![]() ![]() It's a must-see that remains just as impressive with each viewing. The rest of the cast all have much smaller roles, but are all quite good too, especially Barbara Bel Geddes as Scottie's (Stewart's) old friend, who provides important insight into Scottie's character. Kim Novak is completely convincing in a difficult dual role, and the movie would not have been as compelling without her fine performance. He enables the viewer to sympathize completely with him, even as we cringe at many of his character's actions and decisions. Jimmy Stewart is outstanding in a role far different from his usual screen persona. There are also some great acting performances. ![]() ![]() It's the kind of film that repays careful attention, as almost every moment is filled with significant detail. The tension rarely lets up, and the viewer is caught up completely in it, at times almost to the point of discomfort. Hitchcock uses a complicated story, interesting characters, lavish visual detail, and deliberate pacing, plus a fine musical score by the incomparable Bernard Hermann, to produce a mysterious, almost unearthly, atmosphere. If you have never seen it, you will enjoy it more if you do not know too much about the plot, although the actual story is somewhat secondary to the ways that the characters are tested and their weaknesses exposed by the various events. While it lacks the humor of some of Hitchcock's other masterpieces, and sometimes moves rather slowly, it is unforgettable, and a great achievement by the director and his cast. "Vertigo" is particularly distinctive, both as a complex story filled with suspense, and as a fascinating study in psychological tension. One of the many things that made Hitchcock such a great director is that he did not just stick to the same formula time after time all of his best movies have their own unique feel and characteristics. ![]()
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