A dark and enigmatic work from Hitch

Rating: 9/10 (15 March 2010)

Vertigo is Alfred Hitchcock's most personal film. On the surface it's a mystery-thriller but ultimately it explores the nature of obsession; in particular one man's dangerous and uncontrollable infatuation with an enigmatic blonde woman. This being a trait that the director himself was known for, as the many peroxide leading ladies that populate his films attest.
Vertigo is a somewhat enigmatic film. It doesn't offer up all its nuances on a single viewing. At face value it's a mystery, but if only taken as such it can seem potentially a little underwhelming. The plot could be seen as a little too artificial to be altogether satisfying. It's only when you begin to realize that the underlying obsession epitomized by James Stewart's character Scottie is really just as important a theme that the film's true nature in unveiled. His attitude towards Judy/Madeleine has a sinister edge. Vertigo ultimately is about a man who wants to have sex with a dead woman who in turn is possessed by another dead woman. This dark undertone only becomes apparent after the mystery of Madeleine's death has been revealed in flash-back and Hitchcock focuses in on the unhealthy obsession that underpins Scottie's persona. I think it's this skillful combination of ideas that makes Vertigo one of Hitchcock's signature films; the way he subverts the thriller narrative to explore more personal and dark themes is what makes it such an important movie in the director's canon.
As with other Hitchcock films, Vertigo is beautifully presented, with lovely cinematography and a gorgeous use of colour; the rich reds and greens in particular fill the screen with Technicolor brilliance. This visual splendour is accompanied by a beautiful score from Bernard Herrmann that serves the dreamlike tone very well. All of this combines together to help create the haunting tone that the movie has, especially in the early stages where the film more or less works as a ghost story. In particular, Scottie's pursuit of the mysterious Madeleine in the early part of the film is wonderful. It's played out for the most part with no dialogue, images instead lead us on.
The general consensus is that the age of the personal film-maker dawned in the 60's with the advent of the New Hollywood directors. However, Vertigo is proof that in the 50's one of the older cinematic masters was ahead of the game.