Vertigo – Types of Acting

There are many types of acting in films and for this entry, I would like to discuss three of them, using our two main stars, James Stewart and Kim Novak, as well as Ellen Corby who had a bit part in this movie.

James Stewart can be defined as a personality actor. In all his films, he becomes the person he is playing. The audience believes he is the character he plays in the movie. In Vertigo, he is the troubled ex-cop plagued with acrophobia; however, in Rear Window he is equally believable as the bored, injured journalist. Likewise, in  It’s a Wonderful Life, we believe Mr. Stewart is the happy family man who looses faith in his own importance in life. We never doubt for a moment, or loose our suspension of belief, in his character. This is a mark of a great character actor.

Kim Novak is better defined as a wild card. She quickly rose to recognition in the film industry at the age of 21. While she is a star in her own right, she plays a strong character, two in the case of Vertigo. This can put her in the personality actor category; however, she also could be assigned to the star or character actor categories.

Ellen Corby is a character actor. In Vertigo, she plays a small part as the hotel clerk. Her character is not unlike the sweet grandma Walton she played  in the television series The Waltons.

The performances in this film are realistic. This adds to the suspension of disbelief with this film. Though today, some of the reactions may seem stylized, for the time it was made, 1958, they were not. For instance, the scene where Midge comforts Scottie after he falls from the step stool due to an attack of acrophobia today may seem stylized; however for 1958 this portrays a very motherly instinct moment which is important to the film and interpreting the relationship between Scottie and Midge.

References

A Great Gift – It’s a Wonderful Life. (5/9) Movie CLIP. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNQ76UyurLA

Waltons in Memory (2012, September 23). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fAMtgE9hWA

 

Lighting used for Vertigo – Alfred Hitchcock (1958)

Alfred Hitchcock was a master in his field, choosing the best lighting for this psychological thriller. Hitchcock did not depend on only one form of lighting however. He was masterful and skilled enough to use the right lighting for each scene, in order to enhance the Mise en scene, adding to the over all feel and effect of the movie.

For some scenes, Hitchcock used natural lighting. This lends to the believability of the scenes that were shot on location in San Francisco. Using a different lighting, such as three point would have detracted from the natural look of the city in the 1950’s. This would perhaps left the audience with a less realistic feeling and led to the audience feeling less connected to the protagonist, played by James Stewart. The video clip below demonstrates the use of natural lighting for some scenes.

Hitchcock also used three point lighting for some of the studio shots. This lighting brings the character and Mise en scene to focus and gives a natural and comfortable feel for scenes such as the one in front of the fireplace at the apartment of John “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart) after saving Madeleine’s life (Kim Novak). Had Hitchcock gone with any other lighting the scene would have lost its warmth and tenderness, which sets up the tragic love story between the two characters.

The third type of lighting employed by Hitchcock in Vertigo is low-key lighting. This type of lighting is commonly used to portray night scenes or scenes of terror and fear. Vertigo uses this type of lighting in the beginning of the movie, which establishes the thrilling aspect of Vertigo from the opening scene. Had Hitchcock used any other lighting, such as high key, the scene would have lost its intensity from the beginning.

The use of these different lighting effects was well suited to this film, as it falls into the film noir genre, but also has elements of mystery, tragic romance, horror, and psychological thriller. To cross so many genres, Hitchcock used various lighting techniques to accomplish many different emotional and visual connections with the audience.

 

References

Vertigo (1/11) Movie Clip – Officer Down (1958) HD. MOVIE CLIPS. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O888bu0QrMg

Vertigo (3/11) Movie clip –  Saving Madeleine (1958) HD. MOVIECLIPS Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8cWjLMuJgo

Vertigo (4/11) Movie clip – What Happened? (1958) HD. MOVIECLIPS. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZruKu2N6nQw

 

Vertigo – The Movie Review

Vertigo (1958)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Written by: Alec Coppel and Samuel Taylor
Produced by: Herbert Coleman and Alfred Hitchcock
Cimematography by: Robert Burks
Edited by: George Tomasini

Principle Cast:
James Stewart as John ‘Scottie’ Ferguson
Kim Novak as Madeleine Elster/Judy Barton
Barbara BelGeddes as Midge Wood
Tom Helmore as Gavin Elster
Henry Jones as Coroner
Raymond Bailey as Scottie’s Doctor
Ellen Corby as Mananger at McKittrick Hotel
Konstatin Shayne as Pop Leibel
Lee Patrick as Car owner mistaken for Madeleine

Story: based on the 1954 novel D’entre les morts by Boileau-Narcejac, John “Scotty” Ferguson (James Stewart) is a retired San Francisco cop. Hired by his old college friend. Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) to trail his wife, Madeleine (Kim Novak). John becomes increasing and dangerously drawn to Madeleine.

Plot: This psychological thriller deals with deception and deceit. John Ferguson realizes he has vertigo and retires from police work, only to be hired by Gavin Elster to follow and determine if Elster’s wife, Madeleine, is insane or possessed by her dead great-grandmother’s spirit. As John Ferguson follows Madeleine through 1950 San Francisco, he becomes intrigued by her and after saving Madeleine’s life falls in love with her. She seems to love him too; however, Madeleine jumps from a bell tower to her death. Here is where the plot twists begin. James, unable to withstand the loss of Madeleine, spends a year in a mental hospital. Midge Wood (Barbara BelGeddes), who is in love with John, his only visitor. Once released, John sees Madeleine everywhere, or so he thinks, until he truly sees a women, Judy, who bears a striking resemblance to Madeleine. In remaking Judy into Madeleine, James discovers a truth about Madeleine and the events that lead up to her death. In an effort to move past the past, James is able to overcome his vertigo but tragedy strikes one last time.

I have always loved Alfred Hitchcock movies; however, I have never really given thought to how techniques, such as foreshadowing, chronological order, editing and lighting effect the mood and development of a movie.

In Vertigo, there is a great deal of foreshadowing, as establishing the main character, James “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart) suffers from vertigo later plays part in Madeleine’s (Kim Novak) suicide. There is again foreshadowing, added by color, as we first see Madeleine in a green gown, then her car is green. This associates the color green with Madeleine for the audience. Later, when Judy is first met, she is wearing green, the awning to her hotel and the hotel walls are also green. Throughout this movie, there are instances where a blue hue is used, which one comes to associate with a foreshadowing of danger or intense emotional or psychological distress.

The movie, with the exception of Judy’s flashback to her part in Madeleine’s apparent suicide, is told in chronological order. This aids in character development as the audience can fully experience the journey taken by James Ferguson as he first falls in love with, then looses Madeleine. I do not believe telling this story in any other way would have led me to feeling empathy for the main character at the time of his mental break after Madeleine’s death.

One thing I did not know, this movie has a reference to necrophilia. There were some obvious illusions to sexual desire, as in the close up shot of the bun in Madeleine’s hair; however I would not have made the connection to necrophilia had I not watched an interview with Alfred Hitchcock about the movie Vertigo.

References

American Film Institute. (2008). AFI’s 10 top 10. Retrieved from http://www.afi.com/10top10/moreDetail.aspx?id=7892&thumb=1

WatersStillRunDeep (2011, April 5). SHOCKING Hidden Meaning of VERTIGO. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc2s9uSXWKM

Vertigo (10/11) Movie CLIP -Judy Becomes Madeleine (1958) HD. MOVIECLIPS. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tesqTwX7cpc