nan | 楠木

Fear, lust and obsession form the key themes of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 classic. Starring the great James Stewart as an ex-detective (John “Scottie” Ferguson) with an acute fear of heights, the film follows his bizarre encounters in the mystery of a woman’s death.

The brilliance of the film is that it is not built on suspense – indeed, the key to the mystery is revealed around the end of the second act, with a full 40 minutes to go before the film finishes. This revelation, which gives up the mystery, allows the film to fully develop and expose its characters.

The plot follows Ferguson after he has been hired by an old acquaintance to keep an eye on his wife, the voluptuous Madeline (Kim Novak). Madeline is not suspected of being unfaithful, though, and instead she is feared to be “possessed” (originating from a myth in her family) and suicide-prone. Ferguson inevitably falls for the femme fatale, which begs the question of morality (she is, after all, his friend’s wife), but was helpless to save her from her suicide attempt.

Things become interesting after the grief-struck Ferguson meets a girl (Judy) that looks identical to Madeline. He befriends the girl, they fall in love, but for Ferguson Judy is just a replacement, and he becomes obsessed on shaping her to be exactly like Madeline – dying her hair, changing her clothes etc. The obsession drives the film to its climax, where Ferguson has a revelation (some half an hour after the audience has) and there is a final encounter.

It is hard to like or dislike the protagonist. He is driven by his own lust and obsession, and his own fear results in him failing to “prevent” Madeline’s death. Yet you can also argue that his love and care is authentic and unselfish (he cared more for the girl than for himself). In the end this combination makes the character alive, and the in-depth study of this character forms the centerpiece of this film.

And therefore credit must be given to James Stewart, for this is an haunting performance. Especially during the pivotal final scene, the sheer conflict of multiple emotions is literally set free, and you can see how much pain and anger he is bearing. Kim Novak is icy cold on the outside, but it is evident there is a fury fire of emotions inside, and her performance (which some may bash as stiff) conveys that well.

In the artistic department, the eerie score fits well, and the cinematography is absolutely brilliant. From the wandering scenes of San Francisco to close-ups of the lead stars, the lighting and angle of the shots seem to tell stories themselves. And then one can only sigh in disbelief – why don’t people make these kind of films anymore?

9/10