Vertigo

Vertigo is a 1958 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

WHAT HAPPENS?

A detective becomes haunted by the death of a mysterious woman.

ONE LINE REVIEW

Vertigo is an intense and moody thriller highlighted by vibrant color and cinematography.

THE ACTORS

James Stewart plays retired police chief Scottie Ferguson, who is hired to track Kim Novak’s Madeleine’s Elster. Stewart’s performance is impressive – his goofy, folksy archetype departs into a haunted, aggressive and paranoid character obsessed with the loss of Elster. Stewart’s eyes convey a dazed, otherworldly fog that perfectly captures his torment.

Novak plays the dual roles of Madeleine and Judy Barton, who assumes the latter’s look. Novak’s mysterious air is brilliantly enhanced by Hitchcock, but her tense movements and sparse reactions are extraordinary. Her character essentially toys with Stewart’s Ferguson – especially in the way Judy succumbs to his demands to change her appearance. It’s a fascinating performance.

THE DIRECTOR

Hitchcock immediately casts the viewer into Ferguson’s panic and fear with dizzying overhead shots. Throughout the movie, Hitchcock frames Stewart’s character inside tight confines, further illustrating tension. His use of colors provides a similar effect – the restaurant scenes are a stifling, disorienting cascade of red. Novak’s characters are also cast in a variety of shifting hues – seemingly to represent her mysterious nature.

THE BEST – Technicolor Dreams

Hitchcock uses color in dazzling forms throughout the movie, particularly as Stewart’s character grows haunted from Madeleine’s death. The nightmare sequence is a classic derivative of images and fleeting colors, representing Ferguson’s descent into madness.

THE BEST Part 2 – Titles

While Hitchcock’s reputation is cemented as a master of suspense, Vertigo is a solid reminder of the director’s style. The Saul Bass opening credits are a nod to late 1950’s cool – while also serving to introduce the movie’s anxious tones.

THE BEST Part 3 – Your Own Anxieties

Stewart’s character’s phobia is so well established that your body clenches when he merely ascends a staircase – or even drives on the notoriously hilly San Francisco streets. The terror clearly rises when he follows Novak up the infamous bell tower. Similarly, Madeleine’s desire to kill herself gives the forest scene a high degree of panic. She slips among the giant Sequoias and you think she’s gone forever.

THE BEST Part 4 – Novak Owning Her Characters

Novak’s best scene comes as Judy first encounters a bewildered and mostly speechless Scottie. Novak essentially does all the talking, delivering an amazing ramble that shows her new character’s trepidation and wonder, mixed with a realization that she is (was) playing another woman who Scottie is obsessed with. It’s a brilliant scene and one of the highlights of the movie.

THE WORST – James Stewart is Kind of a Dick

We eventually learn Stewart’s Scottie is the victim of a con and clearly, the audience’s empathies lie with his character. However, the Scottie that later emerges is basically an aggressive, melancholy sociopath. He essentially bullies Judy into a relationship and completely transforms her image into that of Madeleine. While the approach is basically part of his attempt to sort out the crime, his ugly manner is representative of a patriarchal society.

THE WORST Part 2 – Midge is in the Friend Zone

Barbara Bel Geddes’ Midge is a fascinating supporting character. She’s Scottie’s friend and pseudo-mother figure – and clearly is in love with him. She becomes invested in his case and in a weird scene, paints herself as the object of Scottie’s pursuit. Her outsized reaction seems to direct your attention towards an entirely different plot – one where she becomes a major part of the story. However, after Midge is the only one to check on Scottie during his mental breakdown, she is quickly forgotten.

THE WORST Part 3 – Alcohol Dependence

It’s the 1950’s and according to Scottie, there’s nothing that a stiff drink can’t solve.

FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 4.5/5

Vertigo is an exceptional thriller, filled with terrific acting performances and style. The anxiety Hitchcock creates throughout the movie is legendary. A must watch.