The Hitchcock Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 2005)

As much "art" film as Hollywood product, VERTIGO was generally savaged by critics upon its release; today it is widely regarded as Hitchcock's single finest film. The story is extremely well known: a retired police detective with an incapacitating fear of heights, Scottie, is engaged to shadow a beautiful woman, Madeline, whose husband suspects her of being suicidal. Scottie soon becomes obsessive about Madeline--but circumstances quickly spin out of control, and his love turns to tragedy and madness.
Unlike most Hitchcock films, VERTIGO unfolds slowly, drawing the viewer into the relationship between Scottie and Madeline at the same pace as the characters experience it. At the same time, Hitchcock presents the viewer with a number of visual motifs (such as the famous spirals found in the film) to reinforce the increasingly disturbed nature of the story. As the film progresses, VERTIGO develops a powerfully hypnotic quality rather like the dreamed nightmare of a slow-motion fall.
To a certain extent, the stars of VERTIGO are cast against type. This is particularly true of James Stewart, who is best known as the All-American Everyman, and his performance as the increasingly neurotic Scottie is all the more disturbing for our knowledge of his more typical performances. Although usually noted more for beauty than for acting ability, Kim Novack gives a remarkable and extremely believable turn in what is easily the finest performance of her career. The supporting cast--which includes particularly fine performances by Barbara Bel Geddes and Konstantin Shayne--is also excellent, and Bernard Hermann's excellent score adds tremendous dimension to the film.
Some viewers, particularly those enamoured of such rapid-fire Hitchcock romps as TO CATCH A THIEF and NORTH BY NORTHWEST, may find themselves impatient with the film's leisurely pace; some viewers will themselves unable to see beyond the twists in the script to grasp Hitchcock's statement on obsessive love. But for most viewers--myself included--this is "the" Hitchcock film, the great masterpiece by a director renowned for masterpieces. A personal favorite, and very highly recommended.
Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer