Vertigo (1958)

The critic calls it one of the truly great later Hitchcocks, praising the hallucinatory quality, dreamlike San Francisco locations, and standout dual performance by Kim Novak alongside James Stewart's complex characterisation.

The critic calls Vertigo Hitchcock's most disturbing masterpiece and one of the finest American movies ever made. They single out the superb performances from Stewart and Novak along with the director's signature techniques and obsessions.

The critic finds the film slow and deliberate in technique, with a plot that fails to sustain itself and elements that feel sexist, though it includes some good suspense diversions and moments of virtuosity.

The film offers the most elegantly spooky vision of an American city ever captured on screen, particularly in its 70mm presentation of San Francisco. Hitchcock uses major stars to craft a dark and deeply personal story.

Calls it a rich and strange masterwork that positions Hitchcock as a grand experimental artist in genre cinema. Singles out its perverse poetry, emotional desolation, Bernard Herrmann's score, San Francisco locations, and Stewart's anguished performance as elements of its obsessive, dolorous view of longing and betrayal.

The critic praises Hitchcock's mastery of suspense and sleight of hand in crafting atmosphere and uncertainty through slow, unostentatious camera work, despite the implausible story. However, the film is deemed not really worthwhile due to its essential dottiness and an unnecessary second hour that tests patience.

Praises Hitchcock for topping his suspense record with a tale of murder, madness, and mysticism. Highlights pioneering techniques, strong performances especially by Stewart as the obsessed detective, and effective nightmare sequences.

The critic finds the plot farfetched nonsense involving a detective shadowing a woman who believes she is possessed by a spirit from the past. The endless driving sequences prove tiresome and the story indulges in implausible twists.

It is prime though uneven Hitchcock, with strong performances from Stewart and Novak and masterful direction, but the first half is too slow and too long. Overall it should prove profitable at the box office.

The critic calls Vertigo the pinnacle of moviemaking and his pick for the greatest film ever made, praising its concise, clever story, Hitchcock's masterful direction and depth of character, and the stunning performances, especially James Stewart's against-type role.