On December 18, 2016, we at Matt Lynn Digital published my estimation of the Top 20 Movies ever made in ranked order. At the top of that list is the Alfred Hitchcock directed movie Vertigo (1958).
(Alfred Hitchcock, left, making his cameo in Vertigo).
The greatness of this film rests first in the narrative style, mixing mystery, thriller, romance, and psychological illness. The trope of psychologically compromised characters offers compelling cinema that begets multiple film viewings that have yet to get old for me. The notion of psychological compromise in central character perhaps most famously portrayed in recent popular culture with the cable television show Breaking Bad (2008-2013).
(James Stewart starring as John ‘Scottie’ Ferguson in Vertigo).
James Stewart stars in Vertigo as John ‘Scottie’ Ferguson, a former police detective who separated from law enforcement owing to his vertigo, which in the film is associated with a fear of heights. Ferguson is called into action to assist friend Gavin Elster, who purportedly worries about the well-being of his wife who has been behaving irrationally. Tom Helmore portrays Gavin Elster. Part of the film’s mystery is Elster’s bringing his Ferguson into the story, and his motivation in seeking help from a man, Scottie, who suffers from vertigo.
(Tom Helmore as Gavin Elster in Vertigo).
Kim Novak stars as Madeleine Elster. Madeleine is the glamorous wife of wealthy husband Gavin, a noticeable effect of a romantic nature on men, and a far-fetched case of spirit possession. Scottie becomes quickly taken by Madeleine, looks to solve her mystery, and fails at the suicidal inclination of the spirit who seemingly compels Madeleine to end her life. The movie events begin moving into thriller from mystery as one must look to the involvement of Gavin Elster in ending the life of his wife while unraveling Scottie as well.
(Kim Novak starring as Madeleine Elster in Vertigo).
Midge is the logical, compassionate ex-fiancée who shares a home with Scottie. Her role, played by Barbara Bel Geddes, is to help anchor Scottie in reality. Midge attempts to win Scottie back to reality through affection, motherly nurturing, and finally the cold reality of logic when sanity is at its fullest question of fantasy. The continuing balance impairment that is metaphorically important in this tale of Scottie is clearly getting further out of hand when Midge exits the story.
(Barbara Bel Geddes as Midge Wood in Vertigo).
The entanglement of Scottie’s sanity and the identity of his ultimate love interest at the is expressed through Kim Novak. The central fiction that is not obvious to the viewer until well into the film is one I keep to myself in this review. While I choose not to reveal this for those yet to view this film, accept my point that the psychological impact is intense, meaningful in both its dark and romantic underpinnings, and full of emotional currency within the larger stories of Scottie and the people embroiled in the relationships with Gavin Ester. The choices made in service of those relationships is where the narrative force of the movie really finds its feet.
(James Stewart, left, and Kim Novak in Vertigo).
There are many layers within the movie Vertigo that make for compelling cinema. Slogging through of the layers and depth within the movie are not the easiest thing. It is partly for this reason that I can watch the movie repeatedly and still identify new subtleties and meanings. This movie is the best movie I have ever seen. While I am loath to give any movie this grade, I grant Alfred Hitchcock‘s Vertigo the top ranking in my movie listing with 5.0 stars of a scale of one-to-five stars.
Matt – Wednesday, April 3, 2019
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