VERTIGO

US, 1958, 128 minutes, Colour.
James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore, Henry Jones.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Vertigo is considered by critics as Hitchcock's best film. It regularly appears in the list of top ten films of many critics.

Made in the late 50s, it was to star Vera Miles and James Stewart. Vera Miles became pregnant and the role went to Kim Novak. Many consider it her greatest performance - although many consider her just a screen presence rather than actress and people react to her. It was a very good role for James Stewart, a complex psychological character, honourable yet with a dark side, infatuated with the woman that he was pursuing, the woman that he thought was dead and whom he rediscovers and transforms. Barbara Bel Geddes is very good in support as his buddy figure.

Hitchcock made a number of great film in the 1950s, probably his best decade. It began with Strangers on a Train and included such films as Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, The Wrong Man, The Trouble With Harry and North by Northwest. The decade was to culminate in Psycho.

Hitchcock's themes are very much to the fore, especially the interactions between men and women, men idolising women, especially blonde women, and yet, somehow or other, losing their souls. The screenplay was written by playwrights Alex Coppel and Samuel Taylor from the novel, Among the Dead by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac, authors of such works as Les Diaboliques.

1. The status of the film as a Hitchcock classic? Its place in his canon? The culmination of his work of the '50s along with North By North West and Psycho? Its influence on other film-makers? The several imitations and tributes?

2. A San Francisco story and its use of the city, its present, its history, atmosphere? The contribution of Bernard Herrmann's atmospheric score? The technical devices: the credits sequence and the focus on the eye and entering into the psyche of a character? The vertigo effects for Scotty's experience? The bravura of the nightmare sequence with its symbols, colours, gathering together of Scotty's experiences and fears? The pace, editing? The attractive colour photography? The technical atmosphere contributing to the success and pleasure of Vertigo?

3. The effectiveness of the structure of the film: the focus on Scotty and his experience of vertigo - as a physical and psychological condition? The crisis in his life? His change of occupation? His freedom and his being caught up in a new experience? The tracking of Madeline? His falling in love? His investigation and the build-up to the climax? His horror? The break in the film with the death of the heroine? The change of pace, transition? The encounter with Judy and the possibilities of repetition of the first part of the film? Hitchcock's device of letting the audience know the truth but not letting Scotty know the truth? The build-up of suspense as audiences wondered what he would do? The gradual build-up of Judy into Madeline and the repetition of the climax of the first half? The story of a crime? A murder mystery? A psychological story? The story of love ~ a man in love with a dead woman?

4. The impact of the stars: James Stewart in his four Hitchcock films? Audience identifying with him? A very American upright star? The surprise of his obsession, sexual obsession, violence? Audiences entering into his experiences and identifying with him? Kim Novak as the sex symbol - the cool Madeline, her passive sensuality, her blonde attraction towards the hero? The transition to Judy with the red hair and the vulgar style? The transforming of Judy into Madeline? The contrast with Barbara Bel Geddes and the practical Midge?

5. The significance of the title? Psychological fear? Physical repercussions? The desire to fall yet the dread of it? Scotty's discovery of his vertigo in a desperate situation? His impotence? The death of the policeman? The humorous byplay of his standing on the stool to overcome his fear - and his sudden looking out the window and its recurring? Scotty not learning from the first experience but going into the second with Madeline? The irony of the murderer counting on his fear? The second chance to save someone's life and heal himself - but his failure and his collapse? The credits sequence and the visualising of the vertigo theme? The nightmare? Face, eyes, mouth etc.? The reality and unreality of the nightmare sequence and Scotty's experience?

6. The credibility of the plot? The basic narrative, causality - and so many loose ends? Does this matter within the context of the film? The themes? Scotty's nit saving the policeman and yet himself being saved? His retirement? Judy's sustained acting? Scotty's compliance? The repetition of his failure to save a life - and his not checking on Madeline dead? His second meeting with Madeline as Judy? The transformation? Such details as the necklace that Judy wears? Audiences suspending disbelief and being carried with the plot, character and themes?

7. The character of Scotty: as a policeman, investigator, the pursuit and his vertigo, his anxiety about the death of the policeman, recurring dreams, sense of responsibility? The taken for granted friendship with midge? Easy discussions with her? The background of the engagement and his breaking it off? His friendship with her but inability to commit himself to her in marriage? Midge mothering him e.g. helping him on the steps, during his breakdown. her reference to herself as 'mother'? Their casual discussions about her work., the introduction of the sexuality theme and the relationship of sexuality to Scotty? midge and her suspicion of Madeline. following her, the painting and her making such a mistake and her anger with herself? Cutting herself off from Scotty? The relationship during the visit and the playing of Mozart music and their previous discussion about music? Scotty in his depression and Midge, his mother figure, disappearing as she walked down the corridor?

8. Scotty and his disability, wanting to work? The appointment with Elster. their discussions, Elster's skill in manipulating Scotty's response to his problem? His decision to take the job? His being exploited?

9. Scotty and the sequence at Ernie's when he first sees Madeline? The audience sharing this experience with him? His looking at her at the hotel, in the car? The long sequences of his driving and tracking her through the streets of San Francisco? A symbolic wandering? A kind of infatuation vertigo as he went round and round the streets? His following her to the flower shop and the emphasis on the particular bouquet? The cemetery and her standing at the grave? Going to the apartment and the discussion with the landlady and her disappearance? The gallery and her sitting watching the painting and the explanation by the attendant? His growing infatuation, involvement to the exclusion of everything else? The comparison with Midge and his inability to relate with her, stay with her? Falling love with a person that he had never spoken to? Audience response to Madeline - her manner. appearance. style, dress, walk? The ethereal quality? The audience meant to fall in love with Kim Novak1Madeline? The irony that Madeline was a contrived character and that Judy was acting her? The irony that she was possessed by Carlotta, her dead ancestress? Scotty believing this - and his therefore falling in love with a woman possessed by a dead woman? (And his repeating this in transforming Judy into Madeline, wanting Madeline to take over Judy?)

10. The falling into the bay, Scotty's rescuing Madeline, bringing her to his home, drying his clothes, the implications about nudity and sensuality and modesty? The first time that Madeline spoke and the effect on Scotty and the audience? The phone call and Scotty's responsibility to Elster and Madeline's leaving? His bewilderment? Her return - and leading Scotty on? The visit to the forest and the discussions about the sequoias and their age and timelessness? The visit to the sea and the symbolism of the kiss with the waves pounding? Cliche elements - but relevant to Scotty's experience?

11. Madeline as a character, the audience believing that she was being taken over, her blackouts? Scotty as a detective, reconstructing what she was doing, her car rides, anxiety? His then trying to save her? The decision to go to the church? The drive along the coast with the emphasis on the trees (and its ominous later repetition)? The discussion at the church, the stable, Madeline wanting him to believe she loved him? The run into the church, the vertigo, her death? Scotty's despair as he looked down? The audience - how shattered with Scotty at Madeline's death?

12. Scotty's collapse, his wandering, the Coroner's Inquest and the brutality of the implications about Scotty? His nightmare? His withdrawing and going into the hospital? Audience empathy with this? The plausibility of what had gone on, Scotty's inability to jolt himself out of his depression? The passing of the year? Wandering San Francisco and imagining that he was seeing Madeline in the old places? His obsession and the realisation that he was in love with a dead woman?

13. The chance seeing of Judy? Her appearance and manner and walk being so different? His insight and being attracted towards her? His obsession coming to the surface? His love for a dead woman and wanting Judy to be the dead woman despite what he was saying? His following her, her brassy response? Scotty's proposal to Judy and her revulsion?

14. The irony of the audience becoming party to the truth? The knowledge of Judy's being hired by Elster, leading Scotty on? The truth of what happened in the church tower? The experience of alienation with Madeline's death, the experience of puzzle with Judy's truth? The suspense in wanting to know what Scotty would do. whether he would discover the truth? The build-up to the interchange - and the audience expecting it? Because they knew the truth, wanting Scotty to change Judy? The detail of their outings together and shared experience, her falling in love with Scotty again? The change in clothes, shoes, the long sequence about the suit. the changing of her hair and Scotty impatiently waiting - at her final arrival with the different hair style. the green neon light and the unearthly impression? Her finally becoming Madeline? Madeline taking over Judy as Carlotta had taken over Madeline? Judy moulded by Elster to become Madeline? Now Scotty moulding Judy to become Madeline? Elster was evil - Scotty? Good and evil - and the same results? Ironically the same results - even to death?

15. The agony for Judy, her writing the letter to Scotty but not giving it to him (the device for audience information)? Judy's gradual change. her reluctance but finally succumbing to Scotty - becoming Madeline?

16. The psychology of Scotty's obsession, sickness in being in love with a dead woman and trying to transform a living woman?

17. The sequence with the brooch? The irony of Scotty's discovering the truth and the flashback to Carlotta's portrait? His acting, driving and the repetition of the first drive. the arrival at the church. his hounding Judy with telling her the truth, his desperation. her desperation? Going up the stairs? The declaration of love? The ironic chase and Scotty overcoming his vertigo? His being free, healed, perhaps ready to forgive Judy - and the irony of her death?

18. The suddenness of her death - poetic justice? The irony of the brief sequence with the nun? Scotty - healed of his vertigo? What of his obsession?

19. Was the film a Hitchcock masterpiece - in terms of his interest in crime, suspense, sexuality, love and obsession, power, fear, death?