'Vertigo' (1958)

James Stewart Movie #5

Alfred Hitchcock Movie #4

Synopsis: War veteran-and-bachelor becomes obsessed with cute blonde, goes off the deep end, and winds up as creepy weirdo. Oh wait – that’s the Synopsis for Taxi Driver! 

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “Considered by many to be director Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest achievement, Leonard Maltin gives VERTIGO four stars, hailing it as ‘A genuinely great motion picture.’”

What Did I Learn?: If you’re going to participate in an elaborate murder conspiracy, don’t keep souvenirs!! 

You Might Like This Movie If: You don't think a fear of heights is all that unreasonable.

 

Really?: 1) Funny how Midge (Barbara Bel Geddes) pretty much disappears right before the third act, isn’t it? 2) Hmm....so Scottie is a detective, but aside from flashing his badge once, he never uses any of the resources available to the boys-in-blue. 3) Wait, how does Madeleine sneak past the hotel clerk (not once, but twice), get into the room, and then zoom away in her car? This is left unexplained. 4) Hold on, why would Judy stay in San Francisco after the murder? I realize she still loves Scottie, but she doesn’t look him up. Come to think of it, I had a hard time believing Gavin would leave her more-or-less broke afterwards. It would make a lot more sense for him to either bump her off, or pay her a nice chunk of change to guarantee her silence. 

Rating: I haven’t watched every single Hitchcock film, so I honestly don’t know if ‘Vertigo’ is his best work, but it is a mesmerizing, original, and genuinely suspenseful thriller. It's well worth viewing. Highly recommended. 10/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052357/?ref_=rvi_tt