Stuff dreams are made on... and nightmares

Rating: 10/10 (9 March 2016)

"Vertigo" is generally considered as the finest movie of one of the greatest directors, ahead of other masterpieces such as "Rear Window", "North by Northwest", "Notorious", "Rebecca", etc. In the Sight & Sound poll 2012 (a reference worldwide survey issued every ten years), it is rated best film ever in front of "Citizen Kane". It has progressed consistently in the poll: not listed (1962), #12 (1972), #7 (1982), #4 (1992), #2 (2002). In itself this survey does not constitute an absolute value, however it provides a notion of the high esteem of many directors and professionals.
The movie is based on a novel, "D'Entre les Morts" (The Living and the Dead) by Boileau & Narcejac written a few years earlier (1954). However the book just provides a simple frame: the film gives it an altogether superior dimension. Its technical qualities have frequently been analysed: I will summarise some. What is more interesting is the fascination it exerts on many viewers, probably linked to its dreamlike essence (more below).
*** WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS ***
First, the objective qualities. They override the seeming flaws, which turn off some viewers and might explain the fact the movie was a critical and commercial failure when it came out: the plot is hardly credible, Gavin's ploy is far-fetched, there are long silent sequences, Kim Novak is not entirely convincing as Hitchcock himself noted (although he was maybe trying to partly blame her for the failure). However all this is secondary compared to outstanding direction, image, music and themes. Hitchcock did not aim for a simple thriller since he gives away the ploy much before the end: his ambition was far greater.
The movie plays on the concepts of repetition and duality, illustrating the mystery of Madeleine/Carlotta, the double life of Madeleine/Judy and the dual structure (the fist part until Madeleine's death lasts 1h15, the second part 55'). We go to the same places before and after Madeleine dies: Ernie's restaurant, the flower shop, Dolores mission cemetery (the second time in Scottie's dream), the Palace of the Legion of Honor, Scottie's place, San Juan Bautista mission and its tower (with the same shots on the trees along the road, the second time darker).
Madeleine is sometimes reflected in mirrors and windows, notably the first time she appears at Ernie's. There are two paintings of Carlotta: the real one and the fake one Midge paints (a "double duality" since Midge represents herself as Carlotta). There are two hotels (McKittrick and Empire). Scottie falls in his dream as the policeman did in the first scene. "Don't be so motherly", Scottie tells Midge; later on when he is in the hospital she says "Mother is here". Note we do not see Midge afterwards, as though she were discarded by Scottie's obsessive search for Madeleine.
Visually, this repetition is illustrated by the image of the circle: the eyes and shapes of the opening credits, the cross-section of the tree at Redwoods State Park, Madeleine's and Carlotta's hairdo, the flowers. A notable exception: the staircase of the mission's tower is square. This is not because Hitchcock composed with what was available (since the mission has no such tower): the tower is where events tragically come to an end; the square breaks the iteration of the circle.
All this already composes a major picture; moreover, its fine blend of reality and hallucination generate a unique magnetism. "Life is a dream" (CalderÃ³n): no movie expresses this better than "Vertigo".
1. There are obvious references: Madeleine tells about her nightmare and we see Scottie's.
2. Many scenes feel dreamlike or, sometimes, nightmarish. Notably the two scenes in the tower and the trial (surprisingly situated on the spot of the accident), where the judge lambasts Scottie, completely overstepping his role: a typical nightmare situation where one is criticised without being able to answer. Ernie's is an unreal place with its red walls and its still atmosphere. When Scottie kisses Judy, the room turns around and we see the mission as in a daydream.
3. Many scenes occur in San Francisco region landmarks (the above-mentioned, Golden Gate bridge, Cypress Point, Palace of fine Arts), yet we see few people: it is as if Scottie dreamt these events in remarkable places and only focused on Madeleine and himself. Also, when Scottie follows Madeleine, many parts are silent as dreams frequently are.
4. There are strange lightings as if reality were altered: when we first see Madeleine, the light become unusually bright; it gets surprisingly dark in the bookstore; the cemetery scene is hazy; when Judy "reincarnates" as Madeleine, she is surrounded by a green halo, looking like a ghost. Colours are voluntarily saturated. Another alteration of reality happens when Scottie thinks he sees Madeleine at Ernie's after she died: it actually is Kim Novak but she is replaced by another actress as she comes closer.
5. Herrmann's haunting music is almost hypnotic.
Hence it feels as though we were in Scottie's brain. We follow him throughout the movie with a few exceptions. We frequently see what he sees: he watches Madeleine, he follows her, he dreams, he feels "vertigo" (with a special camera effect). The film could be interpreted as Scottie's dream or subjective view partly deformed by emotion.
"Vertigo" also is a metaphor about love. In the first part, Scottie falls in love with Madeleine while she is playing a role. Do we love persons for what they are or for what we think they are? In the second part, he transforms Judy to have her look like Madeleine. Do we love persons only if they meet our desires? Judy complies because Scottie's happiness is more important than hers. Should we do anything to satisfy the person we love? Yet both forms of love (illusion and possession) lead to destruction. These metaphors are collateral but they add to the substance of this incomparable movie.