Possibly The Greatest...

Rating: 10/10 (16 February 2007)

...thriller of all time, the cinematic masterminding of Alfred Hitchcock serves up one of the few films which could make a gem look like a pebble, it is wonderfully crafted. Rear Window was absorbing, and Psycho and North By Northwest speak for themselves, but this is a film which has you intrigued from the word go, yet you're never overly sure as to why. Whether it be through plot shifts or the perfectly sculpted characters, Hitchcock has created a film highlighting the very essences of what is required to a successful, and more importantly, damned good thriller.
Clocking in at just over two hours, Hitchock lavishly presents us the story of one man who having been an active police officer, places himself in self imposed exile, after an exposer to dangerous heights. Confined to the pavement, he is presently recruited by an old acquaintance who, aware of his former policing abilities, wishes him to track his wife who is suffering from what can only be described as mental psychosis. It is from this point out that Hitchcock shines as he spins webs with delicious cinematography and a compelling storyline which takes us through highs and lows, and ultimately through one of the most offbeat and often disturbing romances in cinematic history.
Nothing short of excellent, no critic or IMDb film reviewer can articulate the pedestal this film deserves to be placed upon. It is a masterpiece of the highest order, and only furthers Hitchocks' talents through the varying mediums of film, with his trademark macabre fantasy for harming blonde's. The film is sumptuously shot and acted to near perfection with Kim Novak enchanting and James Stewart with what could possibly be described as his most engaging and pristine performance. For anyone who claims to be even the slightest bit interested in film, Vertigo is essential, however due to its supreme status as a masterpiece, be warned, it's a long way down from here.