Sueurs froides

I get a bit tongue-tied talking about Hitchcock's greatest movies because they are just so remarkable, so astonishing, so entertaining, so multi-levelled, that it's very difficult to put into words what makes them great. Hitchcock made some of the greatest movies ever made, and 'Vertigo', though by no means his most accessible film, is quite possibly his crowning achievement. It is without any doubt a masterpiece, and I cannot fault it in any way. Every time I watch it I am knocked out, and every time I see something new, some nuance or moment that I appreciate more than I did the previous viewing. Jimmy Stewart, one of the most popular movie star in Hollywood history, gives a remarkable performance throughout, one of the best in his career. Stewart had worked with Hitchcock before, and had always been superb, especially in the much copied suspense classic 'Rear Window' a few years prior to this, but he plays against type in 'Vertigo' and is jaw-droppingly good. It's difficult to remember now that 'Vertigo' is regarded as a movie milestone, that it received many bad reviews when it was originally released, and was a relative failure for Hitchcock. A lot of this had to do with Stewart's intense performance I think, and also the difficult subject matter. 'Vertigo' is essentially a tale of sexual obsession, something most people were probably not expecting at the time! Almost as good as Stewart is Kim Novak ('The Man With The Golden Arm') in a role that she will always be remembered for. 'Vertigo' is a virtuoso piece from Hitchcock, and a movie that will no doubt continue to inspire other film makers over the years to come. However the most important thing about it is that it is still wonderful viewing, and a movie experience that you will never forget. In my mind it is one of the three of four greatest American movies. Simply astonishing.

Scottie Ferguson is a police officer, retired because of fear of heights. His life changes when he accepts to watch a woman at the request of her husband, who suspects that his wife has been visited by a ghost. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, has script Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor, with the participation of James Stewart and Kim Novak.

This film is considered by experts one of the best films ever made. I never understood why but, nevertheless, is one of Hitchcock's films that I most like to see. The script is very good, mixing love, obsession, loyalty, madness and mystery in an irresistible recipe that takes the seal of quality of one of the most brilliant masters of suspense in cinema. The ending is baffling. Technically impeccable, this film has an excellent picture, sound effects and a soundtrack where the emphasis is given to the opening theme that, in all fairness, became one of the most famous of Bernard Herrmann. The performance of the actors also deserves congratulations. Stewart shows why Hitchcock was so fond of working with him and Novak can perfectly be, at the same time, the damsel in distress and the femme fatale, who leads men to act without thinking.

Essential for all Hitchcock fans, this film is a must-see for any lover of suspense and mystery. It's a film that can be seen by teenage audiences, despite having some more dramatic scenes, and probably will please the majority of audiences.

Alfred Hitchcock directed this mesmerizing film that stars Jimmy Stewart as John 'Scottie' Ferguson, a retired San Francisco policeman who is approached by old college friend Gavin Elster(played by Tom Helmore) who wants him to follow his wife Madeline(played by Kim Novak) who has been acting strangely. Scottie does follow her, and becomes obsessed by her beauty and behavior, eventually falling in love with her, with devastating consequences. Though that is only the start of the mystery... Barbara Bel Geddes costars as Scottie's friend Midge, still in love with him, despite jilting him years before. Superbly directed and acted film has an ingenious story and stunning imagery, making this an unforgettable romantic mystery, with a stunning ending...though if you have the DVD, watch the extra feature on the lost extended ending, which is fascinating, and changes the tone of the film as a result!

An interesting psychological piece that richly displays Hitchcock's talents. It is unfair to compare this film to the suspense thrillers of today which are subjected to more realism in sex and violence. Hitchcock had to be more subtle in 1958, where I'm sure a work like this, that seems tame by today's standards, appeared bizarre and risqué. Also the acting here seems histrionic; not that people actually spoke like that in the 50s but the audiences liked such dictionally refined dialogue back then as opposed to the lines of modern-day scripts that more accurately portray the way individuals speak.

James Stewart and Kim Novak are appealing on numerous levels, the former mainly because he doesn't wander far from the amiable joe we have come to expect (even though he does weird-out near the conclusion) and the latter because she maintains a veneer of vulnerability that we can relate to.

This is not a film I especially like (I couldn't watch it again and again) but I respect for its strong filmmaking.

There are no accidents here. Next year, in a few weeks, Vertigo will be 60 years old and it will celebrate it on top of the list of The Greatest Films Ever Made overtaking Citizen Kane and many other masterpieces. Why? Maybe when a filmmaker of Hitchcock's greatness taps into his own unconscious and reveals himself. By now we know enough about Hitchcock the man to know he was obsessed in finding that woman who'll look and behave just the way he wants and once he find them, they are destroyed to then embark on a quest to replace or duplicate her. Vera Miles was suppose to be the object of James Stewart's obsession and she opted for motherhood instead. Kim Novak replaced her and her coldness and detachment worked beautifully here. Barbara Bel Geddes the real woman who loves him he doesn't even notice, his focus is in the impossible.The magic touch in Vertigo is truly Bernard Herrmann. Try to see Vertigo without the score. No, don't. This classic is a marriage of images and music. A thriller with an uncomfortable truth at its very center. A personal truth from its filmmaker. I don't know if Vertigo will still be the number 1 in the list a hundred years from now, I will never know but I suspect that it will always be among the top.