ALFRED HITCHCOCK

[Rita Hayworth]

Every time I watch Vertigo - I gain a new perspective on the movie itself and that's how good a director like HITCHCOCK really is and believe me I have seen Vertigo at least 6-8 times and I never, ever, get tired of it. HITCHCOCK is the master of the game - and believe me it is questinential and iconic film of his career.

I just love all his movies and loves the work that he does.

[JackFavell]

kingrat, great observations as usual!

I liked that you mentioned how Hitch gave Kim Novak some voice lessons for Madeleine. I think she was absolutely spot on with both impersonations, though you are probably right, her Judy voice doesn't sound quite Kansas now that I think about it. I just assumed she'd picked up a harsh, kind of lower class speech from all the years she's been on her own. I didn't think about it or analyze it when I was watching the film though, it didn't stand out to me as wrong in any way. I just enjoyed it. I was really in awe of her Judy, this last time watching, rather than Madeleine. Her Judy voice is so flat and rather crude but Madeleine's is closer to her own voice. After hearing Kim's own voice, I find her voice characterization for Judy remarkable. It's natural and works for me. It's fascinating, isn't it, that her Judy voice is the put on, in context of the movie.

Scotty thinks Madeleine has class, but she's really lower down the social scale than he.

Can you explain please? Because of her grandmother? (or is it great grandmother?) I 'm not sure I get this, we don't really have a clue about Scotty's class, do we? And Madeleine's background would have been quite good. She did go to finishing school, she would have been brought up by the wealthy part of the family, Carlotta's husband's side. So I don't see how Scottie would be on a higher level of society than she.

I absolutely don't think the Midge scenes bring the movie down. On the contrary, they set up the plot, show that Scottie is a normal man to begin with, and show his disintegration as well. In other words, they show where he comes from and where he is going. If Midge didn't care, didn't see Scottie as a love interest, or if we didn't see the jocular relaxed relationship they have, this movie would not make sense. It would probably be unbearable, and we would not feel for Scottie one bit because we wouldn't know him. He could be Emile Meyer from Sweet Smell of Success and who would care about HIM if he were to go down into the heart of darkness?

[RedRiver]

I have to admit VERTIGO is not my favorite Hitchcock film. But I SO enjoyed a revival about 15 years ago in Chicago. At the legendary Esquire Theater! I even went for a hot dog after the show. At the equally renowned Jay's Dawgs! (Or is it J's?)

[JackFavell]

Am I crazy or does the lighting in the Argosy bookstore (in Vertigo) get darker and darker as Constantin Shayne tells the story of Carlotta? it was so dark by the end of the scene that I almost thought there was something wrong with my TV. It's such a nice, creepy touch. Once Scottie and Midge step back out into the street in front of the store, the lights go up and you can see inside again, as if it were early evening and Shayne had turned the lights on.

[JackFavell]

And Maven, I'll be darned if I can figure out what I saw in Vertigo that made me think of Welles. It's definitely not the same style. I'm sure there was something I thought I saw, but I can't see it today.

[pvitari]

Am I crazy or does the lighting in the Argosy bookstore (in Vertigo) get darker and darker as Constantin Shayne tells the story of Carlotta? it was so dark by the end of the scene that I almost thought there was something wrong with my TV. It's such a nice, creepy touch. Once Scottie and Midge step back out into the street in front of the store, the lights go up and you can see inside again, as if it were early evening and Shayne had turned the lights on.

You're not crazy at all. As Pop Liebl tells the sad history of Carlotta Valdes, the light gets dimmer and dimmer. The dying of the day and its light echoes the mood created by the recitation of the story. It's just one of those wonderful ideas that makes Vertigo so effectively mysterious and unnerving and ghostly.

[JackFavell]

Thanks, Paula! Thought I was losing my mind there. Funny that I never noticed it before. I like that little flare of light in the window at the end of the scene, as we see Pop Liebl moving around inside the store, behind Midge and Scottie in the foreground.

[CineMaven]

Naaaah you're not crazy Wendy. I've noticed that scene for a while now. And I love it because it's one of those teensy tiny jewels that Hitchcock throws in as he layers his films. Again, I contend you can't see everything all at once with a Hitchcock film. I really do think he does that purposely. There's so much detail that one could go as batty as Scottie watching Hitch. Did your daughter watch "Vertigo" yesterday afternoon with you? I swear when the movie's over, I feel like I've been in some sad dream.

Hope I can scrape up money last minute to attend this...check it out:

https://nyphil.org/ConcertsTickets/seas ... +ad+090613

[JackFavell]

No, she bailed on me! She had a chance to go to dinner, just her and dad, so they went out and I stayed in with Scottie. I really caught the romanticism this time (3rd) through. I think they are a perfect couple now, equally flawed, but equally in love and in need. It's funny how my opinion has changed. This movie, like The Searchers, is different every single time you see it.

This time I saw what I most wanted to find out in that last scene - I do think Scottie forgives Judy. He's yelling at her, throwing her around the bell tower, and then he grabs her, pulling at her while telling her what he knows. She tells him that she did it because she loves him. He waits a beat, we get a shot of his face at first contorted and angry, then he loosens it just a little, not quite forgiving, but maybe he realizes that it's her, all along, and then he kisses her. The only honest moment these two have had, or will have. It's like they've met for the first time, finally on equal/honest footing. and then....

[RedRiver]

As Pop Liebl tells the sad history of Carlotta Valdes, the light gets dimmer and dimmer

But that doesn't mean you're not crazy!

[JackFavell]

That's given me the best laugh of the day, red! And it's true, like your ex, we're all psychos under the mink~!

kingrat, I feel that way about most Hitchcock films... when I'm watching they are the best most pleasurable thing in the world. Don't care if it's top drawer Hitch or not.

Yesterday I only got to see one scene in To Catch a Thief. It was Jessie Royce Landis, laughing. Cary was dropping a card down the countess' (or whatever she was) decollete. It was a great scene because of the chemistry between Landis and Grant. It didn't even feel like acting. They were obviously having the time of their lives here and it was infectious, made me happy just to see her laugh.

[RedRiver]

I like this saying: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean people AREN'T out to get you!

[JackFavell]

[CineMaven]

I want to comment on everything I've been reading here but a touch of laziness set in, and I'm also trying to see how I can respond without creating such a long-winded post that nobody'll want to read it. ( I'm not as pithy as RedRiver. Ack, such a fine line I have to walk! ) I've got to sit right down and write my Message Board a letter. But I will say this, the BIGGEST laugh I got was this comment from Jack Favell:

...we're all psychos under the mink~!

Speaking for myself...true words were never spoken, Jaxxxon!