One of the master's best.

Rating: 10/10 (4 December 2002)

Hitchcock has made some flashier films (The Birds, Psycho) and some more technically proficient films (Notorious, Rear Window), but in many ways, Vertigo is one of his absolute best.
*Possible spoilers*
Jimmy Stewart turns in a performance that at first glance looks like one of his standard Everyman Hero roles of the day. However, Scotty Ferguson is anything but that - he's a man who becomes consumed by love, lust and obsession. He finds himself drawn to Madeleine (Kim Novak), only to lose her just as he's falling in love with her. The only thing to draw him out of his depression is Judy (Novak again), a lookalike for Madeleine. Scotty proceeds to make her over into his dead love in a creepy descent into madness where reality and fantasy no longer have any distinction for him.
'Vertigo' is a film that holds up quite well after 44 years. Yes, the pacing is a little slow, especially in the first half of the film. But that's a deliberate choice. Hitchcock was clearly capable of ramping up the action in other films; 'Vertigo' doesn't need that. Scotty's mental state is best shown as a slow spiral, and it is even more disturbing on repeated viewings.
This film has been described by other comments as 'dreamlike'. I'd agree with that. Bernard Herrmann's excellently haunting score; a script that is light on dialogue and heavy on imagery; and Stewart's rock-solid performance give 'Vertigo' a depth to the suspense. It's a nightmare and a fantasy at the same time.
'Vertigo' is a classic of American cinema. Even after four decades, it still has something to say about the nature of love and obsession. And it's brought to you by the master of suspense. Nearly flawless. 10/10.