Vertigo

1958.

#61 / #9

Nominated for 2 Academy Awards.

John "Scottie" Ferguson (Jimmy Stewart) is a cop, deathly afraid of heights. He becomes a private investigator, hired to investigate the behavior of "Madeleine Elster" (Kim Novak). Scottie falls in love with her, then she throws herself out of a bell tower. You can imagine old Scotty's surprise when he sees a spitting image of Madeleine in the form of Judy Barton.

Eddie: VERTIGO is one of the all-around best movies ever made. It's tough to classify VERTIGO into a genre, because it encompasses so much. To me, the movie is about finding your place in the world, and poor Scottie Ferguson never gets a grasp on it. He can't decide if he's crazy or sane, if his name's John or Scotty, or if he's chasing a ghost or the woman of his dreams. The fear of heights and VERTIGO's most famous camera trick add plot and suspense, but what makes the movie great - what separates it from a hundred TV movies about secret identities - is Jimmy Stewart's honest portrayal of a man who's lost.

Oh, and Kim Novak as Madeleine/Judy may be one of the most beautifully photographed actresses in any movie of any era.

Sarah: Oh Eddie, Kim Novak is not just a pretty picture. She also shows her range in this film, and it is her acting that largely builds the suspense and creepiness. As long as we are talking female leads, Barbara Bel Geddes is also great as Scottie's hopelessly devoted side-kick, Midge. Poor Midge. Too bad HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU hadn't been written yet. It would have saved her a world of pain.

I think what makes this movie so memorably disturbing is the idea of a haunted past. Scottie could have been happy with Judy, if only he wasn't always trying to turn her into Madeline. His obsession is familiar and irksome to the audience. Exploring a loved one's past can only lead to insecurity and a sense of being haunted. (Right? This is not just me, right? I mean look at CLOSER or REBECCA).

And if anyone knows how to haunt, it's Hitchcock.

Why You Should See It: After Madeleine's death, Scottie re-visits all of their old haunts. It's heartbreaking to see Jimmy Stewart wandering the streets of San Francisco like a sad puppy. Well, Eddie thinks it is heartbreaking. Sarah just finds it creepy.