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Vertigo follows retiring detective Johnny "Scottie" Ferguson (James Stewart) as he copes with bouts of vertigo and acrophobia following a tragic accident at work. But when an old college friend asks him to tail his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak), Scottie is forced to come face to face with everything that haunts him if he wants to move forward.
There is much to be said about Scottie's "condition" and the ways that Hitchcock uses to heighten his feelings of "vertigo" and how much he is affected by it. Scottie is haunted from the beginning of the film. What follows is the many ways that he tries to get another chance, a chance to redeem himself and prove he can save someone.
Following Madeleine gives Scottie that chance, or at least that's what he thinks. The plot puts him in an intricate web of deception and lies in which he finds himself in both sides. The truth is that his "vertigo" is nothing more than a manifestation of the guilt and trauma he's suffering for not being able to save a fellow officer; something that he's clearly not been able to get past.
Known as the Master of Suspense, Hitchcock started to make a name for himself in the 1920s and 1930s with some neat, little thrillers. Regardless of their quality, most of them are quite superficial and light in their approach. But after coming to the US in 1940, he started to dive more into the psychology of his characters. Shadow of a Doubt or Strangers on a Train are examples of this.
Vertigo is probably the peak of this trend and it has been my favorite Hitchcock for a while. The film is a disturbing study in obsession and trauma, and the way that the director manages to sweep the rug from under our feet regarding our main character is quite something. Kudos also to Stewart, who rose up to the task of playing a mentally disturbed men in a way that he had never done before.
Allegedly Hitchcock wasn't happy with the Stewart's performance, but I think he was perfect. The way that we see his character slowly devolve in the last act is great, and the implications of his actions are disturbing, to say the least. Seen this film a dozen times, and I think it bothers me more now than it did back then.
Grade:
VERTIGO
(1958, HItchcock)
(1958, HItchcock)
"One doesn't often get a second chance. I want to stop being haunted. You're my second chance, Judy. You're my second chance."
Vertigo follows retiring detective Johnny "Scottie" Ferguson (James Stewart) as he copes with bouts of vertigo and acrophobia following a tragic accident at work. But when an old college friend asks him to tail his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak), Scottie is forced to come face to face with everything that haunts him if he wants to move forward.
There is much to be said about Scottie's "condition" and the ways that Hitchcock uses to heighten his feelings of "vertigo" and how much he is affected by it. Scottie is haunted from the beginning of the film. What follows is the many ways that he tries to get another chance, a chance to redeem himself and prove he can save someone.
Following Madeleine gives Scottie that chance, or at least that's what he thinks. The plot puts him in an intricate web of deception and lies in which he finds himself in both sides. The truth is that his "vertigo" is nothing more than a manifestation of the guilt and trauma he's suffering for not being able to save a fellow officer; something that he's clearly not been able to get past.
Known as the Master of Suspense, Hitchcock started to make a name for himself in the 1920s and 1930s with some neat, little thrillers. Regardless of their quality, most of them are quite superficial and light in their approach. But after coming to the US in 1940, he started to dive more into the psychology of his characters. Shadow of a Doubt or Strangers on a Train are examples of this.
Vertigo is probably the peak of this trend and it has been my favorite Hitchcock for a while. The film is a disturbing study in obsession and trauma, and the way that the director manages to sweep the rug from under our feet regarding our main character is quite something. Kudos also to Stewart, who rose up to the task of playing a mentally disturbed men in a way that he had never done before.
Allegedly Hitchcock wasn't happy with the Stewart's performance, but I think he was perfect. The way that we see his character slowly devolve in the last act is great, and the implications of his actions are disturbing, to say the least. Seen this film a dozen times, and I think it bothers me more now than it did back then.
Grade: