This was my first time ever watching Vertigo. The movie is definitely slow starting but as the movie builds throughout you find all the underlying secrets that start to come out. You find out that Midge is still in love with Scottie’s character once she finds out that Scottie is seeing another lady. The secret love affair that comes to be between Scottie and Madeleine puts turmoil on Scottie’s character. Hitchcock made you feel like you were using voyeuristic tendencies when watching the movie letting you look into the lives of the people and be sucked in. I found myself becoming a peeping tom as the movie got deeper and deeper.
The last scene I thought was amazing as they were on the late night drive going towards the mission. Between the music building throughout and the fear in Judy/Madeleine’s eyes as she recognizes where they are going and Scottie’s empty gaze. Throughout the movie you are pulling for Scottie's character especially after Madeleine’s death. That last scene the rolls are switched where you are fearing for Judy’s character and disliking Scottie’s even though Judy should be the one that you dislike because of the pain she caused Scottie. After reading the article by Ebert and finding out he described why this was such a great film and how that scene made it. This made me think about how you are pulling for both characters which you never see in movies these days. There is a villain and a good guy and they stay that way throughout the movie, not switch their roles.
I really never knew how controlling Hitchcock was with how women should be shown on screen. After finding out that he really gave women a bad image in all of his movies made me dislike him but not how amazing he is with directing talent. When watching Vertigo when Scottie is changing Judy into how Madeleine looked made me uncomfortable to watch like she was a prisoner and had to do what Scottie said. Hitchcock besides making a great film he put a part of himself in Scottie’s character showing his struggles with woman.
http://history.sandiego.edu/GEN/st/~emily2/women_of_hitchcock.html
http://www.neurologychannel.com/vertigo/
