Top 100 Movies Hitchcock’s Vertigo – I don’t think we have hit any Hitchcock yet in our list of the Top 100, so I am pretty stoked about this week’s entry in our effort to work through all 100 movies on the Hollywood Reporter’s list.
Why would I be excited about finally hitting an Alfred Hitchcock movie? Well, duh… but, it goes without saying that his movies are always masterful exploration of psychological downward spirals. Similarly, “Vertigo” is a masterful exploration of obsession and manipulation. The film tells the story of a retired detective, played by James Stewart, who becomes fixated on a woman, played by Kim Novak, whom he is hired to follow. As the story unfolds, the audience gets wrapped around the axle of this detective, and we are dragged along the numerous twists and turns, which keeps us guessing til the very end. If Hitchcock isn’t the granddaddy of all the THiNC. films we know and love here, I don’t know who is.
To top off the psychological chaos, we also are handed an amazing bit of “technicolor Cinematography.” And the score from Bernard Herrmann also adds an eerie and unsettling atmosphere to the film. I mean, come on, Vertigo is a true cinematic classic and is considered one of Hitchcock’s greatest works. It is a must-see for any fans of psychological thrillers. I remember working my way through all of Hitchcock’s oeuvre with my wife after we were first married. Remember, Blockbuster and all that? Yeah, we just worked our way down the aisle. Was a pretty great snow day if I remember correctly.
Top 100 Movies Hitchcock’s Vertigo
Hitchcock’s Vertigo was released in 1958 and it is a taut psychological thriller even by today’s standards. Sure, the editing is different, but the camera choices, the framing, the sets, are all brilliant examples of Hitchcock’s genius. The film introduces us to Scottie Ferguson, a retired police detective suffering from acrophobia (fear of heights) who becomes obsessed with a woman named Madeleine Elster, played by Kim Novak. The film is divided into three parts:
- Part 1: The Opening Scenes – The movie starts with Scottie being forced to retire from the police force due to his fear of heights. He is then asked by an old college friend, Gavin Elster, to follow his wife, Madeleine, who he believes is in danger. Scottie agrees and starts following Madeleine around the city, becoming increasingly obsessed with her.
- Part 2: Madeleine’s Suicide – Scottie becomes increasingly entranced by Madeleine and the two start a relationship. However, Madeleine’s strange behavior and obsession with a portrait of a woman who lived in the past begin to worry Scottie. One day, Madeleine visits the mission of San Juan Bautista, where the portrait is located, and jumps to her death from the bell tower. Scottie is devastated and plagued with guilt for not being able to save her.
- Part 3: The Twist Revealed After Madeleine’s death – Scottie is consumed by grief and decides to investigate her past. He meets a woman named Judy Barton, who is the spitting image of Madeleine and begins to realize that she was an imposter, hired by Gavin to impersonate his wife. Gavin had orchestrated the entire situation, including Madeleine’s “suicide,” in order to kill his wife, who was suffering from a terminal illness. In the end, Scottie and Judy try to escape from Gavin, but Scottie’s acrophobia prevents him from saving her and she falls to her death.
- The End – Scottie is left alone with his obsession and guilt, and the movie ends with him staring at the portrait of the woman from the past, symbolizing his inability to let go of his past.
I mean, come on – these twists rival anything being put forward by Peele, Shyamalan, etc., etc. “Vertigo” is a complex and thought-provoking film that deals with themes of obsession, identity, and manipulation. We watch as Scottie’s fears are toyed with and used for other’s gain. We see him racked with guilt after his inability to save “Madeleine.” The performances by James Stewart and Kim Novak are outstanding and the film’s iconic use of the dolly zoom technique adds to the eerie and unsettling atmosphere. It is considered one of Hitchcock’s greatest works and a true classic of cinema.
I had a blast re-watching this one… and really can’t wait to see if there are more Hitchcock films on this list. (Generally, I avoid looking ahead at the list… I’m weird that way.) And I think that this list is going to be hard pressed to best this movie as it is my favorite in the list. But we will see. If you are interested in checking out the entire list so far that I have already done through the Top 100 movies of all time, you can find it right here.
Edited by: CY