Review Vertigo

Vertigo is a film produced in 1958, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart and Kim Novak. The story revolves around a private detective obsessed by his fixations.

Trailer 

A former policeman with vertigo problems is hired by an old friend to follow his wife who is dominated by a strange and distant presence.

The story begins with John "Scottie" Ferguson (James Stewart), a detective who suffers from vertigo, which has caused him to stop working as a policeman. He is hired by an old friend, Gavin Elster, to tail his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak), who appears to be in the grip of a strange spirit or psychological trauma.

Scottie sets out to tail Madeleine and realises he is fascinated by this woman. He notices that Madeleine has a particular fondness for places in the past, particularly a certain Carlotta Valdes, who died many years ago. While Scottie investigates Madeleine's life, he is obsessed by her loveliness and becomes enamoured of her.

One day, Madeleine tries to commit suicide by throwing herself into the sea and Scottie manages to save her. Following this incident, Madeleine appears transformed and it is discovered that she is actually a woman named Judy Barton, hired by Gavin to impersonate Madeleine. Judy reveals the truth and says that she was involved in a scheme to make Scottie believe that Madeleine was dead, and the plan is part of a complicated deception concocted by Gavin to conceal the murder of his real wife.

Scottie is devastated by the discovery and attempts to change Judy into Madeleine, making her alter her appearance and wear the same clothes that Madeleine wore. His fixation and need to reproduce the beloved woman reach a climax. But their relationship is characterised by paranoia and Judy's fear of discovery.

The story develops in a kind of psychological vortex, in which the boundaries between reality and illusion blur. The film investigates themes such as love obsessions, fear, guilt and identity.

Comment

Vertigo' is considered one of the most famous and influential films in the history of cinema. It is known for its extraordinary cinematography, Bernard Herrmann's poignant score and the outstanding performances of James Stewart and Kim Novak. Its complex plot and its depiction of the dark side of human psychology have led the film to become a classic of psychological thriller cinema.

Flight444 

One remains glued to the screen, so mysterious and strange is Madeleine's (Kim Novak) behaviour and so incisive is John's (James Stewart) work that one cannot understand what is going on. The beginning is a bit slow and one wonders if this film is then as extraordinary as critics the world over have decreed. But the beginning is deliberately slow and with little suspense. The more one goes on, the more one realises that it is a masterpiece: there is no respite from the emotional aspect and one feels transported into another world, that of the protagonist. Beautiful and good Kim Novak, convincing James Stewart and good all. Impeccable screenplay and direction. Enveloping music.

Only some graphic effects, such as John's head on different coloured backgrounds, did not convince me, but it is an absolutely negligible detail and then you have to think about the film technique of those times, not as sophisticated as today's.