Vertigo (1958)
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A retired detective becomes entangled in a web of identity and obsession after being hired to shadow a woman whose behavior is increasingly erratic.
The story
San Francisco detective John "Scottie" Ferguson, who retired after a traumatic incident left him with a debilitating fear of heights, is hired by an acquaintance to shadow a woman named Madeleine. He soon discovers that her behavior is increasingly strange and mysterious. As Scottie follows her through the city, he becomes increasingly entangled in her enigmatic life, leading to a series of unsettling encounters that challenge his perception of reality and his own sense of safety.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a traumatic fall during a police chase, Scottie Ferguson retires from the San Francisco police due to acrophobia. He is hired by Gavin Elster to shadow Gavin's wife, Madeleine, who is acting strangely. Scottie follows her to several locations, including a grave and an art museum, where he discovers she is visiting sites associated with a woman named Carlotta Valdes. After rescuing Madeleine from a jump into the bay, the two spend time together, and Scottie becomes emotionally attached to her. However, after Madeleine's death in a fall from a bell tower, Scottie is left devastated. Later, he meets a woman named Judy Barton, who resembles Madeleine. He eventually discovers that Judy is the real Madeleine, who had been impersonating Gavin's wife as part of a scheme to hide her identity as Gavin's mistress. In a final confrontation at the bell tower, Scottie forces Judy to admit the truth, leading to her death and his own release from his fear of heights.
- First release year
- 1958
- Runtime (minutes)
- 128
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Writers
- Alec Coppel · screenplay; Samuel Taylor · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- James Stewart · John "Scottie" Ferguson; Kim Novak · Judy Barton / Madeleine Elster; Tom Helmore · Gavin Elster; Barbara Bel Geddes · Marjorie "Midge" Wood; Henry Jones · the coroner; Raymond Bailey · Scottie's doctor; Ellen Corby · the manager of the McKittrick Hotel; Konstantin Shayne · bookstore owner Pop Leibel; Lee Patrick · the car owner mistaken for Madeleine
- Genres
- psychological thriller; mystery; romance
- Themes
- psychological obsession; identity; masculinity
- Tone and mood
- dream-like; suspenseful
- Premise and plot tags
- mystery; romance; thriller
- Source material / true-story basis
- D'entre les morts (From Among the Dead) by Boileau-Narcejac
- Content notes
- suspense
- Reception
- Initially received mixed reviews, it has since been acclaimed as one of the greatest films of all time and a masterpiece of the genre.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 93% · scale: percentage · review count: 98
- Awards and nominations
- Silver Seashell · Best Director · Win; Silver Seashell · Best Actor · Win; Academy Award · Best Sound · Nomination
- Production trivia
- First film to use the dolly zoom.; Included in the National Film Registry.; Features a cameo by Alfred Hitchcock.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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