Vertigo

Alfred Hitchcock is considered the master of suspense for a very good reason. He sustains a viewers interest throughout the movie with well placed clues and suggestions, leaving the viewer wondering what is coming.

Also, his choice of music is astounding, and the strings with their deep tones can create an atmosphere of tension and apprehension, that adds to the mysteriousness of the movies.

Add to it my personal favorite style of Hitchcock - his penchant for continual camera work. If you remember from his movies, the camera does not switch back and forth from views at a dizzying pace. Instead, they tend to gradually turn with the protagonist, or follow the protagonist or stay at a long-shot, showing the total movements of the actor in one shot.

Add to this mix, James (Jimmy) Stewart, my favorite classic actor, and you get a movie thats a classic from the get-go. And thats what Vertigo really is.

Suffice to say, our protagonist suffers from the debilitating effects of vertigo after seeing a colleague plunge to death and has to retire from the police force. He is asked by a friend to follow his wife (played by the hauntingly beautiful Kim Novak), apparently because she has been suicidal and speaks of being haunted by voices from the past. Without giving too much (or anything else) of the plot away, suffice to say that this story takes some VERY interesting turns. And the plot weaves its way to an astounding climax that just leaves you gasping.

James Stewart's portrayal of the Det. John (Scottie) Ferguson is wonderful, and his voice with its notable drawl only adds to it. Kim Novak is manages to out-act Stewart, and convincingly portrays the haunted Madeleine.

I could write more about this movie, but it will not do as much justice as watching it yourself. A must-see/must-own DVD. (and oh, the restoration of the movie into this DVD quality version is astounding.)

Typical of many classics of the 1950's and earlier period, this movie was panned by the critics, and ended up with not as much commercial success as expected. And along with the hilarious laugh-riot thats "Bringing Up Baby", this movie is now amongst the classics of that era.