Vertigo

Wow what a film ! I just adore how that grey area between reality and fiction is blurred in this. Hitchcock uses the art-form to deconstruct the negative delusions sold to us by Hollywood and hyper exaggerate them into deeply uncomfortable truths. It’s very clear to see how this was such an influence on mulholland drive, another flawless movie that deconstructs Hollywood ideals in a profound way through something almost dreamlike (even if it is far more surreal and personally more impactful).  The hypnotic pace to the mystery and how we are swept into the allure of Madeline through the eyes of Scottie is just the perfect set up for how this movie pulls the rug out on it’s audience. James Stewart and Kim Novak are perfectly cast in this with Stewart being the poster boy of his era and Novak’s undeniable beauty, these elements help make the first half of this really appeal to our unconscious human desires. We are able to easily insert ourselves into the perspective of our protagonist and naturally match his intrigue with such an unusual enquiry involving someone so alluring.  What follows however is where things get very interesting. Scottie’s intrigue outgrows our own once we reach the point most Hollywood blockbusters conclude with a closed case and happily ever afters. After what in retrospect was an enquiry littered with the imagery of spirals, instead of a happy ending Scottie himself begins to truly spiral. This is done to reflect the damage of such intrigue directly back at the audience and Hitchcock himself as a director, by showcasing the misogyny that goes into these ideals and subsequent denial of reality by losing yourself to a movies plot in an all-time great performance. Novak also really shines here too, somehow becoming something else entirely with such a subtlety.  I also want to talk about Midge as I feel a lot of people tend to leave her out when discussing this. Midge is such a vital character and has what in my opinion is the movies most crushing scene, demonstrating the sacrifice so many people make to their own identities when trying to appeal to someone. She’s a real, believable woman with a genuine compassion that shines through in what few scenes she’s in and I cannot imagine this working as well as it does without her. To show how in this almost fantasy feeling mystery she is neglected really helps hammer home what Hitchcock is ultimately trying to say.  Essential viewing really, I was worried at first the mystery element was too simplistic (especially once spelled out) but how the third act so boldly goes beyond this framework to discuss so much so effectively, I’m very pleased to say this was not the case ! My family have had a poster for this movie up in their house for 20 years, and all that time I’ve loved the artwork. I have vivid memories of being a child and imagining what the movie could be about, totally lost in what ultimately is just imagery,  Given I’ve now seen the film and how it uses the Portrait of Carlotta, I found this to make the message hit so much harder. Seeing this with such context has turned out to be one of those instances in my life that just feels poetically ironic.