The influence on sociologists of texts by others is widely accepted and a standard line of investigation. However if books can be an influence it is not unreasonable to assume that other cultural products might be significant too in the formation of a sociologist. This Note addresses the possibility by exploring some of the possible meanings of a passing comment once made by Zygmunt Bauman. In conversation with the present author Bauman once said that Ingmar Bergman’s film Winter Light is important to him. This short Note attempts to work out why, and it focuses on the theme of vocation. It is crucial to stress that this Note was inspired by Bauman’s comment but works entirely at the level of publicly available texts. It is not to be assumed that Bauman would personally agree with this explanation.