A film that reaches the heights that others can only dream of.

Rating: 10/10 (9 February 2011)

Since viewing Hitchcocks sadly over looked excellent film Young and Inercent eight years ago,he has always been a director that I have had a huge desire to view his full catalogue of films.Sadly,I have always felt very nervous about seeing his legendary films in case of being disappointed,due to my big expectation of his films.
In the second half of 2010 I found out that a big number of his films had been brought out re-masted,so month by month I picked up one of the films for my dad to enjoy.With hearing about people making New Year revolutions,I decided that I would make a Film Year revolution and at last make sure that I got round to seeing what I have been missing for years...
The plot:
Whilst chasing after a criminal on a rooftop,police officer John "Scottie" Fergusion suddenly suffers a case of acrophobia (Vertigo),when a fellow officer tries to help him out,the officer reaches out to far to Scottie and ends up falling to his death.Because of his discovery that he suffers from Vertigo,and with the stress of knowing that a cop died trying to help him,Fergusion reties from being a police officer.
As John tries (and falsies) to beat his fear,a friend introduces him to a man called Gavin Elster.Elster tells Scottie that whist he knows that he has stooped being a cop,Gavin still wants to hire Fergusion as a private detective.Although he is at first,hesitant to accept the offer,Fergusion eventually agrees to work for Elster,after being offered a huge amount of cash,and also being told that "You are the best man for the job".Gavin tells Scottie that the only thing that he wants him to do,is to follow his wife,this is because Elster has been getting worried that something very odd might be happening to his wife's sanity.
Secretly following Gavins wife (Madeleine Elster),Scottie notices that her hair cut looks identical to a portrait that she keeps going to view.Although John does everything he can to keep Madeleine from noticing him,he decides to break cover when he sees Madeleine trying to kill herself,by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.
When he gets her out of the water,Scottie thankfully finds out that,although she is knocked out Madeleine is luckily still breathing.Instead of taking her to a hospital,Fergusion instead takes her back to his place to recover.
As she starts to get better,John decides to start asking Madeleine why she tried to commit suicide.Madeleine tells Scottie that the reason she tried to kill herself,is because she feels that she is going insane,because she believes that she is the reincarnation of Carlotta Valdes (the girl that Scottie has seen her obsessively look at the portrait of),who killed herself at the same age that Madeleine is at.
Over time,Fergusion is able to get her to tell him about a terrible psy-dream that she has been having.Realiseing that she remembers the place where Carlotta died,John feels that he may be able to help Madeleine by taking her back to the place.When they arrive,she suddenly decides to go up to the top of a very tall church tower.With Scottie fearing that she may be about to do something terrible,so he tries to chase her up the stairs.
On one of the first flight of stairs,Fergusions acrophobia comes back to haunt him,which leads him to seeing Madeleine fall to her death.Deeply traumatised over not being able to stop her suicide,John walks round with deep regret that he could not save her.But one day,as he walks round the city,John notices something,that makes him realise that seeing is defiantly not believing...
View on the film:
During my first viewing of the film,I have to admit that I was very surprise by the excellent mature and patient directing of Hitchcock,which was very different to the style that I had expected,due to seeing "spoof" versions of famous Hitchcock films,where they made it look as if the camera would find it impossible to stay in one place.Thankfully Hitch is actually the complete opposite,with only using shots of Fergusions Vertigo during moments where the character is at some of his weakest moments.
Hitchcock also uses the camera to show the destructive breakdown for each of the characters,With the truly unforgettable dream sequence Hichcock does amazingly well at showing how much damaged Madeleine has done to Scotties mental state,although Hitch shows that Madeleine also has to pay a price,with a very daring ending,that probably most directors even now, would not choose.
Whilst I heard a few years ago about the now mis-quoted infamous quote about how Hitchcock through actors should be treated,with this amazing film,I think that it is very easy to actually see that Hitchcock wanted to get the best performances from the stunning cast.With the sadly underrated Kim Novak giving an astonishing performance as "Madeleine",who she shows " may" be struggling with a personality disorder,which Novak excellently shows to be slowly bubbling over into her life.
Although he was much older than her in real life,James Stewart does amazingly well at showing the agonising desire that Scottie has for Madeleine,with all the brilliant scenes that him and Novak both share,being filled with an amazing intensity.
Final view on the film:
An amazing classic,that can be watched again and again,thanks to terrific performances and stunning dream-like directing from Hitchcock.