In May 1958, Paramount released Alfred Hitchcock’s Dizziness to theaters. The James Stewart and Kim Novak thriller earned two nominations at the 31st Academy Awards, for Best Director and Best Original Score. The Hollywood Reporter’s review, originally titled Vertigo, is a fascinating love story shrouded in mystery:
Alfred Hitchcock broke his own fabulous record with a suspension VertigoA super story of murder, madness and mysticism starring James Stewart and Kim Novak. In addition to being a box office success, this is a film that no filmmaker should miss if they only look at the pioneering techniques achieved by Hitchcock and his team.
After a horrific fall from a tall building, a San Francisco detective (James Stewart) experiences heightened neurotic fear and recurring bouts of dizziness. Forcibly removed, a wealthy man (Tom Helmore) convinces him to investigate his wife’s (Kim Novak) strange behavior. This strangely beloved woman is believed to be the victim of a demonic obsession, her insane great-grandmother’s soul periodically inhabiting her beautiful body. While studying this mundane creature, the detective begins to receive external forces that seem to dominate him and he falls deeply in love with her. Obeying what he says is an insurmountable constraint, they will visit the former Spanish mission. When he runs to the top of the bell tower, he is startled by the height and sees that he is going to fall to his death.
But the story does not end here. A man filled with grief and guilt becomes obsessed with finding or recreating a woman he has loved and lost. In woman after woman, he instantly sees a distant view of the qualities of a loved one. When he approaches, he gets frustrated. Finally, in a gruff voice, usually that of a saleswoman, with disheveled hair and careless rain, he catches the incomprehensible scream of the woman of her dreams.
Here, in a remarkable cinematic narrative, Hitchcock reveals to the audience that the clerk was doubling down on his wife from the start, that he was an accomplice to his wife’s murder, and that by playing a criminal role in the life of a wealthy husband. conspiracy. She fell in love with a detective who was tricked into thinking he was a false witness. From then on, arresting a guilty girl prevents the love of a passionate man from waking her up like a policeman’s hidden instincts. It would be unfair to reveal the final conclusion.
Hitchcock in this photo tells three different types of stories without any disharmony or confusion in the audience. The first part of the film is given a fascinating supernatural editorial tone. The second action is narrated in terms of the hero’s kidnapping; The finale is a story of straight-forward love and discovery.
The measure of a great director lies in the fact that he can inspire his peers to match his usual competence, and Hitchcock reveals an absolute genius in this. Vertigo. Saul Bass’ cartoon spirals create the effect of vertigo and audience participation (more effective than 3-D) right from the start. Color lamps, filters and color printing (in Technicolor) put photographer Robert Burks at the forefront of his profession. In the scene, he brings the usual San Francisco traffic scenes to a spiritual macabre. With the help of color consultant Richard Mueller, he leveled (and possibly surpassed) south pacific Use dim lighting when creating a dramatic mood. The special sequence of John Ferren Stewart’s nightmares is thrilling.
Stewart gives what I think was the best performance of his detective career. It reflects obsession to the point of being manic, with no compression or chewing on stage. Miss Novak has become a wonderful actress, especially in the last part of the film, where she plays a saleswoman full of love. Here, without the support of her ethereal beauty, she does just fine. Wally Westmore’s makeup and Manley’s perfunctory carelessness of hair are important in getting the viewer dressed up and second-guessing the audience at the right moments.
Barbara Bell Gedes appears as a movie actress as Stuart’s hilarious and beloved girlfriend. And Henry Jones does a lot more in the role of a nasty, sarcastic judge. Tom Helmore is a stylish and convincing killer; Ellen Corby and Constantine Shine shine in small roles.
The skill with which Alec Koppel and Samuel Taylor crafted their screenplay from the novel by Pierre Boylo and Thomas Narcჟk demonstrates two things: 1) the audience will buy into any surprising change in human behavior if you spend time (with montages and constructions) on it. subtle). ); 2) that the murder mystery can be the greatest form of emotional drama if it focuses on the characters’ feelings rather than the math of the story. Koppel and Taylor created the mosaic so that it didn’t look like a puzzle, and in the background of many stories, they found time to provide Stewart and Miss Bell Gades with priceless bits of humorous, homely dialogue.
Hal Pereira and Henry Bamstead give the products a good backdrop (both on set and in Bay City) and Sam Commer and Frank McElwy’s backdrop is good. Edith Head produced another masterpiece of costume characterization, and film editor George Tomasin used his divider and Filmola to achieve a perfect synthesis of three photographic styles. Bernard Herman’s music, directed by Muir Matheson, makes the audience stop at the threshold of every emotion.
Vertigo It is one of the most fascinating love stories ever filmed. – Jack Moffitt, originally published May 12, 1958.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Emily Jhon is a product and service reviewer at Gossipify, known for her honest evaluations and thorough analysis. With a background in marketing and consumer research, she offers valuable insights to readers. She has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Marketing and Consumer Research from the University of Oxford.
