Classic Romantic movies to watch on Netflix: Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo

An American movie released in 1958 went on to gather less favorable reviews even though it was masterfully directed by a man of great reputation. Years later, the movie’s reputation increased and in 2012 it topped the Sight& Sound critic’s poll by toppling the great Citizen Kane, which was hitherto at the top of every great movie list.

The movie was Vertigo, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense. Now, considered a masterpiece Vertigo primarily deals with psychological themes like phobia, obsession along with lust, love and death.

Vertigo’s narrative is centered on its hero’s, detective John ‘Scottie’ Ferguson (James Stewart), fear of heights or acrophobia. The movie is not about its hero’s weakness but it serves as the core of Vertigo’s plot.

The movie opens with a powerful sequence that shows the depth of Scottie’s fear. Scottie and a fellow detective are chasing a criminal through the rooftops of buildings.

The criminal jumps to the roof of another building, but Scottie couldn’t make it and he is left dangling from the edge of the roof. He experiences vertigo as he looks down. His colleague falls to death while attempting to save Scottie.

Scottie experiences vertigo while dangling from the rooftop

Scottie feels guilty for his colleague’s death. He is forced into early retirement.

Hitchcock successfully establishes his character through this sequence. He defines Scottie as a man/ cop ‘who may become powerless when he is most needed due to his weakness, the fear of heights.’

A detective who is scared of heights, is guilty of allowing his colleague to die in the line of duty, and is currently out of job; who will find him useful? This question drives the plot of Vertigo forward.

Scottie’s life changes when he meets an old acquaintance Gavin Elster. He wants Scottie to spy on his Wife Madeleine (Kim Novak)—A job Scottie reluctantly accepts.

Almost all of Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller films have a romance at its center. Consider The Birds (1963), on the surface the horror-thriller film is about Bodega Bay being attacked by violent birds with no apparent reason. But The Birds is actually about the romance between Melanie (Tippi Hedren) and Mitch (Rod Taylor) and how it impacts Mitch’s relationship with his mother, sister and ex-lover.

In Vertigo the relationships are very complex. Scottie falls in love with Madeleine but she is an idea constructed by Elster as part of his scheme to murder the real Madeleine, his wife.

Kim Novak as Madeleine

Scottie fell deeply for the fake Madeleine and he becomes devastated by her eventual death. He blames himself for the death. He feels guilty.

Scottie could always choose Midge, his ex-fiancée as she still has feelings for him. But Scottie feels unable to move on.

Scottie meets a lookalike of Madeleine and tries to transform her into the Madeleine he loved.

But Scottie soon realizes the whole Madeleine incident was a set up by Elster. Scottie loved the fake Madeleine and the girl who played the part of Madeleine falls for Scottie, making things complex. The movie ends in tragedy as all great Romantic movies do.

Vertigo is noted for its brilliant cinematography Robert Burks and haunting music score Bernard Hermann.

Though initially let down by critics and audiences alike, the movie achieved a classic status later. Director Brian De Palma was one of the many admirers of Vertigo. His films Obsession and Body Double are inspired by the movie.

Vertigo is streaming on Netflix.