short-term memory, and obliviousness to everything else until the last trump is called - or whatever it is they do.” [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting and bridge both demand focus, memory, and ignoring distractions until the climax. **In simple terms:** Both need intense focus. Key Takeaway Cultivate concentration for peak performance. Themes performance strategy focus Mood analytical creative Type artistic strategic When to use this quote - theater rehearsals - card game tournaments - high‑stakes negotiations Key Concepts cognitive load risk management creative expression Questions to Reflect On - How does focus shape your work? - What distractions hinder your performance? A Different Perspective Bridge may involve more analytical planning than emotional immersion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Concentration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Short term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-term/) [Short term memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-term-memory/) ## Related quotes > [Craft comes into acting later rather than sooner. I was somebody who had to learn through a process - a natural actor doesn't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-penn/craft-comes-into-acting-later-rather-than-sooner-i-was-somebody-who/) [Sean Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-penn/) > [ I think it's almost better to start \[acting\] at a later age because you have more stuff to drawm from - more life experience.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-duhamel/i-think-it-s-almost-better-to-start-acting-at-a-later-age-because-you/) [Josh Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-duhamel/) > [... programming requires more concentration than other activities. 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One reason is that poetry requires concentration, both on the part of the writer and the reader.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-armitage/it-s-never-going-to-be-very-mainstream-one-reason-is-that-poetry/) [Simon Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-armitage/) > [In order to give meaning to the world, one has to feel oneself involved in what he frames. This attitude requires concentration, a discipline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cartier-bresson/in-order-to-give-meaning-to-the-world-one-has-to-feel-oneself/) [Henri Cartier-Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cartier-bresson/) > [Fifteen years ago tomorrow I had open heart surgery, a quintuple bypass surgery. Thanks to all of my doctors. 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Some kid who has short-term memory loss and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-brody/i-don-t-know-anyone-who-s-going-to-see-grind-22-times-in-the-theater/) [Adam Brody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-brody/) > [Whether youre a quarterback and you just threw a pick, or youre a corner and you just got beat for a touchdown, youve got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mariucci/whether-youre-a-quarterback-and-you-just-threw-a-pick-or-youre-a/) [Steve Mariucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mariucci/) > [The average person's short-term memory can hold only five to seven bits of data at any one moment. If you put more items in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/the-average-person-s-short-term-memory-can-hold-only-five-to-seven/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [I’m fortunate to have found out early, in 1990, just two years after I retired, that I have neurological damage. I try to manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-carson/i-m-fortunate-to-have-found-out-early-in-1990-just-two-years-after-i/) Harry Carson > [To improve short-term memory significantly, reduce the stress in your life. And choose your parents wisely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/to-improve-short-term-memory-significantly-reduce-the-stress-in-your/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) ## More by Gore Vidal > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/style-is-knowing-who-you-are-what-you-want-to-say-and-not-giving-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The oligarchs think that the people are both dangerous and stupid. Their point is moot. But we do know that the oligarchs are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-oligarchs-think-that-the-people-are-both-dangerous-and-stupid/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is curious how often one prefers his enemies to his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-often-one-prefers-his-enemies-to-his-friends/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Rome ... at its most decadent, had never thought of hiring an actor to go through the motions of being an emperor while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/rome-at-its-most-decadent-had-never-thought-of-hiring-an-actor-to-go/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Sex is a continuum. You go through different phases along life's way... and if you don't, you've been sort of cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/sex-is-a-continuum-you-go-through-different-phases-along-life-s-way/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/all-i-want-is-that-americans-still-be-able-to-read-the-alphabet-in-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I do not admire 'the people,' as such. No one really does. Their folk wisdom is usually false, their instincts predatory. Even their sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-do-not-admire-the-people-as-such-no-one-really-does-their-folk/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/one-of-the-problems-of-a-society-as-tightly-controlled-as-ours-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) [Explore all 539 Gore Vidal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. 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Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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