Aug 21st
Vertigo**
US 1958. Paramount. 128m. Vistavision

An agoraphobic detective is hired to pursue a necrophiliac with whom he falls in love, but cannot prevent her death because of his condition. Traumatised, he then meets a woman who resembles her and decides to mould her into his lost love.
Overrated and rather infuriating Hitchcock mystery with some splendid set pieces, but they come in between ages of tedious prowling after the enigmatic heroine. Hitch annoyingly ditches any supernatural element half-way through for the usual murder plot, which by his standards is a very minor one. Despite the labour of love, audiences were not ready for James Stewart as a romantic obsessive.

Written by: Alec Coppel, Samuel Taylor, based on the novel "D'Entre les Morts" by Pierre Boileau, Thomas Narjerac.
Producer/Director: Alfred Hitchcock.
Starring: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore, Henry Jones, Raymond Bailey, Lee Patrick.
Photography: Robert Burks.
Music: Bernard Herrmann.
Titles: Saul Bass.

Restoration: Robert A. Harris, James C. Katz.

+ Grace Kelly (to become Princess Grace of Monaco) and Vera Miles (who became pregnant) were both sought before Kim Novak was hired.