moviedom's most tragic characters

Rating: 10/10 (27 August 2006)

Vertigo contains dozens, if not hundreds of nuances that can easily be overlooked when we view it casually. One thing which seems to be unnoticed which is very obvious is the fact that Scottie, Madeleine/Judy, and Midge constitute possibly the most tragic triangle ever portrayed. Midge, in love with a man who doesn't live in the real world, had to end their "engagement" unfulfilled. Tries later to enter his fantasy world by superimposing her face on Carlotta's portrait...with disastrous results. Then watches her love in a near catatonic state realizing that he will NEVER be in her world and wanders down the hallway, disappearing into darkness forever. Scottie, the pragmatist, who chases his fantasy to depths unheard of. Losing himself, everything and everyone in his life. Dabbling even in necromancy and attempted resurrection, not to mention domination and manipulation in the extreme. The ultimate subversion of one human being to the will of another to the destruction of all. When Hitchcock shows him teetering at the top of the tower, he is truly suffering from the ultimate form of vertigo, suspended between life and death. Unable to fully live or to find the release of final death. Truly a tragic, doomed figure of Shakespearian, perhaps even Biblical, proportions who has left behind him a wake of loss, disappointment, loneliness and death. A true aggressive annihilator of all he surveys. Then there is Judy. Scottie's equal in every way except that her obsession with destruction is focused mainly on herself. Manipulated by the murderer Gavin Elster, she gladly jumps from the frying pan into the fire to die (twice!) at the hands of Scottie Furguson. She gives herself over entirely to HER obsession and willingly evaporates as a human being just to complete her fantasy. The scene in which she allows Scottie to change her hair and submits to his will (if I let you, will that do it? Will you love me?) is possibly the most tragic movie scene I have ever witnessed. This film is a gold mine. A film-making master at his most revealing and insightful. Hitchcock's films have suspense and thrills, sure. But underneath are great love stories and, yes, tragedy too.