In this section of our Colossus Movie Guide for Vertigo, we delve into the significance of the film’s title.
Cast
- James Stewart – John “Scottie” Ferguson
- Kim Novak – Judy Barton / Madeleine Elster
- Tom Helmore – Gavin Elster
- Barbara Bel Geddes – Marjorie “Midge” Wood
- Henry Jones – the coroner
- Raymond Bailey – Scottie’s doctor
- Ellen Corby – manager of McKittrick Hotel
- Konstantin Shayne – Pop Leibel
- Alec Coppel – Writer
- Samuel Taylor – Writer
- Alfred Hitchcock – Director
Why is the movie called Vertigo?
At a base level, the title of the film refers to a physiological condition characterized by a sensation of spinning and loss of balance—a condition that Scottie suffers from. Yet, as one delves into the narrative, it becomes evident that the term “vertigo” carries far more significant, multifaceted symbolism that taps into the film’s exploration of obsession, manipulation, and the blurring of reality and illusion.
To understand the deeper implications of vertigo, it’s crucial to consider the physical sensation it describes: the disorientation, the loss of control, the terror of instability. These elements are intrinsically connected with Scottie’s journey. His obsession with Madeleine and later Judy induces a metaphorical vertigo, a spiraling loss of control as he plunges deeper into his delusions. He’s stuck in a dizzying cycle of his obsession, unable to extricate himself or distinguish between the woman he loves and the illusion he’s built. Just as physical vertigo disorients and destabilizes, so too does the emotional and psychological vertigo Scottie experiences.
Additionally, vertigo also highlights the film’s focus on manipulation. Judy, under Gavin Elster’s machinations, is transformed into the image of Madeleine, leading Scottie into a dance of deception. The plot twists and turns, pulling the rug out from under the audience repeatedly. The viewers, like Scottie, experience a form of “narrative vertigo,” our perceptions of truth and reality manipulated and subverted, leaving us in a dizzying swirl of uncertainty.
Yet another layer of the vertigo symbolism is present in the visual language of the film itself. The innovative camera techniques, particularly the dolly zoom or “vertigo effect,” mirror the protagonist’s disoriented mental state. By visually distorting space and depth, these shots mimic the sensation of vertigo, pulling the audience further into Scottie’s distorted perception of reality. The title, thus, not only encapsulates the plot and themes but also informs the visual style of the film, making it an integral part of the storytelling.
While the title Vertigo initially conveys the idea of physical imbalance, it profoundly represents Scottie’s emotional imbalance and the disorientation experienced by the viewers. The title is an intricate puzzle piece that, when placed in the wider picture of the narrative, reveals a deep commentary on the human capacity for obsession, the nature of reality and illusion, and the unsettling reality of manipulation. As such, ‘vertigo’ moves beyond a mere medical term, becoming a powerful metaphor for the psychological disarray and tumultuous emotional state induced by fixation, deceit, and the blurring of truth and illusion. It is a reflection of the film’s complex exploration of human nature, making the title Vertigo far more than a simple label—it becomes a crucial element in the film’s narrative tapestry, encapsulating its psychological depth and intricacy.
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