The Greatness of 'Vertigo'

Released in 1958, this Alfred Hitchcock classic can be found on nearly every 'all-time greatest films' list. 

It is ranked # 9 on the AFI's 100 Greatest American Films of All-Time list and #1 by British film magazine 'Sight & Sound'.
It also holds a 97% 'Certified Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

So what makes 'Vertigo' so great?

On the surface, sure you'd expect it to be good. Hitchcock is regarded as one of the all-time great directors, and it stars James Stewart (Who Hitchcock had previously worked with on other classics 'Rear Window' and 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' ) and Kim Novak.

Right from the start, the opening credits begin with a close-up of a woman's eye that then transitions to a swirling of colors and an eerie yet beautiful theme by Bernard Herrmann. This immediately draws you into the film.

From there we have a suspenseful movie about love, obsession, deception, and a spiral into madness. The plot isn't overly complicated and the acting solid.

The thing that I think sets this movie apart from other good thrillers and makes it great is the atmosphere.
There is this perfect blend of characters, mystery, music and cinematography that give the film a surreal, dream-like quality. 

There is a sense of uneasiness highlighted buy all the characters experiencing unbalance in there lives.

James Stewart plays John 'Scottie' Ferguson, a policeman who suffers from acrophobia.
Barbara Bel Geddes plays Midge, a former love interest of Scottie who is still in love with him. And Kim Novak plays Judy, a woman hired to make Scottie follow her as part of a plot to cover a murder.

In the end, the true strength of 'Vertigo' may be actual vertigo: 'A sensation of whirling and loss of balance...'

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