Vertigo definitely had MY MIND SPINNING | *First Time Watching* Movie Reaction & Commentary

[@CasualNerdReactions]

What are your thoughts on Vertigo? Did she really kill herself at the end? Did she dive to safety like the first time? Does my outlandish theory have any validity? Thanks for watching!

[@michaelschwartz8730]

I think she was nun-ed to death. Or maybe some kind of makeup poisoning from her eyebrows, which it looked like she applied with her thumb

[@arturocostantino623]

She was surprised by the nun and fell made the movie a circle and making her pay for the murder.

[@SilvanaDil]

If you haven't seen them already offline, I think you'd enjoy "L.A. Confidential" (1997) and "Memento" (2000). The former is set in the time period of 'Vertigo."

[@robertjewell9727]

This film is so dreamlike and its complexity comes from all the questions you're asking. Some theorize that Scottie is still hanging from the eave of a tall building in mortal fear of falling to his death. You'll notice Hitchcock never explains how he got down from there. But I think it's about a truly fractured middle-aged man who's never any real feelings about life or love and just views himself as an expert problem solver who observes and never gets involved in anything UNTIL!...he meets Madeleine and the vertigo he suddenly realizes he has is the disguisef realization of what a fractured man he is. Rather than face it, he FETs pathologically dizzy and everything around him swirls. Midhe is the character I relate to in this. She's the only real person in the whole film. There's a great shot in the beginning when Scottie says, "...but we were engaged once?", it's both a statement and a slightly sarcastic question, and Hitchcock cuts to a CU of Midge in a slightly tilted high angle as she pauses before she answers and that shot wordlessly explains years of their relationship. It's real genius how that shot does that, telling us she's always tried to get Scottie out of his shell, but he's too fearful to try to relate to anyone. He's cold UNTIL! he meets Madeleine and after that he becomes an obsessive necrophiliac and even starts experiencing in real time all the things Madeleine said she was experiencing as Carlotta, dreaming and haunting places. He even says to Gavin after some initial detecting he says about the supposed Madeliene, " Anyone could become obsessed with the past with a background like that!" which exactly what happens to him. Oh, and Judy doesn't jump at the climax, she just slips backward and misteps fearing the shadow moving in the dark. Sorry, for the unbelievably long comment. Also when Madekiene first runs up the tower, she says to Scottie trying to break free from him, "It wasn't supposed to happen like this!" but Kim Novak brilliantly changes her alluring voice as Madeleine and it becomes Judy's voice. Of course it's very subtle and neither we nor Scottie notice it, but on a second viewing you can hear it. Fantastic reaction!!!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

@@SilvanaDil I have seen Memento, but LA Confidential is one I hope to see this year.

[@JordanOrlando]

This is shaping up to become one of the best if not the best reaction channels on KZbin. Chris, I don't know who you are or what your background is, but you bring a unique tonality and erudition to the form. Keep up the good work! I'm really enjoying your takes on my favorite movies.

[@johnanderson5558]

Agreed! Chris is enthusiastic as well as highly entertaining. A great channel!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Wow, thanks so much! I really appreciate your kind words. I enjoy doing this and i’m grateful that I can offer something somewhat unique.

[@gggooding]

Word!

[@traceyb9443]

Totally agree! Very entertaining but also thoughtful reactions.

[@collinkorenek6125]

His authenticity shines through ❤️ Brigette

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

And now the real vertigo begins because you can (and will) watch this film a dozen different times and see new things each time. It’s so twisty. Hitchcock created a dark dark film about not letting go of the past and going mad. Carlotta Valdez went mad because she was discarded by her husband. Madelyn was literally thrown over for a girlfriend by her husband, and discarded off the roof. We never meet Madelyn. Then the husband discarded Judy. Midge couldn’t let go of the past. Johnny couldn’t let go of a character that Judy played. He fell in love with a character of a Madelyn who never existed, then met the actress and tried to make her the character, who was real to him - and dead. It goes on and on. Judy is spooked by the nun in the shadows, who’s like a ghost to her, who’s like judgement finally catching up to her - and she steps backward and dies. Wait a year and watch the film again. I see a new movie each time.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Great analysis. I gotta think about the things from my past I've struggled to let go of now... 🤔

[@Fanfanbalibar]

IN PSYCHIATRIC OR PSYCOLOGICAL WORK ,WE CALL THAT "COMPULSION DE RÉPÉTITION" ! (LOOK FOR FREUD'S TERMINOLOGY)@@CasualNerdReactions

[@JT-rx1eo]

Was Judy really a girlfriend of Gavin Elster, or did he simply hire her to act the part of Madeleine?

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

@@JT-rx1eo …there’s a beat in the script where Scotty’s grilling her, on their final trip up the stairs, where he’s speaking of Elster ‘discarding’ her, which made it seem like at least Judy might’ve thought she meant something to Elster. If it was just a paid accessory to murder job, discarding her would’ve been an expected ending. Judy also doesn’t seem like the naturally criminal type as much as a low self-esteem type. If, on the other hand, she’d fallen for Elster, a charismatic tycoon, who dressed her up and wined and dined her at Ernie’s, etc…, it tracks better with her behavior in both halves of the film.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Acting the part o fMadeleine@@JT-rx1eo

[@edwardsighamony]

As someone who lived in SF as a child when I first emigrated to America in the late 70s, this movie brings back memories of those early years. Most of the locations hadn't changed since Vertigo was filmed, so I was able to recognize a lot of the locations when I first saw it. No, he's not in a psych ward. Judy was startled by the nun and tripped over the edge backing away from her.

[@johnanderson5558]

My first viewing of Vertigo was a disappointment; no killer birds or crazed motel owners, just a moody psychological thriller. But each subsequent viewing has deepened the story of a man trying desperately to resurrect his lost love and ultimately recover his sanity. A masterpiece.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

That's an accurate depiction. By comparison to others it's a rather slow moving, simple narrative with a possible supernatural hook, but by the time it's done you realize it's a lot more.

[@markdodson6453]

It's amazing how many great films, how many masterpieces, are like this: Your first viewing leaves you uncertain. As you say, a little disappointed. But something about it gets its claws in you. You don't really realize it for a while. Maybe years. And then you watch the film again. And maybe again. And then it clicks. And then you're borderline obsessed. Kubrick has always been like that for me. The first time I saw BARRY LYNDON, I thought "Beautiful, sure." Years later, it may be my favorite Kubrick film. You're right; VERTIGO is like that.

[@krautgazer]

@@markdodson6453 Your statement is so true. It happened to me with Barry Lyndon as well, and also some other Kubrick films like Dr. Strangelove and Eyes Wide Shut. There Will Be Blood was another film just like that for me - at the end of my first viewing I was like: what the hell just happened and what is this movie about?? Then, after subsequent views I realized how monumental that movie is. Actually, the latest P.T. Anderson movies were all like that for me, especially The Master and Phantom Thread (although I haven't rewatched Phantom Thread yet but it made me intrigued and wanting to watch it again). People like to compare Christopher Nolan with Stanley Kubrick but in my opinion Paul Thomas Anderson is A LOT MORE similar to Kubrick in the sense that his films have this vagueness and openness about them that Nolan's films don't really have, he overexplains everything. Not to mention the slower style of Anderson, which is more akin to Kubrick's.

[@billolsen4360]

Me too, but Kim kept me coming back to watch it again.

[@HK-wv4hr]

I hope you’ll watch Hitchcock’s Notorious. I think you would love it.I think it’s the best of his films. Plus, Ingrid Bergman.

[@jimmybee4768]

She was spooked by the shadow of the nun approaching. She backed up and fell to her death. According to the morality of the time she was complicit in the murder of Elster's wife. She had to die. Great reaction.

[@ceoofbased2877]

I'm pretty sure that by the morality of any time she is complicit in the murder of his wife.

[@jimmybee4768]

@@ceoofbased2877 Absolutely. But by the standards of that time ,she would have to be punished in the movie for her actions. That doesn’t always happen in contemporary films. Thanks🙏

[@foljs5858]

@@ceoofbased2877 Yes, but not all times would object the same if she got out scot free and found love with Scottie in the end...

[@astragalusson]

@@jimmybee4768 Gavin Elster, the actual murderer, wasn't punished in the movie as far as I know. Did it apply only to women characters or only to the very main characters?

[@jessicaross7288]

@@astragalusson Mostly women, unless the men were gangsters or such like. The Code was very lopsided.

[@pravusprime]

I figured the abrupt ending was going to throw you. I took it as the nun coming out of the shadows made her feel like she was going to be murdered just like the original wife, causing her to panic and take a step back, only there wasn't a place to step back to up there.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I am sure that’s exactly it. Still a great, complex, and tragic ending.

[@foljs5858]

I think when the nun approached, she thought like she was seen the actual wife's ghost, because of her guilt and the tension, and she didn't jump, she fell by stepping back while scared!

[@jeremyadams1521]

Yeah I always felt that she thought that was Carlotta approaching and she panicked and fell

[@ThreadBomb]

Yes, I assume Judy thought it was the ghost of Madeleine, or perhaps it was more vaguely just a personification of her fear and guilt.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

NO !@@jeremyadams1521

[@porflepopnecker4376]

I enjoyed your reaction very much. I'm sure Kim Novak, whose acting was often derided by critics, would've been very pleased that you didn't know it was she in both roles. Have you reacted to "Citizen Kane" yet? That would be fun.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I haven't seen Citizen Kane yet, but it's high on the list of classics I'd like to check out, right up there with 12 angry men, and the Maltese falcon.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

I"ve seen Citizen K, the Maltese falcon but none of them had we watching it repeatedly and time and again ! 12 angry men, yes, because of the excellent acting of Fonda and the good man he impersonates@@CasualNerdReactions

[@philrob1978]

Had the absolute pleasure of seeing this at the cinema yesterday - an amazing piece of cinema, really gets under the skin, one of Hitchcock's best. I love how it starts out sort of wholesome with Scotty's genuine attempt to help his friend, then ending up falling in love with his "mark". And then the rug is completely pulled from underneath you. It's a masterpiece, hugely influential going forward - but this absolutely holds up as a psycho-sexual tragedy. The cinematography is gorgeous, Bernard Hermann's score is a career best - one of the finest movies of its time, or any time. Your reaction was wonderful as ever - I'm glad that you're open minded enough to react to these timeless classics. Keep up the good work Chris - x

[@Fanfanbalibar]

I couldn't write it better !

[@bobmessier5215]

These two actors chemistry were so good together in the romantic comedy "Bell, Book and Candle". Kim Novak was so bewitching and lovely!

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Indeed, and her 2 roles in Vertigo are amazing, how little changing and yet being so "different" !

[@billr686]

To me this movie is very personal for Hitchcock and gives a glimpse into his somewhat twisted mind. Just like Scotty tries to transform Judy into Madeleine, so does he always have the “cool blonde” in every movie where he tries to transform every actress into Grace Kelly, who he was infatuated with. Tippi Hedren, Eva Marie Sainte…he transform them all into his ideal.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

He didn't succeed!

[@Fanfanbalibar]

and besides, should Kelly hadn't married the prince of Monaco, she wouldn't have been as good as Novak in this role !

[@CoopyKat]

I wish everyone would do reaction videos the way you do, showing clips of movies full screen in the background, and there you are in the middle of it, we see your reactions to everything. This is another one of Hitchcock's great suspense films......I too have vertigo........when I see films of skydiving or anything that is high up it scares me. This is actually a natural defense that humans and animals have to protect us from dangerous situations from high places.

[@dlweiss]

Great reaction, as always! I love how much you let yourself get pulled into the stories. :)

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks so much! I try as best I can to feel whatever the film is wanting me to feel. I want a movie to suck me in, that's the experience!

[@gaelbourdier2941]

@@CasualNerdReactions As far as I'm concerned; my favourite scene is the museum.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

@@gaelbourdier2941 ??????????

[@marklindsey2127]

Over the years I have seen this film several times and still not sure I have it completely figured out. That's why I love it. Hitchcock incorporated several of his own personality traits in most of his films, primarily fear of heights/falling, and blondes, blondes, blondes.

[@brentwebster6164]

You are right that it’s the director’s intent to leave your head spinning. Also the creepiness of Scotty’s obsession and remaking Judy into Madeleine. Casting wholesome Jimmy Stewart in the role is half of what makes it work.

[@foljs5858]

One aspect of the film discussed by the French directors/critics who loved the movie in the 60s, was how it is also a metaphor about love and obsession, like do we love the person itself, or the image we have built in our minds for the person (or perhaps the image that other person created for us). Scottie for example can't be satisfied being with the exact person he loved, because he actually loved the role that person was playing, and wants to replicate it.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

That’s definitely an interesting thought topic. Really great comment.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

yes!

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Exact, and as I also was a psychologist you couldn't say it better !

[@suechapel1443]

Vertigo is my favorite Hitchcock movie, the music takes me to a different place. The twist at the end was genius 👌! Thank you for reviewing it for us.

[@frankmahovlich5099]

James Stewart and Kim Novak also starred opposite one another in another 1958 film called BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE , a sophisticated romantic comedy. Kim plays a young witch in NYC, who enchants Jimmy's book publisher character because she's attracted to him and to get revenge on his mortal fiance who caused her grief and trouble in college. Jack Lemmon stars as KIm's brother and Elsa Lanchester as her aunt. And she has a Siamese cat called Pyewacket as her familiar! This movie and 1942's I MARRIED A WITCH were the inspiration for TV's BEWITCHED. Watch and enjoy!

[@Fanfanbalibar]

GREAT SEQUEL AND A MORE RELAXING ONE TO VERTIGO, BUT ENCHANTMENT IS STILL THERE AND NO BAD ENDING !

[@jim8368]

This is one of my all time favorite movies. Everything is so perfect, the restored color, the music and the scenes around SF. You have to remember that in movies in past years you had to pay for your crimes in some way, that's why Judy payed for her part in a murder by slipping and falling off the tower. In many Hitchcock themes in his movies, murder happened right under our noses in everyday life. He also had a whimsical sense of humor at times too. Glad you liked this movie, there are so many classic movies to enjoy with a wide subject matter. Film Noir, westerns, comedies, I hope you explore more of them.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

I eliminate westerns from you list, westerns are a guy's thing (When I was studying at the University of Medicine , Paris (France, not Texas) the guys used to go watching westerns and us, girls, went to watch Antonioni, Bergman or other such directors (re-re-re-watching the great Hitchcocks !) making that kind of movies ! Happily in the Latin quarter district of Paris, all the cheap movie theaters (with the student card the price is very low) are in one or 2 adjacent streets and so we could meet after the end of our respective film choices !

[@celinhabr1]

Brilliant movie. Great to see you reacting to it. It's the type of movie that gets greater every time i watch

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Love to hear that. I was surprised when I went to editing it how much I kept in. It moves at such a pace I thought this would be a shorter video, but there's so much there!

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Yessssss !

[@albertjimeno5315]

I think the end is that at first the nun just shadow looked like a ghost, so that represented Madeleine’s guilt over being an accomplice to murder, she thought it was Gavin’s wife’s ghost (even though it was just a nun), bringing the story circle back in a way to the pretend ghost story Gavin used in his murder plot.

[@davidfox5383]

Not only my favorite Hitchcock but one of my favorite films of all time! I'm surprised you didn't mention the stunning Bernard Herrmann score, easily one of his best. I remember reading about this film when it was still not available to see in any way shape or form. They finally released it again in the early 80s while I was in college, and I sat there mesmerised. The scene when Madeline emerges from the bathroom in the pool of green light still gives me chills every time. It's like the ghost of Madeleine has come alive and reincarnated in Stewart's arms. My other favorite scene, not included in this edit, is when she disappears briefly behind the tree. Even though it is technically not a ghost story, it explores the ghosts that haunt Jimmy Stewart's character's mind. I thought your "psych ward" theory was interesting, and like Kubrick's 2001 certainly has some openings for interpretations. Some have said they thought he jumped after her right after that. There is a deleted ending where he's listening to the radio with Midge, which is explaining how Elster was caught, and they just look at each other sadly. But that was never how Hitchcock intended to end the film and shot it basically to appease the censors who said Elster got away with murder. Once again, a delightful reaction!

[@davidfox5383]

Oh, there's also another line of thought that says that this is Hitchcock's most personal film. Basically Stewart was a stand-in for Hitchcock, and did to Judy what Hitchcock basically did to all of his actresses.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

A lot of great insight and info here! Thanks for sharing it. I'm glad that ending scene wasn't included, far more impactful to just end the film where it did. I loved the music in this film, I only briefly mention Bernard Herrmann in the full length at the beginning because I'm excited, and am amped when I saw his name in the credits. But the mystery of the film had me so engaged, and the music accompanying so perfectly that I didn't think to make mention of it, but I was loving it while I edited. 👏👏👏

[@ThreadBomb]

@@CasualNerdReactions I'm glad you noticed the music! Herrmann wrote music for a lot of movies, some classics, and he always adds a _lot_ of value. Just a few: Citizen Kane, The Day the Earth stood Still, On Dangerous Ground, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Mysterious Island, Cape Fear (!), and Taxi Driver.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

It may be right if we had ever had the opportunity to psycho-analyse Sir Alfred's mind@@davidfox5383

[@joanward1578]

Jimmy Stewart, Kim Novak...along with Jack Lemmon also was in the movie Bell, Book, and Candle

[@billverno6170]

One of the things that separates this from your typical mystery/thriller is that right after Scotty meets Judy there is a flashback and the whole deception is explained. In most films of this sort that disclosure would be saved for the climax at the end of the movie. That is the difference between a surprise ending where the audience is as mystified as the characters and a suspense ending where the audience knows more than the characters and is waiting to see what happens. Hitchcock always went for suspense rather than surprise.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Suspense is definitely a great lane to be in! His films have all been great so far.

[@ThreadBomb]

Hitchcock really wasn't sure whether to include that revelatory flashback in the middle, but obviously it was the right thing to do, especially as it creates a sense of suspense that would otherwise be missing from the second half of the film. The example Hitchcock gave to describe suspense was a conversation taking place at a table with a bomb under it. If the audience doesn't know about the bomb, they get a shock when it goes off; if they do know about the bomb, they get suspense throughout the scene. Tarantino demonstrated this almost literally in the first scene of "Inglourious Basterds".

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Yes and I love Inglorious basterds (I watchad it again recently thanks to my huge DVD collection) ! @@ThreadBomb

[@brandondean8060]

Great playlist, love it. I've seen of some these movies prior to watching your reactions. Even with the spoilers I've still gone back to watch the films whole and all the way through. Alfred Hitchcock and James Stewart are gold together! Can't wait to go through the playlist, with you Chris n solo.

[@NateConklin]

The music for this movie is incredible!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Yes it is!!

[@NateConklin]

@@CasualNerdReactions kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5qze6Gei6eSaLc 🤗

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Thanks Bernard Hermann !

[@Richard-st8ds]

She didn't jump , she got startled by the creepy Nun and accidentally fell, brilliant Movie , biggest shock ever at the end in film history, Perfect finish to Vertigo ❤

[@GrouchyMarx]

For a good B&W Hitchcock full of intrigue set around WWII with Cary Grant again in a serious role for a change, and with Ingrid Bergman & Claude Rains from Casablanca, do "Notorious" (1946). The Hitchcock cameo is in there somewhere, so keep your eyes open Chris! 😁 For another good one in color, "The Birds" (1963). A great reaction to Vertigo and have seen it many times, but I'm still trying to sort it out! 😎👍 I noticed someone below recommend "Rope" (1948) and I strongly second that suggestion. Be on the lookout for 2 Hitch cameos in that one, as they're not easy to spot. It's an amazing production, similar to "Dial M For Murder", where it was filmed on one set.

[@jessicaross7288]

Oh man - "Notorious" is *seriously* under-appreciated. Claude Rains is brilliant.

[@subversivelysurreal3645]

Notorious is a fantastic film, and contemporary insofar as their relationship is concerned. Rope was based on a play, yet it was Hitchcock who choose to film it in one unending shot. I also recommend ‘Marnie’…there you will find a history that explains the story.

[@shallowgal462]

I recognized Barbara Bel Geddes from Dallas, and Ellen Corby from It's a Wonderful Life and The Waltons, as well as Henry Jones from The Six Million Dollar Man and Arachnophobia.

[@TheCkent100]

Nice reaction. I agree with other commenters on what happened at the end. I'd like to give my theory on Johnny's creepy behavior in remaking Judy into Madeline. Remember, Johnny is a detective. And even though he is "retired", I don't believe his detective mind is really retired. He knew that there was something strange with the death of Madeline, but just couldn't work it out. When he saw that Judy looked like her, his mind went into overdrive on a subconscious level to figure out the mystery of what really happened, and how Madeline ended up dead. Was it creepy, yes, But I think it was his subconscious working overtime. And you're not the only one that didn't see the resemblance. I didn't either. In fact, I still don't see how Johnny saw Madeline in Judy.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

That’s a great explanation!!

[@ThreadBomb]

Re recognising Judy, I think detectives are trained to look for unchangeable features that we tend to overlook when we are distracted by hairstyle, makeup and clothes.

[@billolsen4360]

Yes, if he suspected he'd been used as fool by Gavin to murder his wife, his morals as a police officer would have been outraged & he'd want to get to the bottom of things (no pun intended)

[@Fanfanbalibar]

THE EYES, THE EYES ARE A PERSON'S MIND !

[@Fanfanbalibar]

The features of her face (as it is Novak in both roles ; she can change her haircolor but one's face structure or feature can't be changed;

[@michaelpennington7800]

Vertigo, my favorite film. Not well received at release, it has been voted best film ever made many times. A story of obsession. Thank you. Madeline/Judy saw the nun as a ghost and turned away, only to fall to her death. Your assessment of keeping the audience confused in their own spinning Vertigo, is accurate. A true Hitchcock treat, letting the audience and some of the characters know more than the main character. Masterpiece. I also love that the city of San Francisco is a supreme character of the film. Almost 70 years later this film recorded exactly how SF looked at the time. The vintage automobiles and locations are eye candy on top of top-notch performances, superior actors of the day. Hitchcock is the master.

[@thefleasofathousandcamels6498]

Thanks for doing this, as well as other classic films. You GET it!

[@garybrockie6327]

You might try Jimmy Stewarts first Hitchcock film 1948’s Rope. A twisted tale. Based on a Stage play, Hitchcock tried filming it in 11 minute long takes (the length of a film reel) as an experiment.

[@gggooding]

Some of the transitions in Rope are... clumsy, certainly. But that's seeing it through a modern lens, which is unfair. Say this: Hitch really enjoyed showing someone being strangled. Frenzy clarifies that (trigger warnings).

[@garybrockie6327]

@@gggooding Also check out the death of the East German secret police officer in Hitchcock’s Torn Curtain

[@gggooding]

@@garybrockie6327 Good call! That scene is the inspiration (well, one of em) for the Coen Brothers Blood Simple!

[@Fanfanbalibar]

HA!HA!HA!@@gggooding

[@mrfomo217]

Now that you've seen this, you should also watch 'High Anxiety', the Mel Brooks spoof of this (and other) movies.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

YES, IT'S FUNNY BUT IT"S JUST A SPPOF ! IT'S MEL BROOKS

[@Fanfanbalibar]

HA ! I WAS EXPECTING THIS ONE ! EVERYTIME A HITCHCOCK MOVIE IS ANALYSED, AND VERTIGO IN PARTICULAR, THERE IS A DUDE WHO SAYS "HIGH ANXIETY, BLABLABLA ....

[@MrDavidcairns]

Loved this! The French filmmaker/critic Chris Marker theorised the same as you: the last not-quite-half of the film is Scotty's insane fantasy in the psychiatric hospital. Although the film never admits this, and Hitchcock and his collaborators never gave any hint that this was their intention, it's a good, inventive reading. He gives himself a second chance, but because he can never overcome the force of reality, he loses the girl again.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I'm glad someone else thought of that. I did a brief search after I finished the movie and couldn't find anything supporting my theory, so I figured I was just crazy. I'm ok with it all being real and her being scared by the nun and falling to her death, still an interesting and tragic ending. I was definitely caught off guard with how abruptly things went from he'll be here up to a year and then wandering the city. Very interesting film!

[@MrDavidcairns]

@@CasualNerdReactions That's why it's the modern critics' favourite film ever -- so open to interesting readings, in a way that other Hitchcocks maybe aren't. But the public didn't like Vertigo at the time, and audiences still prefer much of his other work. That deliberately shocking, sudden ending is part of it: not an ingratiating move! When the lights come up in the cinema, you can HEAR everyone blinking in confusion.

[@cesararanda4213]

I felt so guilty while watching this and enjoying the thought about how you would be reacting to the end...

[@nealsterling8151]

It's definitely one of the most beautifully shot movies i know. Every scene, every shot is like a painting. I LOVE those old cars and the amazing landscapes in this movie. Why can't movies be this beautiful anymore? Maybe it's just me but when i see this movie, i tend to think how ugly it would look like if it was done nowadays...

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I agree! I was struck multiple times by the use of color throughout the movie and how strategically it was placed to balance the scene. Really impressed.

[@billolsen4360]

Judy got everything but a new green Jaguar o

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Sure !

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Sure but fortunately it couldn't be done nowadays !

[@jamesharper3933]

Missed this one so I went back to watch it. Great reaction and you're doing some really good ones lately. One Hitchcock movie that you can check out is the overlooked 1965 Sean Connery vehicle Marnie.

[@jentoby73]

That's an interesting theory that he never left the psych ward and he imagined all of the last part of the movie. I'd never considered that, and I think you could make a case for that idea. I always assumed it was real and he wasn't in the psych ward. And I didn't think Judy/Madeline jumped on purpose at the end, rather she was so startled by the nun coming out of the shadows that she fell. But I did always think that scene could have been executed better because it could be interpreted that she jumped. But who knows, maybe she did jump!? Now you've got me questioning that too - lol. Like you said, I think Hitchcock wanted to keep the audience unbalanced and doubting themselves, just like Stewart's character. There are couple of details that still make me lean toward the last part was real and not all in Stewart's head. The first detail his old college friend would have read about what happened to Stewart in the paper at the beginning and about his vertigo. It does seem like a plausible scheme to use Stewart to help him commit the perfect murder. Also, when Stewart leaves Judy's apartment and you see her remembering what happened and then writes her confession, it's all from her perspective. If the whole last part of the movie was in Stewart's head, why would he have imagined that? However, because he ended the movie so abruptly, we'll never know. And your theory could still work. My mind is blown!

[@creech54]

That's it! She was scared by the nun and fell. Nothin' more to it.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I definitely think being scared by the nun is a more accurate interpretation. I was just thrown by how abruptly we went from six months to a year in the mental hospital to wandering the streets. It planted a seed in my head. The film is probably too meticulously plotted and it makes so much sense for my theory to pan out. It’s a fun idea though!

[@michaelt6218]

There's another theory -- that the entire movie, almost from the very beginning, from when he's clinging to the gutter by his fingertips, takes place in Scotty's imagination. How, after all, could he get down from there? How was he rescued? Hitchcock doesn't show us, and there seems no logical possibility, so maybe...

[@creech54]

@@michaelt6218 That would be the version written by Ambrose Bierce. LOL

[@jessicaross7288]

@@creech54 Now with DOUBLE the occurrences!

[@johnmaynardable]

Okay so now you have seen Psycho, Rear Window, North By Northwest and Vertigo, all great films (If I named something already that you haven't seen then see that). Here are some suggestions to consider next: The Man Who Knew Too Much (The later one with Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day. He made the film in England in B & W before he moved to Hollywood. Then he remade it in Hollywood. This is the film that gave us Que Sera Sera), Notorious with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, Suspicion, Rope ( A cool film made even better when you know that it was shot in nonstop 10 minute segments, which is how much film a camera magazine holds. Hitchcock planned each ten minute sequence to end with a door opening, or someone stepping in front of the camera, so he could switch out the magazine), The Birds, Frenzy, The Lady Vanishes, The 39 Steps and so much more.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I want to see them all. I’ll be doing one a month or so and my patrons will be voting on which Hitchcock is next.

[@Progger11]

This movie is very special to me. When I first watched it, I had the exact same reaction that you did at the end. I wondered what the hell I had just watched. I honestly wasn't even sure if I liked it. Then, I kept thinking about the movie. For days. It haunted me. And I knew something about it had gotten its hooks in me. Even if I couldn't put my finger on it yet, I knew I had to watch it again. Now, it's my favorite Hitchcock film, and I've seen it dozens of times. I see something new every time I watch it. The ending can be interpreted any number of ways, but something to think about: the nun at the end has Madeline's voice, and the shape of the collar on her habit resembled in the shadows the square open neck of the dress Judy wore to look like her.

[@teddiberes1688]

So much fun to watch with you. It's great that you're giving the classics a try, and finding them as enjoyable as ever. I'm an old movies fan, myself. (It wasn't a dream. And she didn't kill herself.) The nun startled her. She probably thought the ghost of the murdered woman had come for her. She stepped back in fear, and over she went. That's what happens when you don't have railings in bell towers. The part I've never understood is, when she got up to the bell tower the first time, she seemed genuinely shocked that the guy chucked his wife off the tower, which is why she screamed. But if she didn't know that's what he planned to do, why did she think she was supposed to bring Jimmy there? What did she think the plan was? I hope that after Jimmy goes through some more therapy, he and Midge gave their relationship another try, or at least were friends again.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

AND IT WOULD BE A DISASTROUS FILM ENDING........

[@stephenulmer3781]

I watched this and "Rear Window" for the first time 3 years ago on Christmas day @ my grandmas. I thought they were both really good 😁

[@scoutiii8893]

I always thought the Nun represented a form of truth that Judy feared... I always thought she stumbled at fell -not jumped.

[@epsteinisms1483]

Ellen Corby, who played the proprietress at that spooky McKittrick Hotel and James Stewart shared a scene in "It's A Wonderful Life"! It was during the "run on the bank sequence". She's the lady who only wanted to withdraw $17.50 from the Bailey Building And Loan, and Stewart reached across and kissed her. ( Both the $17.50 line and the kiss were ad-libbed!)

[@CPTDoom]

And of course Corby and Barbara Bel Geddes, who plays Midge, went on to star as matriarchs of large families in 1970s Prime Time series, Corby as the grandmother on "the Waltons," and Bel Geddes as Miss Ellie on "Dallas."

[@mckeldin1961]

@@CPTDoom ... First time I saw VERTIGO during the 1983 theatrical re-release, THE WALTONS was still a fresh pop cultural memory, and when Ellen Corby appeared there was a gasp of recognition from the audience and then some audible "aws" and a smattering of applause. It was sweet.

[@pistolsscaramanga3437]

Sooooo good! Thanks for an amazing reaction to an amazing movie!

[@BubbaCoop]

There's a scene towards the end of 12 Monkeys with Bruce Willis and Madeline Stowe watching this movie in a theater. That's another one that will bend your brain a bit. The neon green through Judy's curtains was replicated in La La Land outside Ryan Gosling's apartment.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

MANY IMITATIONS, NOT A SINGLE ONE REACHING THE LEVEL OF THE ORIGINAL ONE !

[@TheBanner]

Fun watching you watch this great movie. JUDY'S DEATH ... Being fearful, traumatized, and confused, I feel it's believable that Madeline would be so startled by the Nun that she would jump back reflexively, accidentally falling to her death from the tower. That leaves Scotty in a state of re-lived Horror. That's not a happy ending, but for me, it's a good ending that sets up the opportunity for Hitchcock audiences to explore so many unanswered questions posed by the film. 👇 WHAT Scotty knew and WHEN he knew it. Many, if not most, people believe Scotty really believed Judy was just a look alike. That he became obsessed with recreating her into the image of Madeline. Obsessed to the point of psychosis. That is until he saw the necklace. Mine is another school thought. I believe Scotty suspected something from the first moment he saw Judy on the street. Yes, he had had a breakdown after Madeline's apparent suicide. But that's not unusual given the horror of the event. It is very believable that he would largely recover from that in one year. Hitchcock shows us throughout the film that Scotty never believed Madeline was possessed. Throughout the first half of the film, he was trying hard to prove that wasn't the case. Trying to find the real reason for her behavior. Remember, he tells Midge, "[Possesion] is what Gavin believes, NOT what I believe." When they're in the mission stable for the first time, he tells her "See there's a reason for everything. You're not possessed by anyone." Also, remember, he had spent his working life as a detective he believed in facts not superstitions. He was a professional investigator. He would not be so easily fooled by a mere change of hair, makeup, and clothing. I'm sure he hoped that if Judy turned out to be a different girl, then perhaps he could fall in love with that girl. Regardless, he needed to find the truth As a detective, the resemblance was too great not to raise his suspicions. He feared if this were the same girl, then certainly, he had been duped and used by her. The reason Scotty seemed so stressed and his behavior was so erratic was because he feared proving that worst-case scenario. BUT he definitely needed proof it one way or the other. So he tested her, duplicating the clothes and the hair, hoping she would break down and tell him the truth. But Judy was a good actress. She kept up the charade, and Scotty became more and more unsure. But Scotty was never psychotic. Never a pathetic simp, unrealistically obssessed with her... he was a man living in Terror that his worst fears about her might be proved true. And then, when he saw the necklace, that confirmed she was the same girl he had loved. The girl who used him, likely for profit. He was probably angry enough to want to throw her off the tower, but that isn't something Scotty would ever do. When they reached the top of the stairs, Scotty's harsh questioning gave way to a romantic kiss. He was possibly wondering if having a relationship with this untrustworthy woman could be possible. She was literally startled by the nun, jumping back and falling accidentally to her death

[@CEngelbrecht]

Spoiler alert, about the ending: She saw a dark shape in the tower, and instead of a random nun, maybe she thought it was the ghost of the woman she helped to murder, and then she panicked and fell out the tower to her own death. That's how I always interpreted the ending.

[@jimtatro6550]

Some other classic Hitchcock films to check out are Rear Window, North by Northwest, The Birds and of course Psycho. When you’re done check out High Anxiety, it’s a Mel Brooks movie that spoofs Hitchcock

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Will definitely need to check out high anxiety at some point. I have reactions to all of those Hitchcock films (except for the birds) on the channel. kzbin.info/aero/PLWBf4AV_HUlHj7oFF0_zhYqoaSLXF3nXV

[@billolsen4360]

I like how you're considering that Scotty was having just a dream in the last act. Could be. A good storyteller leave you with more questions than answers.

[@Jeff_Lichtman]

Mission Dolores is one of the historic Spanish Catholic missions in California. It was built in 1776, and is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco. Mission San Juan Batista, with the bell tower, is another one. Overall there were 21 missions in California, all of which still survive in some form. The Catholic church still operates several of them, but not as missions. I love this movie, although the plot is preposterous. Really, if someone wanted to kill his wife and get away with it, would he do it that way? But the acting is great, it's full of beautiful location shots, and the psychological aspect is compelling. I think the nun startled Madeleine/Judy and she fell out the window accidentally. There was no reason for her to jump at that point.

[@njatty]

Does the mission still allow visitors to jump (or fall) from its bell tower?

[@billolsen4360]

@@njatty Probably someone running the parish came to the conclusion that they should close it off after two deaths so close together. Actually, the San Juan Batista town collapsed in the 1800's earthquake and was never rebuilt. It was a special effect in the movie.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

there is no tower in San Juan Bautista Mission ! It was added in the studio in LA !@@njatty

[@michaelt6218]

Oh my god, that was a PERFECT reaction. You gave exactly the response that Hitchcock was aiming for. And, as some others have commented, the more times you watch this unbelievably great film, the more you will see in it, the more you will get from it, and the more deeply it will impact you. I'll never forget the first time I saw Vertigo -- around 1980, when it was rereleased to theaters -- and it scared the pants off me. So freaky and disturbing, with hints of insanity and the occult and necrophilia. Wow, it's a horror movie! Yet, with each viewing, now probably 20 times over the last 40 years, I find myself being more and more emotionally affected. The ending always makes me cry. It's so sad, so hopeless, so .... amazing.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

The movie definitely makes an impact! Thanks for your comment.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Bigger than you think !@@CasualNerdReactions

[@bryanCJC2105]

Those are redwood trees. They are massive and can be several thousand years old. If you go to San Francisco, visit the redwoods at Muir Woods Nat'l Monument just across the Golden Gate Bridge, it's stunning. Mission San Juan Batista is also fascinating. From there you can clearly see the scar of the San Andreas Fault along the side of the mission.

[@jimmygallant4778]

Jump! What jump? She was frightened , took a few steps back and……ahhhhhhh. Really enjoy your channel, a lot. May I recommend a few movies I think you’ll enjoy? Catch 22, Dr. Zhivago, To Kill A Mockingbird, Gone With The Wind. Lol 👍

[@CasualNerdReactions]

😅 Yea pretty clear upon reflection haha. I just had it in my mind she took a leap for whatever reason haha. Thanks for the suggestions.

[@jimmygallant4778]

@@CasualNerdReactions y w. 👍

[@anniethenonnymouse]

There's a good reason why Alfred Hitchcock is known as the Master of Suspense! This movie is endlessly fascinating. I love the complexity of the relatioships and motivations of the characters. Midge is by far my favorite character. She loves Scotty, she's always there for him, and yet his obsession leads him away from her. Great reaction to this great film!

[@Fanfanbalibar]

That's a common thing in real life !

[@thunderbladestorm]

The only thing that (for me) makes Vertigo a personal no. 2 ever filmed - is the twist, and not the twist itself which i utterly adore by the way, it's the timing of it. If that had been revealed in the very last scene - would of turned out beyond perfect. Think about it - the main female character is gone, the male lead still in love with her finds "her" again, does everything in his power to turn her into "her" The "second" female lead has to be a 100% crazy to let anyone do all of that to her, the male lead obsessed by what happened to him not once but twice (and the second time when he was over the top in love - which made it ten times worse) finally has what he was after from the very first scene where he saw her in that green dress and a 100% after he saved her from almost drowning - and then "he looses it" - just take a close look at his face after he kisses him without knowing what You've known from the middle of the feature. The drive to the tower and the entire tower climbing to the top creates pure thriller in the upcoming moments - and you as a viewer haven't got a clue why what you're seeing is happening when he finally has what he's been after, and then, AND THEN ... You find out - what he figured out when he took a look at her in the mirror after the transformation and saw ... "HER" and then the rest plays out exactly as it did - and ends tragically as it did If Hitch did that and the movie it self could never get more than a 10 i personally would of given it an 11 without a seconds thought. Vertigo is not just a pure Hitchcock masterpiece - it's one of the greatest things cinema itself has ever gone through and seriously doubt any thriller will ever come close to it

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Just a point: what he sees is the famous Carlotta's necklace ! Novak said in later years that Jimmy offered her the exact replica of Carlotta"s necklace !

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Why do you write "He kisses HIM"? Stewart isn"t a homosexual and Novak isn' t a man!

[@hippiechic6772]

I have been a fan of Alfred Hitchcock films since my mom got me to watch them with her . This is one is incredibly well made.... your reactions and commentary added even more to like about this film. To answer a question.... John's character was not still in the hospital . They were both really in the bell tower but as John was talking Madeleine saw the shadow of the nun walking toward them and was scared it was a ghost coming for her so she jumped to her demise . I would not expect anything less from Alfred Hitchcock.... his films are not known for happy endings . I would really enjoy your reactions to "Death Proof"~ 2007 directed by Quintin Tarantino . Thank you for your channel and I look forward to many more .

[@astragalusson]

- Not you, but many people complains that Hitchcock revealed the twist as soon as we meet Judy with her own identity instead of the ending. It's true that it would be a much shocking ending that could leave a quite pleasant taste as you exit the theater and I kinda thought the same just after my first viewing but after consideration I think Hitchcock did the right move. Because it makes the 2nd half of the movie very very intriguing and suspenseful. Otherwise we would only be watching a dude trying to change an innocent woman to his dead love for a long time. But this way, it keeps being suspenseful as we wonder if she will continue doing what he wants and risk being eventually recognized, if he will somehow figure it out, etc and what will his reaction be when he does, etc... Master of suspense sacrifices a shocking ending for keeping the suspense. - When Judy completes her transformation to be Madeline again and steps out of that bathroom, the green light of the hotel sign glows on her, making her look like a ghost. That scene gives me goosebumps every time. It might be the best use of colorful light in the history of cinema.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

I agree a 100% !

[@heathergibson2108]

Well ok then .. I don't think I've ever been grateful for insomnia but here I am. 5.03 am UK. Saw this for the first time in years just last year . I will enjoy watching your reaction 💕

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I'm sorry you were up so early, but glad my accidental midnight (my time) release could be beneficial to you.

[@mikeduplessis8069]

This film was about as close as Hollywood under the Hays code could get to sexual obsession.

[@michaelhurley1497]

I've always assumed that she accidentally fell as she was startled by the nun.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Very likely correct!

[@christelmaria645]

So glad you watched it its such a great film.Another Hitchcock film thats awesome is: Rope, also with James Stewart which i think youll enjoy :)

[@CasualNerdReactions]

DEFINITELY wanna see that one. My patrons will be voting on which Hitchcock films I watch each month so here's hoping!

[@garybrockie6327]

The first time watching Vertigo is a special experience. Scotty is not in the psychiatric ward. Hitch did film a final unused scene of Scotty visiting Midge with a radio reporting the arrest of Galvin Elster in Europe for the murder of his wife. This is a movie about obsession and control. Kim Novak said she drew on her experiences being molded and controlled as an actress by directors and producers. In the old Studio system the studio you has a contract with had a lot of control over your public image reaching all the way down to your personal life.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Yes but she had the guts to react and finally to go away and lived in Oregon, painting and helping her veterinarian husband (Bob Malloy, until he died, let's say now some 2 or 3 years ago)

[@californiahummus]

Interesting theory. I think you may be ready for Mulholland Drive.

[@renee7407]

No one can be ready for that one but I would love to see Chris react to it 😅

[@jessicaross7288]

Oh I think we have some algebra and trig groundwork to lay before Int Calc, don't you?

[@echocheck]

Please watch how much Hitchcock uses the color green in this film. I think he is doing it on purpose for a reason. Also, the doctor in the mental hospital is the actor who played Milburn Drysdale in the Beverly Hillbillies. His voice is very distinctive.

[@johneyon5257]

it's a convoluted plot that takes a while to sort out - when you're ready - you'll want to watch it again - and then it will seem less dizzying - and more clever & absorbing - you'll notice more - and it appreciate the film even more

[@fredzeppelin3969]

The Mission San Juan Bautista is real, and still there, however the bell tower never existed, it was a matte painting added in. Worth a visit if you're close enough for the drive.

[@jerryhayes9497]

Wonderful film from the master of suspense at the height of his powers

[@jennifermorris6848]

Love you checking out the Hitchcock.

[@houseofsledge6891]

Midge is the GOAT for sure. I adore her.

[@Peter-tg1kk]

One review I read: a tall story about a pushover. Fantastic music score, regarded by some as one of the best film scores ever. Conducted by Muir Mattison due to strike action at the time

[@douglascampbell9809]

If you want to see a magical forest my suggestions are Humboldt Redwoods State Park in California and Olympic National Forest in Washington State. Both are supposed to be fantastic.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

I went there during my several yearly vacations in Northern California and Oregon! (coming from France)

[@Fanfanbalibar]

48 kms (multiply by 1,6 for miles) in the Humboldt redwood forest when night was almost on was very scary for me!

[@RocketRoketto]

speaking of jimmy stewart, he was great in my fave courtroom drama, ''anatomy of a murder'' but also recommend, the children's hour with audrey hepburn and shirley mcclaine.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Great movie Anatomy of a murder ! the "Emperor" Preminger was such a good director !

[@Myrdden71]

I was so lost the first time I watched this movie. Definitely took a second viewing to understand what was going on.

[@joshuayeager3686]

While “Psycho” go down as my favorite of Hitchcock’s films, “Vertigo” is high ranking, leaving you feel very uneasy. My first time watching it, I didn’t realize it was Kim Novak with the darker hair. She really did switch it up with her body language.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I definitely didn’t realize it was her at all h til the movie spelled it out 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

@@CasualNerdReactions …Novak is mesmerizing in everything. She’s almost her own trope - an insecure, haunted blonde bombshell, very complex. Another good one for her is Strangers When We Meet, with Kirk Douglas.

[@michaelceraso1977]

yess KIM had plenty of curves to ummn shake lol. SHe admitted in that hotel room scene after Scottie asks to be let in that she was bra less. ANd those huge eyebrows I guess were grown out after she went back to being herself and Scottie was in the sanitarium for mnths

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Sure, as you watch her artistic work, a very complex person ! She was such a beauty !@@christopherleodaniels7203

[@scottweaverphotovideo]

She stepped back startled when she saw the figure in the shadow and fell out of the tower. It was just the ironic conclusion of the story. He couldn't have her because fate intervened.

[@starlightperkins330]

She saw the nun coming up the stairs out of the dark and it scared her...she backed away and fell out the window.

[@007sMoneyPenny]

Another great movie to pick. It’s so interesting 🧐 to see how others react to all those classics 🎥. And James Stewart is one of the greatest of his era. I got introduced to him by my father’s favorite film collection. f.i. „The man who shot Liberty Valance (1962 John Ford Western). The Who is who is in it: John Wayne, James Stewart, Lee Marvin, Vera Miles, Lee van Cleef,.. I know, western movies are might be a little old-fashioned these days.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

YES, AND FOR JIMMY YOU FORGET "MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON " (CAPRA), IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (CAPRA), YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY LIONEL BARRYMORE, ETC, ETC ,AND ABOVE ALL (FOR THE NON-HITCHCOCK MOVIES), OTTO PREMINGER 'S ANATOMY OF A LAWYER WHERE STEWART IS A LAWYER, AND ALSO THE GLENN MILLER'S STORY WHERE HE PLAYS GLENN MILLER ! ALL OF THESE ARE NON WESTERNS, BUT GREATEST MOVIES ! (I'VE GOT MORE THAN 300 DVDS IN MY PERSONAL COLLECTION AND ABOUT 300 OTHERS THAT ARE OPERAS SHOWS (YOU MAY HAVE SEVERAL TRAVIATAS, SEVERAL BOHEME, TOSCA, ETC WITH DIFFERENT SINGERS ! )

[@rxtsec1]

Love this movie, definitely in my top 10

[@botz77]

You should check out some Humphrey Bogart films. The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, and The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre are amazing.

[@PeterEvansPeteTakesPictures]

All the above are great! I'd be remiss not to take the opportunity to recommend vintage James Cagney too!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Definitely plan to check some of these out.

[@MrGpschmidt]

So pleased you watched this - my fave Hitchcock film - it is such a film - Stewart is my fave actor and he's at the top of his game here with a near anti-hero - you feel for Scotty but also want to keep him at arm's length of what he puts poor Madeline thru. Kim Novak is beyond sexy and ethereal - you even buy into the near supernatural quality of her ethos - and yes a very underrated actress. It is such a tragic romance - I always get choked up when Scotty finally realizes the deceit despite the fact she really is in love with him. Bernard Herrmann's lush score and the transcendent color schemes (the reds and greens triggering the characters' actions/behavior) and let's not even get into how the film skirts with reincarnation and necorphellia. A masterpiece - and you did a superb job putting the pieces together. I think if the film was made today it so would have used the trope of Scotty 'thinking' of the last act while in a sanitarium. Also: the 'reverse zoom' camera trick showcasing the vertigo is also employed by Spielberg in JAWS when Brody witnesses the Kinner kid killing. Oh and she accidentally fell to her death - not jumped ;D

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Yes! The accidental fall is very clear now that my mind has stopped spinning. Ahh such a great film! So many of his films push every boundary and this was something else entirely.

[@albertjimeno5315]

The psychotic nightmare sequence was influenced by the paintings of surrealist Spanish painter Salvador Dali, which is also fitting because Carlotta Valdez was Spanish.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Dali"s paintings were iin "SPELLBOUND" starring Peck and Bergman !

[@user-pv6gc6rz8q]

I think the nun scared her, or rather made her confront in herself the wrong she did and in one split second she went over the ledge to her ultimate fate. Maybe? That's the only way the nun part makes sense to me, a confrontation with her conscience, I don't think she meant to jump. Also this is my favourite Hitchcock, for so many reasons. I love the way it looks, feels, the colours, just brilliant. Also, the only movie I've seen where Nice Guy Jimmy Stewart gives me the creeps. I didn't think he had it in him but he was not the usual hero, he was MESSED up. Glad you enjoyed!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I think you nailed it! It is odd to see Jimmy Stewart in this role, but that kind of made it even creepier.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

Don't forget that Stewart was a brigadier general during WWII and bombarder all over Germany, and when back he suffere from PTSD (post Traumatic Stress Disorder, many said he wasn't the same guy )!

[@mikehagerty7902]

Chris, I agree with Jordan--yours is one of the few intelligent reaction channels out there---while still entertaining. The ending is simple---she confessed her role in the real Madeline's murder---a murder that took place in a church, a holy place. She confesses in the same place. Scotty has told her it's too late for them, so she won't have him. She suddenly sees a shadowy figure (Does she think it's Madeline's ghost? The Grim Reaper?), panics and jumps to her death. It was abrupt because Hitchcock wanted to shock the audience---remember: the next movie he made was PSYCHO. He was experimenting with shock in ways he hadn't before. By the way, from your reactions, it sounds like you have never been to San Francisco. You absolutely should. The giant redwood trees are only an hour or so away and many of the locations in this film are still there, including Fort Point, Mission Dolores and its graveyard and (100 miles south) Mission San Juan Bautista.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks so much Mike! I definitely need to go visit San Francisco. I've actually never been to the west coast so one day I need to plan a tour!

[@rockubtzer]

There is a Mel Brooks sort of render of this movie 1977 High Anxiety! like Young Frankenstein.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

AAAARRRRRR GGGGG HHHHH ! can't you stop this high anxiety thing?

[@DanielS2001]

She didn't jump from the bell tower. She fell off by accident.

[@jameshose5043]

“I’m not mad(eline)” tacit admission

[@maximillianford9301]

I have no idea why so many reactors have a problem with this movie's ending. The first time I saw it, all the imagery and symbolism and layering went over my head (which I've rectified in subsequent viewings) but I understood the ending perfectly well. With her frayed nerves and fragile emotional state, Judy saw the nun's shadow and stepped back in startlement and fear. Her panicked 'no' probably signifies that she thought it was some form of comeuppance, coming directly for her, an understandable reaction given the emotional state she's in. Maybe it was Madeleine's ghost. Maybe it was Carlotta's ghost. Maybe it was a creation stemming from her own guilty conscience. Doesn't really matter. What matters is that the viewer is left stunned into silence, with deep, poignant thoughts about the movie swirling all around

[@triple7marc]

My favorite movie!

[@ThreadBomb]

Did you overthink it? Yeah, probably! I think it might be best to think of Vertigo as fitting into the "film noir" area of visually stylised fatalistic crime thrillers. You've already watched Maltese Falcon, generally called the first film noir, so I hope eventually you'll watch Touch Of Evil, often regarded as the last of the original noirs. ... I agree with your sympathy for Midge. I think she may have broken the engagement when she realised Scotty didn't love her the way she loved him. ... I hope you are noticing the fabulous music of Bernard Herrmann in some of these Hitchcock films. Herrmann is possibly the greatest film composer of all time. For Hitchcock, he wrote the scores for The Trouble with Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Wrong Man, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, and Marnie. (The Wrong Man and Marnie are two of Hitchcock's lesser films.)

[@jackmessick2869]

The French novel this was based on is titled "From Among the Dead." You can still go to San Juan Bautista and see the church and the stable. But...there is a one big difference. It was not a big hit on first release; like you felt, it's confusing on first watch. It was that way for me. But subsequent views the themes of obsession and mistaken identity improve.

[@android82synthwave]

She was backing away from the nun's silhouette, thinking it was death coming for her sins. She fell by accident. Everything was real, and you just watched a top 5 movie of all time. Watch it multiple times. You'll eventually realize it.

[@eliserichardson8814]

This is a very special flick. Loads of twists and turns and the punchline ending is superb. And the score by Bernard Herrmann is to die for. Did many Hitchcock films. If you're on a voyage of discovery with Hitchcock films you must try Brian de Palmas obsession with Genevieve Bujold and Cliff Robertson - depalma was a Hitchcock fan and wanted to come up with his own Hitchcock Style movie and wrote obsession it has the same Style film story innuendo haunting quality keeps me on the edge of your seat until right to the final seen

[@Fanfanbalibar]

TO THE POINT OF COPYING THEM UNDULY? ALWAYS PREFER THE ORIGINAL TO THE COPY !

[@minnidrake3342]

Love this movie she accidentally falls to her death whether it’s her guilt or freight of judgement who knows but in a morality tale the guilt must be punished

[@tonybennett4159]

Maybe you should try the other Hitchcock film about an obsession : Marnie, where Mark just can't let go of trying to discover what makes Marnie tick. It's not as good as Vertigo but it's nowhere near as bad as the original critics thought it. Also, of course, Tippi Hedron had many uncomplimentary things to say about working with Hitch.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

One day I hope to check out most of his films, although there are quite a few so I don't know who far I'll get.

[@Fanfanbalibar]

HEDDREN ! not hedron !!!!

[@wadeheaton123]

You just got Hitchcocked. The nun rising up made her pull back in fear and she fell. Hitchcock, raised Catholic, always feared nuns

[@Fanfanbalibar]

and policemen !

[@thequietrevolution3404]

Great reaction. I also suffer from acrophobia. If you haven't already reacted to it, check out Alfred Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much". (Edit) Judy didn't kill herself. She thought it was Madeline returned from the dead and it frightened her. Notice Judy didn't jump, she backed away, forgetting where they were standing.

[@benorn100]

Don,t. overlook the Man who knew too much Doris Day gives a great performance in it

[@dennismason3740]

Vertigo is not a disease. It is a condition that affects, easily, more than half the human population and is a natural survival indicator and can be addressed in many ways involving deep breathing and baby steps.