Character Analysis

Character Analysis John “Scottie” Ferguson Madeline Elster Judy Barton Gavin Elster Midge

Scottie (played by James Stewart) • As “Everyman” (C14th morality play) representing the plight of the ordinary man? • Becomes lost in a world of illusion, dream and fantasy that Elster and “Madeline” create for him

Madeline (played by Kim Novak) • A fabrication from the start – a fact not known until over half way into the film (when it is revealed that Judy impersonated Madeleine in a scheme to murder the real Madeleine Elster, something that unmoors the viewer). • She represents an unobtainable, otherworldly ideal.

Judy (played by Kim Novak) • In contrast to Madeline, Judy represents the real. • Her manners are unrefined, even a bit coarse - she is the opposite of the refined, ethereal “Madeleine.” • Scottie recognizes some trace of Madeleine in Judy. Judy defends her true self when he quizzes her – perhaps she is desperate to reclaim her true identity after having played the role of Madeleine for so long. • When it becomes clear to Judy that Scottie will never love her for her own attributes, she consciously surrenders herself and allows him to transform her into Madeleine. • When her transformation is complete, it seems that rather than playing a role, Judy has actually taken on Madeleine’s identity, a fact that would account for her unthinking and fatal choice of Carlotta’s necklace when she dresses for dinner.

Gavin Elster • The film’s anti-hero. • Gavin is an old college acquaintance of Scottie who has married into a wealthy shipbuilding family. • He is calculating and manipulative, exploiting Scottie’s weakness to achieve his own goals.

Midge • Represents the opposite of Madeline – she is real, grounded, well adjusted and realistic.

Context • Hitchcock was born in London to middle class parents in 1899. • He was a prolific film-maker – he died whilst working on his 54th film! • He is widely considered to be one of the greatest film directors of all time – his films include Psycho, Rear Window, North by Northwest, The Wrong Man and The Birds. • He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres (e.g. the Dolly Zoom).

Activity • In groups brainstorm what you think are the key themes in Vertigo

Themes • Juxtaposition of myth and reality • Attempt to create the ideal women • Death • Past, present and future • Voyeurism and the impenetrable nature of appearances • Love • Power and freedom

Reality • There are parallels between Scottie’s quest for the ideal woman and Hitchcock’s relationship with Grace Kelly – Vertigo is often thought to be Hitchcock’s most revealing and autobiographical film • She was an actress who appeared in three of his films. • Hitchcock felt that Kelly’s blond beauty and distinct acting style made her the standard by which all other actresses should be judged. • Her departure from the film world in the mid-1950s to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco led Hitchcock to attempt to mold other actresses in her image. • Kim Novak, the blonde co-star of Vertigo, was one of these Grace Kelly stand-ins.

Parallels with myth on allegorical or figurative level? • Roman myth of Pygmalion and Galatea: • Sculptor Pygmalion uses his art to create an ivory statue of the perfect woman and then tragically falls in love with it. • Orpheus and Eurydice: • Musician Orpheus follows Eurydice into the underworld in a desperate attempt to bring her back to life, only to fail at the last moment by fatally looking back at her • Both males in either myth are artists like Hitchcock • Both myths explore, like Vertigo, the timeless and universal themes of love and metamorphoses (could you say Vertigo is “Ovidian”?)

The ideal women • Pygmalion and Galatea – does it reflect Scottie’s desire to transform Judy Barton? • Sculptor Pygmalion uses his art to create an ivory statue of the perfect woman and then tragically falls in love with it.

Death • It is presented as being both attractive and frightening • Can you think of any scenes where it is presented as attractive?

Time • Cyclical nature of events • Symbolism of trees in the Sequoia forest – the meeting of past, present and future • “Madeline’s” obsession with the past: the Museum and McKittrick Hotel (Carlotta Valdes)

Audience as voyeur • A theme taken up in 3 of Hitchcock’s most famous films – Rear Window and Psycho as well as Vertigo • How does this involve the audience in the story?

Power and Freedom • Tunnels and corridors are a motif in the film – what do you think they might symbolise?

Narrative • The story is divided into 2 sections, each of which re-construct the same ancient story • Does the film end in a state of resolution (the “Hollywood” ending satisfying audience expectations)? • Why (not)?

Spectatorship: subjectivity and objectivity • The audience switches between a state of: • Identifying and sharing experiences with Scottie (subjectivity) • Being at an objective distance from Scottie, often knowing more than him • The line between objectivity and subjectivity is a fine one

Symbolism • Flowers • “when Scottie spends the day with Judy before her transformation into Madeleine, he buys her a single flower to wear as a corsage, not a replica of Madeleine’s signature bouquet as we might expect. It is a visual reminder that Judy does not possess the ideal perfection of Madeleine, but merely a small seed of it” • Colour green (e.g. of clothes) • spring, rebirth and life after death, common colour in early folktales (story has roots in ancient narratives) • Spirals • staircases, camera movements

Character Analysis