Vertigo (1958)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Alec Coppel (screenplay) &
Samuel A. Taylor (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 July 1958 (Brazil)

Genre:

Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

A Hitchcock thriller. You should see it from the beginning!

Plot:

A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's much-younger wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.

Plot Keywords:

Acrophobia | Police | Vertigo | Police Detective | Hair

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

James Stewart	...	John 'Scottie' Ferguson
Kim Novak	...	Madeleine Elster / Judy Barton
Barbara Bel Geddes	...	Midge Wood
Tom Helmore	...	Gavin Elster
Henry Jones	...	Coroner
Raymond Bailey	...	Scottie's Doctor
Ellen Corby	...	Manager of McKittrick Hotel
Konstantin Shayne	...	Pop Leibel
Lee Patrick	...	Car Owner Mistaken for Madeleine
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Ahdar	...	Priest (uncredited)
Isabel Analla	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Jack Ano	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Margaret Bacon	...	Nun (uncredited)
John Benson	...	Salesman (uncredited)
Margaret Brayton	...	Ransohoff's Saleslady (uncredited)
Paul Bryar	...	Capt. Hansen (uncredited)
Steve Conte	...	Burglar (uncredited)
Jean Corbett	...	Mrs. Elster (uncredited)
Bruno Della Santina	...	Waiter at Ernie's (uncredited)
Roxann Delman	...	Ransohoff's Model (uncredited)
Molly Dodd	...	Beautician (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Diner at Ernie's (uncredited)
Joanne Genthon	...	Carlotta Valdes (uncredited)
Don Giovanni	...	Salesman (uncredited)
Roland Gotti	...	Bartender at Ernie's (uncredited)
Victor Gotti	...	Matire d' at Ernie's (uncredited)
Fred Graham	...	Policeman on Rooftop (uncredited)
Buck Harrington	...	Elster's Gateman (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man Walking Past Elster's Office (uncredited)
Art Howard	...	Juror (uncredited)
Catherine Howard	...	Nun (uncredited)
June Jocelyn	...	Nurse (uncredited)
David McElhatton	...	Radio Announcer - European Version Only (voice) (uncredited)
Miliza Milo	...	Saleswoman (uncredited)
Lyle Moraine	...	Patron (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Diner at Ernie's (uncredited)
Julian Petruzzi	...	San Francisco Flower Vendor (uncredited)
Ezelle Poule	...	Older Mistaken Identity (uncredited)
Kathy Reed	...	Patron (uncredited)
William Remick	...	Jury Foreman (uncredited)
Jack Richardson	...	Escort (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Diner at Ernie's (uncredited)
Nina Shipman	...	Woman in Museum Mistaken for Madeleine (uncredited)
Dori Simmons	...	Woman at Ernie's Mistaken for Madeleine (uncredited)
Ed Stevlingson	...	Inquest Attorney (uncredited)
Sara Taft	...	Nun (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Alec Coppel		(screenplay) &
Samuel A. Taylor		(screenplay) (as Samuel Taylor)
Pierre Boileau		(novel "D'Entre Les Morts") and
Thomas Narcejac		(novel "D'Entre Les Morts")
Maxwell Anderson		contributing writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Herbert Coleman	....	associate producer
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
Robert Burks		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Tomasini

Casting by
Bert McKay		(unit casting director) (uncredited)

Art Direction by
Henry Bumstead
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Frank R. McKelvy		(as Frank McKelvy)

Costume Design by
Edith Head		(costumes)

Makeup Department
Nellie Manley	....	hair style supervisor
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor
Florence Avery	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Hazel Keats	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Benny Lane	....	makeup artist: Miss Novak (uncredited)
Harry Ray	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Peggy Thomas	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Lenore Weaver	....	hairdresser (uncredited)

Production Management
Frank Caffey	....	production manager (uncredited)
Andrew J. Durkus	....	unit production manager (uncredited)
C.O. Erickson	....	unit production manager (uncredited)
Curtis Mick	....	assistant unit production manager (uncredited)
Don Robb	....	unit production manager: San Francisco (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel McCauley	....	assistant director
Ralph Axness	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Cy Brooskin	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Charles C. Coleman	....	assistant director: San Francisco (uncredited)
Herbert Coleman	....	second unit director: San Francisco (uncredited)
John P. Fulton	....	second unit director: back projection (uncredited)
Edward Haldeman	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Clem Jones	....	assistant director: San Francisco (uncredited)
Frank Kies	....	assistant director: San Francisco (uncredited)
Edward Morey Jr.	....	assistant director: San Francisco (uncredited)

Art Department
Saul Bass	....	poster designer (uncredited)
Jim Cottrell	....	assistant props (uncredited)
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Dominic Mautino	....	stand-by painter (uncredited)
Martin Pendleton	....	props (uncredited)
Manlio Sarra	....	portrait: Carlotta (uncredited)
Fred Simpfenderfer	....	nurseryman (uncredited)
Lee Vasque	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Winston H. Leverett	....	sound recordist (as Winston Leverett)
Harold Lewis	....	sound recordist
George Dutton	....	sound (uncredited)
Nick Gerolimates	....	sound cable man (uncredited)
Hayden Hohstadt	....	mike grip (uncredited)
Jim Miller	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Bud Parman	....	sound boom man (uncredited)
Bert Van Volkenberg	....	sound battery man (uncredited)
Bill Wistrom	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects
W. Wallace Kelley	....	process photography (as Wallace Kelley)
Paul K. Lerpae	....	optical effects (uncredited)
John Whitney Sr.	....	motion control designer: title sequence (uncredited)

Stunts
Polly Burson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jean Corbett	....	stunt double: Kim Novak (uncredited)
Ted Mapes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Perce	....	stunt double: James Stewart (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Earl Canter	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Robert Coburn	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Earl Crowell	....	electrician (uncredited)
John Friedman	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Adolph Froelich	....	best boy (uncredited)
Bobby Greene	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Loyal Griggs	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
James Hawley	....	assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Warren Hoag	....	electrician (uncredited)
Vic Jones	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Michael P. Joyce	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Fred Kaifer	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
W. Wallace Kelley	....	director of photography: back projection (uncredited)
James Knott	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Lon Massey	....	electrician (uncredited)
Kyme Meade	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Walter Newman	....	grip (uncredited)
John Nostri	....	grip (uncredited)
Val O'Malley	....	camera operator (uncredited)
H. Parsley	....	grip (uncredited)
G.E. Richardson	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Irmin Roberts	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Gus Ryden	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Leonard J. South	....	camera operator (uncredited)
F. Steiner	....	electrician (uncredited)
Darrell Turnmire	....	company grip (uncredited)
Paul Uhl	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Edward Wahrman	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Paul Weddell	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
B. Weiler	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
William Williams	....	director of photography: animation (uncredited)

Casting Department
Olive Long	....	secretary: casting director (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Leonard Harris	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Roselle Novello	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Dario Piazza	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor
Leon Birnbaum	....	music editor (uncredited)
Bernard Herrmann	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	titles designer
John Ferren	....	special sequence
Richard Mueller	....	Technicolor color consultant
Diane Cummings	....	photo double (uncredited)
Diane Cummings	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Kathleen Fagan	....	script supervisor: second unit (uncredited)
A. Vincent Gerty	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Bill Gray	....	production auditor (uncredited)
Frank Kies	....	auditor: San Francisco (uncredited)
Luddie Laine	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)
Al Peterson	....	craft service (uncredited)
Peggy Robertson	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Art Sarno	....	publicist (uncredited)
Anita Speer	....	script supervisor: second unit (uncredited)
Herb Steinberg	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Dolores Stockton	....	secretary: Mr. Coleman (uncredited)
Constance Willis	....	script supervisor: San Francisco (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1958) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Release)
• Paramount-Films (1958) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Les Films Paramount (1959) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1959) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1963) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (????) (Russia) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (West Germany) (theatrical) (restored version)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• MCA Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS) (pan-and-scan)
• Alfred J. Hitchcock Trust (1996) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Universal Pictures (1996) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue) (as Universal® An MCA Company)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1997) (Finland) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Atalanta Filmes (????) (Portugal) (theatrical) (restored version)
• Seven Films (2008) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Esselte Video (199?) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV) (1989) (Finland) (TV)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2009) (Finland) (TV)
• Midas Filmes (2012) (Portugal) (all media)
• TV3 (1990) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD) (Focus Edition)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1995) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Film Archive, The  special thanks (1996 restoration) (as The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Film Archive)
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Margaret Herrick Library  special thanks (1996 restoration) (as The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Margaret Herrick Library)
• American Movie Classics (AMC)  Universal Pictures gratefully acknowledges the following companies for their generous contributions toward the restoration of Vertigo: preservation sponsor (1996 restoration)
• Boston Light & Sound  VistaVision dailies projector provided by (1996 restoration) (as Boston Light and Sound)
• Chivas Regal  Universal Pictures gratefully acknowledges the following companies for their generous contributions toward the restoration of Vertigo: official preservation partner (1996 restoration)
• Digital Theater Systems  Universal Pictures gratefully acknowledges the following companies for their generous contributions toward the restoration of Vertigo: preservation sponsor (1996 restoration) (as Digital Theater Systems L.P.)
• Eastman Kodak Motion Picture Films  restoration produced on (1996 restoration)
• Entertainment Weekly  Universal Pictures gratefully acknowledges the following companies for their generous contributions toward the restoration of Vertigo: preservation sponsor (1996 restoration) (as Entertainment Weekly Magazine)
• Four Seasons Hotel, The  Universal Pictures gratefully acknowledges the following companies for their generous contributions toward the restoration of Vertigo: preservation sponsor (1996 restoration) (as Four Seasons Hotels)
• Pacific Title  VistaVision to 65mm opticals (1996 restoration)
• Panavision  special thanks (1996 restoration)
• Paramount Pictures  special thanks (1996 restoration)
• Pro-Tek Film Preservation Vault  film element inspection by (1996 restoration) (as Pro-Tek Film Preservation Vaults)
• Sunset Marquis Hotel & Villas  special thanks (1996 restoration)
• Superior Film Service  negative cutting (1996 restoration) (as Superior Film Service, Inc.)
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  restoration sound editing and re-recording at (1996 restoration) (as Universal Studios Sound Facility)
• Universal Studios Sound Restoration Department  special thanks (1996 restoration)
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack on (1996 restoration) (as Varèse Sarabande CDs and Cassettes)

Also Known As:

"Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo" - UK (complete title), USA (complete title)
"'Vertigo'" - USA (poster title)

Runtime:

128 min | USA:129 min (1996 restored version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.50 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 (1995) | Finland:K-16 (1958) | France:U | Norway:11 (re-rating) (1997) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 (original rating) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) (2000) | West Germany:12 (f) (re-rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | USA:Approved (PCA #18867) | USA:PG (re-rating) (1983) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1997) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) (1983) | Spain:T | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Brazil:14 | Netherlands:12 | Iceland:12 (1984) | Sweden:11 (re-release) (1984) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | West Germany:16 (nf) (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating: DVD audio commentary) (2005) | UK:PG (tv rating) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Italy:VM14 | UK:PG (re-rating) (2012)

Filming Locations:

1000 Mason Street, North Beach, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The film is based upon the novel "D'Entre les Morts" (From Among the Dead) which was written specifically for Alfred Hitchcock by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac after they heard that he had tried to buy the rights to their previous novel "Celle qui n'était plus" (She Who Was No More), which had been filmed as Diabolique (1955).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the manager of the McKittrick Hotel first appears we hear her say, "Yes?" to Scottie off screen, and in the next shot a moment later we see her mouth the word without any sound.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Officer on rooftop:Give me your hand. Give me your hand.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in I'm Still Here (2013)

Soundtrack:

Sardis #4

You're not lost. Mother's here.

John "Scottie" Ferguson is a San Francisco cop who decides to quit the service after his acrophobia results in him being unable to save the life of a colleague. Whilst taking it easy he gets a call from an old school friend, Gavin Elster, asking him if he wouldn't mind doing a little bit of detective work for him. The job is simply to tail his wife because she's obsessed with an ancestress who committed suicide, and the wife, Madeline, is showing signs of herself being suicidal. Ferguson tails her diligently and as the tail progresses, Ferguson himself starts to become ever obsessed about the demur blonde Madeline. As the story twists and turns, Ferguson's obsession will have far reaching consequences for both parties.........

Vertigo is Alfred Hitchcock's most discussed, dissected and critically reappraised film, based on a novel by Pierre Boileau called D'Entre Les Morts, {also writer of Diabolique}, Vertigo was not well liked on its release and unable to be viewed for some time due to copyright, the film was restored from a destroyed negative into a glorious 70mm print, and now in all its glory it can be seen as one of the greatest films to have ever been made. What is most striking about Vertigo, outside of Hitchcock baring his innermost that is, is that its plot on the surface is simplicity personified, but delving deeper, and repeat viewings are a necessity, its apparent that Vertigo is a chilling force of cinema, taking great delight in gnawing away at your perceptions, perhaps even your own capabilities as a human being.

Very much a film of two great halves, Vertigo first seems intent on being an almost ghost story like mystery. Once the prologue has introduced us to Ferguson's fear of heights, we then enter an almost dream like sequence of events as Ferguson tails the troubled Madeline, the suggestion of reincarnation bleakly leading to death hangs heavy as Hitchcock pulls his atmospheric strings. Then the film shifts into dark territory as obsessions and nods to Dante's Inferno take control, Hitchcock, as we have come to learn over the years, lays out his soul for us the audience to partake in, the uneasy traits sitting side by side with fascination of the story. All of which is leading us to a spine tingling finale that is as hauntingly memorable as it is shocking, the end to our own dizzying journey that Alfred and his team have taken us on.

Technically the film is magnificent, the opening credits from Saul Bass brilliantly prep us for what is about to unfold, while Bernard Herrman's score as good as anything he ever did, unnerving one minute, swirlingly romantic the next, a truly incredible score. Hitchcock himself is firing from the top draw, introducing us to the brilliant zoom-forward-track-back camera technique to induce the feeling of Vertigo itself, with that merely a component of two hours of gorgeous texture lined with disturbing little peccadilloes. The two leads are arguably doing their respective career best work, James Stewart as Scottie Ferguson goes real deep to play it out with an edgy believability that decries his aw-shucks trademark of years since past. Kim Novak as Madeline is perhaps the quintessential Hitchcock blonde, perfect with the duality aspects of the role and playing off Stewart's ever creepy descent with seamlessly adroit skill. It however should be noted that Hitchcock and his loyal subjects had to work hard to get Novak right for the role, but the result proves that Novak had ability that sadly wasn't harnessed on too many other occasions.

Vertigo is a film that I myself wasn't too taken with on my first viewing, it's only during revisits that the piece has come to grab me by the soul and refuse to let go, it not only holds up on revisits, it also gets better with each subsequent viewing, it is simply a film that demands to be seen as many times as possible, not only one of the greatest American films ever made, one of the greatest films ever made...period, so invest your soul in it, just the way that Hitchcock himself so clearly did. 10/10