--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The work I did in Vertigo meant nothing…" description: "\"The work I did in Vertigo meant nothing if no one cared about the movie. Luckily, Vertigo had a revival and people had begun to recognize there was som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/kim-novak-20293_film_the-work-i-did-in-vertigo-meant-nothing_2092401.png" --- # The work I did in Vertigo meant nothing if no one cared… ![“The work I did in Vertigo meant nothing if no one cared about the movie. Luckily, Vertigo had a revival and people had begun to recognize there was something special and it gained in reputation. But it just as well could have ended up rotting in film cans somewhere.” quote by Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/kim-novak-20293_film_the-work-i-did-in-vertigo-meant-nothing_2092401.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/kim-novak-20293_film_the-work-i-did-in-vertigo-meant-nothing_2092401.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/kim-novak-20293_film_the-work-i-did-in-vertigo-meant-nothing_2092401.png) > “The work I did in Vertigo meant nothing if no one cared about the movie. Luckily, Vertigo had a revival and people had begun to recognize there was something special and it gained in reputation. But it just as well could have ended up rotting in film cans somewhere.” [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A film’s legacy depends on audience recognition; without it, even great work can be forgotten. **In simple terms:** Recognition preserves art. Key Takeaway Promote and preserve creative works. Themes art legacy recognition film culture Mood reflective nostalgic Type historical analytical When to use this quote - film restoration - archival projects - educational screenings - media criticism Key Concepts Cultural memory revival critical reassessment Questions to Reflect On - What steps ensure a work’s lasting relevance? - How does audience perception shape artistic value? A Different Perspective Revival may not guarantee lasting impact without continued engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [No one cares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-one-cares/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation/) [Revival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revival/) ## Related quotes > [“All right," she snaps at the computer. "I get it. I'm slowing down! Gods!" "Activating Generic Ocular Display Sequence. G.O.D.S." The front of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/all-right-she-snaps-at-the-computer-i-get-it-i-m-slowing-down-gods/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [I tried so hard with movies like Vertigo and Middle of the Night and others. I felt those would show me that it's only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/i-tried-so-hard-with-movies-like-vertigo-and-middle-of-the-night-and/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [I suffer from vertigo. It's paralyzing in extreme situations. The most scared I've been as an adult was trying to conquer that fear by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kunzru/i-suffer-from-vertigo-it-s-paralyzing-in-extreme-situations-the-most/) [Hari Kunzru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kunzru/) > [“It was vertigo. A heady, insuperable longing to fall. We might also call vertigo the intoxication of the weak. Aware of his weakness, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/it-was-vertigo-a-heady-insuperable-longing-to-fall-we-might-also-call/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Having set its tonal template, Vertigo Crime laid low for a few months before starting in earnest at the beginning of 2010.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weinman/having-set-its-tonal-template-vertigo-crime-laid-low-for-a-few-months/) [Sarah Weinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weinman/) > [I have vertigo. Vertigo makes it feel like the floor is pitching up and down. Things seem to be spinning. It's like standing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/i-have-vertigo-vertigo-makes-it-feel-like-the-floor-is-pitching-up/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“Only one is a wanderer. And when she was sad, she'd go into the streets to be with people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-angel/only-one-is-a-wanderer-and-when-she-was-sad-she-d-go-into-the-streets/) Ralph Angel > [Polanski's 'Chinatown' is a film that I have purposefully and consciously imitated, but 'Vertigo' is one that has got into my bloodstream. Every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-coulter/polanski-s-chinatown-is-a-film-that-i-have-purposefully-and/) Allen Coulter > [“Vertiginously close? Can proximity cause vertigo? It can. When the North Pole comes so close as to touch the South Pole, the earth disappears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/vertiginously-close-can-proximity-cause-vertigo-it-can-when-the-north/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It gives me vertigo to watch TV dramas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-heller/it-gives-me-vertigo-to-watch-tv-dramas/) [Bruno Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-heller/) > [“had felt time settle over itself, imbricate and fix into place the vertigo of future aligning with the present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/had-felt-time-settle-over-itself-imbricate-and-fix-into-place-the/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [Around, around the sun we go: The moon goes round the earth. We do not die of death: We die of vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/around-around-the-sun-we-go-the-moon-goes-round-the-earth-we-do-not/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [I shall state silences more competently than ever a better man spangled the butterflies of vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-shall-state-silences-more-competently-than-ever-a-better-man/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo. What is vertigo? Fear of falling? No, Vertigo is something other than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/anyone-whose-goal-is-something-higher-must-expect-someday-to-suffer-2/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/anyone-whose-goal-is-something-higher-must-expect-someday-to-suffer/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## More by Kim Novak > [For every answer, I like to bring up a question. Maybe I'm related to Alfred Hitchcock or maybe I got to know him too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/for-every-answer-i-like-to-bring-up-a-question-maybe-i-m-related-to/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [I always felt Jimmy was trapped in Hollywood. He felt it himself. He loved aviation so much and he wanted to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/i-always-felt-jimmy-was-trapped-in-hollywood-he-felt-it-himself-he/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [I loved acting, which was never about money, the fame. It was about a search for meaning. It was painful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/i-loved-acting-which-was-never-about-money-the-fame-it-was-about-a/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [It means nothing if the movie doesn't get out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/it-means-nothing-if-the-movie-doesn-t-get-out-there/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [Well, I'm Czech, but Polish, Czech, no matter, it's my name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/well-i-m-czech-but-polish-czech-no-matter-it-s-my-name/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [We only did probably two, three takes on every scene we did, at the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/we-only-did-probably-two-three-takes-on-every-scene-we-did-at-the-most/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [I think it will be helpful to people because I know the expectations that are put on you as a sex symbol, and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/i-think-it-will-be-helpful-to-people-because-i-know-the-expectations/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [I had a lot of resentment for a while toward Kim Novak. But I don't mind her anymore. She's okay. We've become friends. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/i-had-a-lot-of-resentment-for-a-while-toward-kim-novak-but-i-don-t/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [Harry Cohn did not make me. But I also feel that I probably didn't make me, either. I think it was a combination. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/harry-cohn-did-not-make-me-but-i-also-feel-that-i-probably-didn-t/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [The thing I loved about Alfred Hitchcock is that he left a lot of open ends there, a lot of clues that didn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/the-thing-i-loved-about-alfred-hitchcock-is-that-he-left-a-lot-of/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [I already hated that gray suit and then having to go through putting on that wig with a false front - again made me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/i-already-hated-that-gray-suit-and-then-having-to-go-through-putting/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [The script was always the most important thing to me and I loved the script. For one thing, I've always admired trees. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/the-script-was-always-the-most-important-thing-to-me-and-i-loved-the/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [The first time I was in his office was when they called me in to tell me they had changed my name. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/the-first-time-i-was-in-his-office-was-when-they-called-me-in-to-tell/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [I live way out in the country, so there's not a lot of people around to remind me. And my friends don't think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/i-live-way-out-in-the-country-so-there-s-not-a-lot-of-people-around/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) > [And I went through a lot of detours and I took a lot of roads and things so yes, that's all there, but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-novak/and-i-went-through-a-lot-of-detours-and-i-took-a-lot-of-roads-and/) [Kim Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) [Explore all 31 Kim Novak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-novak/) ## More Film quotes > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. 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