|
Vertigo (1958) PRoduction: Hitchcock, PARAMOUNT
Screenplay:John Michael Hayes from a novel by Boileau and Narcejac
Titles: Saul Bass
Camera: Robert Burks
Costumes: Edith Head
CAST: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes,
Tom Helmore 
Publicity shot for "Vertigo" with James Stewart and both characters played by Kim Novak PLOT:
Stewart is Scottie Ferguson, a former policeman who was forced to retire because of his fear of heights. He is asked by an old friend,Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) to shadow his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak) because of her suicidal tendencies. Scottie does so, falls gradually in love with Madeleine and saves her from drowning, but he is unable to climb up to save her again when she jumps from a church tower. He enters a rest home and, encouraged by his steadfast, besoted girlfriend Midge (Bel Geddes) slowly returns to normal. Years later he sees a secretary called Judy (Novak) who looks strikingly similar to the late Madeleine. Stewart gradually works his way into the girl's confidence and begin to re-create her in the exact image of Madeleine. It becomes apparent that Judy is Madeleine and has been all along. She was actually Elster's mistress but the woman who plungedfrom the church tower really was his wife; Scottie's services had only been enlisted to ensure a witness to the 'suicide'. Scottie eventually forces Judy to confess this by making her, and himself, go to the top of the same church tower, thus finally overcoming his fear of heights. In a tragic accident Judy, who Scottie still loves, tumbles, and falls to her death. 
James Stewart and Kim Novak in the role of Judy who is becoming Madeleine again 
Hitchcock's Brilliant screen realization of Jame Stewart's fear of heights. 
|  |
"Vertigo" did not received the appreciation it deserved when it was released, and it is a disturbing film that stops one step short of necrophilia(and that is perhaps what Hitchcock intended). For the role of Madeleine/Judy, the director obviously had Grace Kelly in mind. One can almost see her svelte blonde beauty in the first half of the film. The Film deals with psychology, like Spellbound, but with much more intensity and authority. 
(above & below)James Stewart in an early scene,an episode which results in his phobia 
Vertigo's ending is certainly Hitchcock's most effective ever. The climax is kept till the very last second and displays Hitchcock brilliantly sustained suspense to the very end. Stewart's performance is exemplary. He begins the film as his usual sympathetic self during the first part,detailing his growing fascination with Madeleine as he unravel her obsession with the long dead"mad' Carlotta Valdes.But once Madeleine is dead, the film plunges unconfortably into the dark waters of psychology and reveals a darker, more sinister and thoroughly unpleasant side of Scottie's character;and Stewart completely alienates the audience from Scottie bringing out the manipulative Svengali side of him, darker and pursuing only his lust, desire and vanity, oblivious of the feelings of others. It was Stewart last film with Hitchcock, who paid him the ultimate accolade to a performer calling him" a true professional" Stewart too was very fond of the director. 
For the role of Madeleine/Judy, Hitchcock was thinking to cast Vera Miles but she became pregnant immediately prior to shooting. Finally Kim Novak, hot from two successful films (Picnic and The man with the golden arm) was cast.
She is surprisingly good in Vertigo, lending the necessary ethereality to her role as Madeleine and sultry blowsiness to Judy. Hitchcock however was unhappy with the choice and less than responsive to her demands on the script and costumes. But he lets the camera lovingly linger on her beauty and make her beautiful and irresistible.. 
|
