AFI Top 100: #9
Poor Jimmy Stewart: always getting typecast as a creepy man watching people. I kid, of course, but this idea is one that flows through the heart of Alfred Hitchcock's fantastic Vertigo. This movie is such a landmark in suspenseful filmmaking that, even with its handful of problems, does not fail to live up to its reputation. As the themes of mental health and obsession plague this film like the fear of heights plagues its main character, Hitchcock leads his audience on a very well-crafted story that will undeniably make them shudder. Although it shows its age quite prominently, there is a lot to adore about this psychological murder-mystery, including the performances from its entire cast and the absolutely immaculate cinematography. While this might not be my favorite of his films so far, it is plain to see why it has become such a beloved classic in the world of American film history.
John 'Scottie' Ferguson (Jimmy Stewart) is a police detective suffering from a dreadful case of acrophobia - the fear of heights and falling. He is called out of retirement by an old friend named Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) to follow Elster's wife Madeleine (Kim Novak) when she begins to not act like herself. Scottie soon finds himself down a rabbit hole of mystery as he forms a strange kind of relationship with Madeleine. This script, written by Alec Coppel and Samuel L. Taylor, contains some of the most interesting and taboo themes that a story written in this time could explore. The film's main focus, of course, being the eventual obsession with Madeleine that Scottie goes through and how well it characterizes them as people. Stewart's character is undoubtedly the most compelling part of this film and to see him devolve into what he was fighting against in the first place was so engaging to watch. Turning this story almost about voyeurism into a story about obsession was a fantastic arc for Scottie to go through and it also helped the psychological aspects as well. The mystery elements of this film were fantastic and the script unravels in such a way to keep you guessing. The infamous plot twist in this film is hidden incredibly well and while it might seem obvious once someone sees it, it was written in such a way that only helps to advance the story. Along with the good parts of the script, the performances from Stewart and Novak were phenomenal. Stewart really is an everyman type of actor, as he can brilliantly embody the happy-go-lucky good guy or the more unlikable lead such as Scottie. His charming charisma was perfect for his character and I loved how he was able to utilize his good manners in such an eerie way. Novak was also extraordinary and even for playing two roles, she was able to contrast them in excellent ways. The cinematography from Robert Burks was absolutely stunning and he embodies every little good thing about a Hitchcock film. He shoots San Francisco in such a way that makes it its own character and his use of closeups and animation was groundbreaking.
However, Vertigo would be infinitely better if not for the treatment of its women characters and how disposable the writers treated them. I completely understand how different of a time the 1950s were than they are today and while this misogynist writing was only a pet peeve at first, it became a bit of a problem. I am certain that Hitchcock's goal was for his audience to root against Stewart's character at the end but the issue was with how overly submissive the women were. Novak's character Madeleine was such a fantastic case study in the beginning but became more of an accessory for the story and hard transitioned into a weaker character. Scottie's best friend and former fiancée Midge (Barbara Bel Geddes) also suffered from this same part of the writing. She was a perfectly good character on her own but was completely tossed aside when she did not live up to the expectations of Scottie with her art. These screenwriters had so many opportunities to include any kind of redemption arc or agency for the women characters but refused to do so and instead focused on Stewart's character the entire time. I also wish that Coppel and Taylor could have utilized Scottie's acrophobic condition much more into the film. While the inclusion of this character trait worked for particular, coincidental scenes, it did not do much in terms of the depression that he went through and eventual obsession, which I can argue was the most interesting part of his story. As for Hitchcock's direction, I also wish that the third act of this movie did not drag on for so long. The first hour and a half are perfectly directed and left me with this hanging sense of dread and wonder of what Scottie was going to encounter next but I found the story after the plot twist to be a bit redundant. Much more editing could have been done to personify Scottie's paranoia and it also would have made the abrupt conclusion of this film much more impactful.
Hitchcock's Vertigo is a wonderful mystery film that accomplishes a plot twist better than filmmakers today could ever dream of. Despite issues with some pivotal characters and some direction that could have used a bit of tightening up, it is impossible to not appreciate the unique style that this revered director brings to this adapted story. Never before have I seen a character on screen so obsessed with building his perfect life despite seeing what happens when you struggle with trauma and a superiority complex but if there was one filmmaker to do it, it would be Hitchcock.
My Rating: ★★★★
No comments:
Post a Comment