Vertigo

Released May 9, 1958

2h 8m

Mystery & Thriller

List

92%

Tomatometer

93 Reviews

92%

Audience Score

100,000+ Ratings

Hitchcock's romantic story of obsession, manipulation and fear. A detective is forced to retire after his fear of heights causes the death of a fellow officer and the girl he was hired to follow. He sees a double of the girl, causing him to transform her image onto the dead girl's body. This leads into a cycle of madness and lies.

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Critics Consensus

An unpredictable scary thriller that doubles as a mournful meditation on love, loss, and human comfort.

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Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

Once it switches over to us getting inside her head... I started seeing it more as Judy's story than Scottie's.

Rated: 4.5/5

Feb 9, 2024

Full Review

Jack Moffitt

Hollywood Reporter

Alfred Hitchcock tops his own fabulous record for suspense with Vertigo, a super-tale of murder, madness and mysticism that stars James Stewart and Kim Novak.

May 13, 2022

Full Review

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

The storytelling isn't up to much. It drags and drags.

May 18, 2020

Full Review

Sebastian Zavala Kahn

Me gusta el cine

It's a product of its time (especially when it comes to the treatment of the female characters), and it's not trying to be just a thriller. Rather, it is a story about a doomed romance that turns into a dangerous obsession. Full review in Spanish.

Rated: 4.5/5

Apr 17, 2023

Full Review

Zita Short

InSession Film

Novak feels like she was left out to dry by Hitchcock as he spent far more time paying attention to the location of the brooch on her lapel than he spent instructing her on how to convey her character’s emotions.

Feb 9, 2023

Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

Vertigo is a film with numerous layers that can be discussed in depth and at length. That’s not to say it isn’t also an enjoyable film. Hitchcock knew how to make them. That’s why his films are generally beloved by critics and audiences alike.

Rated: 4/4

Nov 26, 2022

Full Review

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darlene r

That ending! Didnt expect that. Otherwise loved the acting and the location shots. Very interesting story

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/15/24

Full Review

NiB Y

Hitchcock's magnum ops, about obsession. Don't need to say anything more, absolute must see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/03/24

Full Review

José R

Leaves you thinking. A lot.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/29/24

Full Review

Peter H

Apparently some old movies are even creepier than old people.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/21/24

Full Review

Christopher W

Jimmy Stewart is supposed to have a sympathetic character. He lost his wife and then someone hired an actress to play his wife to mess with him. It's just hard to feel bad for him because he's such an awful person. I understand the actress was in on it, but for a paycheck. I can understand him being upset but he treated her like trash, like she was less than human. He's a terrible guy. The ending is also pretty dumb.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/23/24

Full Review

Audience Member

First time ever watching (age 66) Vertigo. While going through Alfred Hitchcock’s Top 10. I was taken aback with obvious age relationship difference of the characters. Jimmy Stewart was 49, but looked older with gray hair. Barbara Bel Geddes was 35…. And looked it. But they were once engaged to each other? Now Kim Novak was only 24, but she was married to Tom Helmore who looked every bit of 57. I don’t know if this common casting in the 1950’s, but it sure is stark in 2024.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/15/24

Full Review

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

James Stewart

John "Scottie" Ferguson

Kim Novak

Madeleine Elster

Barbara Bel Geddes

Midge Wood

Tom Helmore

Gavin Elster

Henry Jones

Coroner

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Vertigo: Official Clip - Visiting the Past