Olive oil on rubber plant leaves

Rating: 10/10 (8 December 2014)

"Vertigo" (1958, Alfred Hitchcock﻿), deserves its reputation as the greatest American film ever made. Despite its ridiculously far-fetched story, it mesmerizes even after dozens of screenings. As great as Hitchcock's form is here, Bernard Hermann﻿'s beautiful, symphonic score is also essential to the experience. It would be nice if some of the growing numbers of young head-down-and-texters would venture over to the revival theater showing this cinematic landmark in order to understand how much farther great culture can lift a soul than a QWERTY keyboard can.
"Vertigo" opens with an enigma: How does San Francisco Detective John "Scotty" Ferguson (Jimmy Stewart) survive hanging from a rain gutter from a great height? No hint is provided. The murder plot is similarly perplexing. For example, how could a murderer risk easy exposure if the intended witness manages to overcome acrophobia and climb the stairs of a steep tower? We toss away plausibility when experiencing Hitchcock's universe, but the payoff here is huge.
The famous reveal in 'Vertigo' is the subject of much scholarly discussion. (The film's twist is revealed about 25 minutes before it might have used as a surprise.) According to legend, every leading figure involved in the production disagreed with Hitchcock on the reveal, including Mrs. Hitchcock. Hitchcock had to fend them off. In his subsequent interview with François Truffaut﻿, he explains his preference for suspense, not surprise.
There are several very widely-read biographies of Alfred Hitchcock with co-workers all saying he was impossible to like on a personal level. In "Vertigo", the two leads have a strong argument. Despite how effortlessly the very gifted Jimmy Stewart﻿ plays Scotty, Hitchcock is said to have blamed Stewart's premature aging for "Vertigo's" box office failure. Hitchcock never worked with Stewart again, breaking up a legendary collaboration (of four superlative films). In addition, Hitchcock was unhappy with Kim Novak﻿, and is said to have publicly criticized her after 'Vertigo' was released. (Novak maintained a dignified silence.) I don't know what Hitchcock said about Novak, but it seems that Hitchcock has some thin department-store models showing off female clothing to Scotty and Madeleine. Also, when one of the sales women tells Scotty that Judy can wear a particular woman's suit after "alterations," perhaps the comment and the slender models are both knocks on Novak's weight.
Still, Hitchcock's characters show tremendous depth. Scotty's former love interest Midge (Barbara Bel Geddes) is uniquely endearing. The scene where Midge tearfully destroys her witty painting (a spoof on Scotty's obsession) is really heart-wrenching. So is Midge's final appearance, the somber walk down the hallway in the sanitarium. Hitchcock really connects with lonely hearts through Midge. It is ironic that an artist as universally disliked by the people who worked with him could produce such profound moments with common people as we see him portray Scotty's forgotten ex-girlfriend. People tend to forget this when teeing off on Alfred Hitchcock, the man.
If you have watched 'Vertigo' a few time notice how Hitchcock manipulates point of view. For example, when we first see Scotty after the opening predicament, he is in Midge's apartment. Seated but physically diminished, Scotty is balancing a cane when he says, "ouch." The background is particularly busy. There is visual chaos all around Stewart's outline. It looks as if the background objects just fell from a height, not Scotty. Scotty is being under-appreciated.
It is also interesting when another point of view (besides Scotty's) is being represented. For example, we see the floating petals from Madeleine's flower just before she jumps into San Francisco Bay. Another example is when Madeleine revisits the murder with her flashback. It lasts a few seconds but her side of the story is clearly identified. (That is, it appears filmed in a manner that conveys her as a reluctant pawn in a larger conspiracy.) Hitchcock is never just pointing a camera at a set where some action is taking place. He plans every visual detail before filming begins.
Cinephiles already know what a great film 'Vertigo' is. It is a perennial pleasure that never gets stale. However, please don't take any ill-advised leaps across rooftops getting to the revival theater showing it.