Character development makes Vertigo great.

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 1999)

People who express disappointment with Vertigo likely miss the point of the film. The name Hitchcock is synonymous with some of the greatest suspense stories ever to grace the silver screen. Yet as a conventional murder mystery, the suspense in Vertigo falls short as the mystery is revealed halfay through the film. To those who look for a Psycho-like whodunit, the last hour of Vertigo would inevitably seem anti-climactic. The revelation midway through the film, however, was exactly Hitch's intention - it prompts the audience to focus on the complexities of the characters, and in particular, Judy. A humble girl is given the role of a lifetime in Vertigo. Like a starlet who peaks too soon, Judy becomes haunted by her single, solitary role.
Hitchcock poses an important question for the audience of Vertigo 'Why can't we fall in love with the same woman?' For what is the inherent difference between Madeleine and Judy? Though both characters are played by the same woman, the division between Madeleine and Judy is one of social status. In Vertigo, as we frustratingly watch Judy refuse to become Madeleine, Hitchcock prompts us to confront our own fixations with superficiality and status.