Quite disappointing

Rating: 5/10 (4 March 2013)

If you put aside the romance between Stewart and Novak, little credible because of how fast it develops, the plot is rather interesting despite the usual conveniences. The script holds up well until Judy's twist that annihilates the good work done so far with the flashback and the letter unsubtly brought up. Then, the last 30 minutes are a burden, the story struggling to get a second wind, until a ruined final outcome, far too abrupt.
It's a shame because the potential was there but the end result lacks consistency, homogeneity, and the movie doesn't seem fully accomplished, at least not enough to rank it as one of the director's best nor as an all-time great.
As always with Hitchcock, the direction and mise-en-scène are good. Special mention to the beautiful score by Bernard Herrmann that emphasizes perfectly the intriguing atmosphere of Vertigo.