everything one would expect from Hitchcock

Rating: 9/10 (23 February 2008)

The only reason I do not give this movie a 10 is kind of the same reason why I did not give the graduate a 10. It is because the love story felt totally uninspired. Maybe they also kissed differently back then, but when Scotty kisses Judy when she dresses up like Madaline again it does not seem very passionate. Other than that the movie was amazing. I don't think I have seen the lighting trick in any other movie used as effectively as in this movie. When Scotty is learning about the history of Carlotta and the scene just gets dark is a great scene. Somehow the story seems like a standard affair in terms of plots for modern movies, but Hitchcock manages to make it an edge of your seat thriller. Jimmy Stewart did an amazing job as allows and the end it seems as if he just may have it in him to kill Judy. He manages to shed his nice guy persona and is downright scary. There is nothing better than watching a classic film and seeing where the greats get their motivation for making great movies. I have to say that I did love the dream sequence and the look in his face is possibly one of the best reaction shots to a dream. I do not know why movies are just not better written now a days. There was some quick dialog that you do not get in movies like this. It is hard to imagine not falling in love the type of characters that Jimmy Stewart portrays because they just don't make actors like him anymore. If you gave him the lines all you needed to do was put a camera on him. I also liked how they did not show what happened after Judy killed herself because I would like to think of him falling back into despair, but the fact that it is left up to the viewer shows a level of respect to the viewer that one does not see anymore. Jimmy Stewarts up and downs in the movie could not have been done better and seeing him in his most pathetic is really a testament of how good of an actor he is. Overall great movie and it is great to watch the masters at work doing what they do best.