Movie #95 Vertigo *1958*

This is my first review of a Hitchcock film.  Vertigo was the second movie of his that I ever saw.  The first being Psycho.  I remember being amazed the first time I watched it.  I am happy to say that after several viewings that I am still amazed at the craftsmanship on display during this film.  I watched Vertigo today with my kids.  I am very excited to introduce them to all these wonderful movies that helped shape my life.

Vertigo is the story of a man who retires from his job in law enforcement due to his extreme case of vertigo.  He is contacted by an old school mate that hires him to follow his wife.  The man believes that his wife is possessed and that her life may be in danger.  Jimmy Stewart plays the would be detective.  He follows this woman Madeleine, played by the stunning blond (in traditional Hitchcock style) Kim Novak.  Stewart's character ends up falling in love with Madeleine.  Then while trying to break her of her possession she commits suicide by jumping off a bell tower that Stewart couldn't prevent do to his aliment. 

Stewart enters a stage of severe depression.  He wanders the streets aimlessly.  Constantly seeing reminders of his lost love.  Then he see's her.  Or maybe its her.  It definitally looks like her.  He approaches this woman and gets her to agree to date him.  The courtship is a bizzare and perverse one.  He constantly is dressing Judy up like Madeleine.  He makes her change her hair.  He only takes her to places that he and Madeleine went.  All the while she is passivly resistant to these changes.  She struggles and resists, but alway allows him to get his way.

The final sequences in the film explodes with not so much of a twist, but an explanation that the viewer already knows but Stewart's character doesn't.  The last 10 minutes of the movie is considered one of the best endings in film history.  I would agree whole heatedly. 

One side note: I find it wonderful that Hitchcock choose Jimmy Stewart to play this role.  He is mister wholesome.  I have always thought that Stewart was the image that America wanted to project to the rest of the world of the typical American.  He is tall, clean shaven, smart but goofy, sincere, well spoken, strong but vulnerable.  Jimmy Stewart has always been American Pin in my eyes.  Then in his role he is turned into a nearly sadist pervert.  He is truly one of the most creepy characters in film.  That was a bold choice for both actor and director.

Hitchcock is one of cinema's masters.  His technique is unparalleled by any other director.  He used his camera to tell his story better than virtually anyone else I can think of.  His influence can be seen in thousands of movies by hundreds of directors. 

Vertigo is set in San Francisco.  It has a mixture of actual locations and beautiful sets.  This film was shot in beautiful technicolor and Hitch took every advantage of that.  The dream sequence is hauntingly simple.  I can not praise this film and Hitchcock enough.  Vertigo is a great doorway into Hitch's films if that is a blind spot in your film catalog.  I give Vertigo 5/5 stars  Check out the Trailer Park to see for yourself.