fantasticalVertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
I introduced myself to Hitchcock earlier this year and late last year with a marathon that entailed 19 of the master's first films. It included his work in Britain and honestly was hit or miss, but for the most part the work was promising and there were even a handful of great films in there. I have seen some of his other more famous works as well, and
Psycho and
Rear Window both made my most recent Top 100.
Vertigo has been on my radar for some time now and I have always had an interest, even if all I knew about it was Hitchcock and Stewart. But honestly, sometimes that is all you need.
The story is pretty original and pretty great. It follows ex-detective Scottie (Jimmy Stewart) and his PI work for a college friend, Gavin Elster. He has agreed to shadow Elster's wife Madeline (Kim Novak), to see what she is up to, as Gavin believes her to perhaps not be of sound mind. What he gets himself into is somewhat of a mess of a situation, and somewhat of a romance, despite his good friend Midge standing by his side as he copes with a bit of Vertigo. The story is by far the strongest part of the film. It just feels so mysterious, so suspenseful, and so right. Hitchcock has never been a flashy director, at least not in my eyes, yet he manages to pace the film, and set the mood so perfectly for something like this. And sure, there are a few cool effects scenes I suppose, but it succeeds on story. And at the end of the day, Jimmy Stewart is immensely watchable for me.
I thought that the film being set in San Francisco was a perfect choice as well. The city is so beautiful, has such a great history, and remains mysterious as well. While I would not call this Hitchcock's best, and it probably won't make my Top 100, at least not on a first viewing, it is something of a major success and an immensely entertaining film to watch. It is something I can see seeking out from time to time in the future, just to make sure I didn't miss something and it is one fo the best films of all time.
***1/2Next Up: The Bridge on the River Kwai