Author: thehorsesheadblog

#442) Lassie Come Home (1943)

OR “All Dogs Go to England”

Directed by Fred M. Wilcox

Written by Hugo Butler. Based on the novel by Eric Knight.

Class of 1993

The Plot: Lassie (Pal) is the well-behaved, unbelievably camera-friendly collie of Joe Carraclough (Roddy McDowall). Facing economic hardship, Joe’s parents (Donald Crisp & Elsa Lanchester) sell Lassie to the wealthy Duke of Rudling (Nigel Bruce). Lassie attempts several escapes, but is always returned to the Duke, eventually to his home in Scotland. The Duke’s granddaughter (Elizabeth Taylor) senses Lassie’s sadness, and helps her escape. The rest of the movie is Lassie’s incredible journey back to England, facing nature’s pitfalls and MGM’s roster of contract players.

Why It Matters: The NFR cribs from Bosley Crowther’s New York Times review, which praised the film’s “poignance and simple beauty”. The movie’s “rich color cinematography” is also highlighted.

But Does It Really?: How can I say no to a Lassie movie? “Lassie Come Home” is still a sweet, enjoyable film almost 80 years later, and Lassie has maintained an iconic status to this day (though that’s mostly thanks to the TV show). No film history would be complete without Lassie, and “Lassie Come Home” is the one that started it all.

Everybody Gets One: Rough Collie Pal was originally rejected for the role of Lassie (the character is female, Pal is male), but was hired as the original Lassie’s stunt double. Director Fred Wilcox was so impressed with Pal (and his trainer Rudd Weatherwax) that the original female Lassie was replaced shortly after filming began. Ever the professional, Pal successfully performed his stunts and tricks with few or no retakes. Good boy.

Wow, That’s Dated: The only obvious giveaway is the film’s prologue: a tribute to original “Lassie” author Eric Knight, who was killed in a plane crash nine months before the film’s release. The opening text hails the England-born writer as “a man of two countries”, but makes sure to emphasize that he died while serving for America in WWII.

Title Track: The title is a reference to the then common phrase “a come-home dog”; a dog that is trained to come home after it is sold so that the owners can collect more money. That’s why the film is “Lassie Come Home” and not “Lassie, Come Home!”

Seriously, Oscars?: “Lassie” received one Oscar nomination for Leonard Smith’s cinematography, losing to Universal’s remake of “Phantom of the Opera”. Smith would eventually win for another MGM movie about a boy and the animal he bonds with: 1946’s “The Yearling”.

Other notes

• Although the film is set in England and Scotland, the beautiful on-location footage is from California, with a little bit of Washington State. The rapids scene was filmed on the San Joaquin River, allegedly near my hometown of Stockton.
• I’m not familiar with Roddy McDowall’s early work as a child actor. In addition to being an endearing lead in a thankless role, he can really turn on the waterworks. It’s like a faucet was turned on behind his eyes.
• That’s 10-year-old Elizabeth Taylor – in only her second movie – as Priscilla. Through no fault of her own, all I can think of when Liz is on the screen is the tabloid figure she would become in her adult years. Also, this clip, which is kind of appropriate for this movie.

• Other casting notes: Priscilla’s grandfather the Duke is played by Nigel Bruce, best known as Dr. Watson to Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock. Veteran Disney voice actor J. Pat O’Malley plays the Duke’s antagonistic dogkeeper Hynes. Fun Absolutely True Fact: O’Malley was Dick Van Dyke’s dialect coach in “Mary Poppins”. Think about that as you listen to O’Malley’s accent in this movie.
• Wow, Lassie does not want to be in that kennel. She is the Paul Muni of dogs.

• Shoutout to Leonard Smith; that cinematography is beautiful. Even the drabbest of scenes pops out in Technicolor.
• I’m having fun imaging all of Lassie’s scenes performed by that “Call of the Wild” guy.
• Everyone’s good in this, but Dame May Whitty is the MVP. Even when her scene partner is a dog, she is not phoning this in. Side Note: Whitty’s on-screen husband is played by her real life spouse Ben Webster.

• Edmund Gwenn is best remembered for playing Kris Kringle in “Miracle on 34^th Street”, and his work in “Lassie” is another charming performance. Gwenn is the anti-W.C. Fields: he’s great with animals and kids.

• This movie made me wonder if dogcatchers still exist. They do, they’re just called “animal control officers” now. Also, it’s not an elected position, so the phrase “You couldn’t be elected dogcatcher” makes no sense.
• As with “Clash of the Wolves”, this movie knows to end with a shot of puppies. It makes a bad movie tolerable and a great movie even greater!

Legacy

• “Lassie Come Home” was a hit, and MGM made six more Lassie movies over the next eight years. Only the second film – 1945’s “Son of Lassie” – was a direct follow-up to “Come Home”. Heck, in some of the later ones her character wasn’t even named Lassie!

• In lieu of back payments owed to Rudd Weatherwax for the films, MGM gave the trainer ownership to the trademark and name of Lassie. Although Weatherwax initially used this trademark to tour Pal/Lassie throughout the country, he eventually agreed to a television series about the dog. “Lassie” ran on CBS for 19 seasons and is still one of the longest-running TV shows in primetime history. Side Note: Although several seasons centered around a boy named Timmy, he never once fell down a well.

• Pal starred in all of the original Lassie movies, the TV series’ two pilot episodes, and even a radio series in the late ‘40s! After his retirement, Pal’s son and grandsons assumed the role of Lassie. Modern remakes and revivals meet with fan protests whenever a direct descendent of Pal does not play Lassie.
• There have been several follow-up Lassie movies over the years, but the only true remake of “Lassie Come Home” came in 2005. The British made “Lassie” features (among others), Peter O’Toole and Peter Dinklage!

• MGM kinda-sorta remade “Lassie” in 1954 with “Gypsy Colt”. Aside from this new movie being about a young girl and her horse, the two are remarkably similar.

#441) Castro Street (1966)

OR “I Left My Heart in…Richmond?”

Directed by Bruce Baillie

Class of 1992

The Plot: By the early ‘60s, San Francisco’s Castro Street was becoming a safe haven for hundreds of closeted homosexuals trying to live a life free of persecution. In Bruce Baillie’s film “Castro Street”, the Castro district…hold on I’m being handed something. Let me just read this…what? This movie is about the Castro Street in Richmond? Isn’t that where the oil refineries are? So, it’s not 10 minutes of cable cars and the Missouri Mule? It’s 10 minutes of oil pipes and the Southern Pacific being shot at abstract angles with a lot of visual experimentation? I see…

Why It Matters: The NFR singles out filmmaker Bruce Baillie with a New York Times blurb stating that Baillie “makes avant-garde films with the gifts of a painter”. There’s also an in-depth essay by independent film expert Scott MacDonald.

But Does It Really?: I do very little research before watching these movies, and I picked “Castro Street” assuming I would see some rare footage of the San Francisco street in the days just before the gay rights movement. It took me longer than I care to admit to figure out that this film took place somewhere else. As a result, it was hard for me to get into this movie. That being said, Bruce Baillie is a legend among the avant-garde filmmakers, and his inclusion here is warranted. Am I giving this movie a hard time because of my own false expectations? Yes. Am I still giving it a pass for the NFR? Of course.

Everybody Gets One: Bruce Baillie is the founder of Canyon Cinema, one of the first theater outlets specifically for independent films. Baillie, along with fellow NFR filmmaker Chick Strand, is also a co-founder of film society San Francisco Cinematheque (his short answer for founding these: “Somebody had to do it”). Inspiration for “Castro Street” came when Baillie was working in the oil fields of PG&E in Richmond. One day the light from the rain made the pipes “stand out with a certain magnificence.” Baillie grabbed glasses and other image distorting objects from his mother’s kitchen, and utilized them for the film’s in-camera effects.

Seriously, Oscars?: Like many an avant-garde legend, there’s no Oscar love for Bruce Baillie or any of his films. For the record, 1966’s Live-Action Short winner was the British conservationist film “Wild Wings”.

Other notes

• In an interview, Baillie mentioned he would like to add the following disclaimer to the film: “The filmmaker states that this is all made by hand, no computers, with a few dollars.” It’s always nice to be reminded that some of the most influential movies ever made didn’t have a budget.
• Once again, I could not get into “Castro Street”, but it’s my own fault for not doing my homework. There’s a lot of wonderful imagery in the film, and the aforementioned MacDonald essay does a great job of dissecting all of it. As for my desire to see old footage of SF’s Castro Street, I guess I can watch “The Times of Harvey Milk” again.
• And now for some reason, “Good Lovin’” by the Rascals!

Legacy

• Of course, Bruce Baillie’s main legacy is influential independent film theater Canyon Cinema. Every avant-garde filmmaker on this list owes a debt of gratitude to Baillie and Canyon Cinema.
• In response to his legacy and NFR inclusion, Baillie stated, “It is not really about any rewards. It’s about the doing, the done, itself.”
• Castro Street still exists in Richmond, and is still an oil refinery, only now under the name of one of Standard Oil’s successors: Chevron. Castro Street is located just west of Richmond’s Iron Triangle. In other words…NEVER GO TO CASTRO STREET.

UPDATE: Bruce Baillie passed away the day this write-up was posted. He was 88. Thanks again, Mr. Baillie, and safe travels.

#440) The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917)

OR “There’s Something About Mary”

Directed by Maurice Tourneur

Written by Frances Marion. Based on the play by Eleanor Gates.

Class of 1991

The Plot: Gwendolyn (Mary Pickford) is the titular poor little rich girl; she has servants waiting on her day and night, yet is denied affection from her parents (Madlaine Traverse & Charles Wellesly) and rarely socializes with other children. On her 11^th birthday, Gwen becomes sick, and an overdose of sleeping medicine sends her to the fantasy world of the Tell-Tale forest and the Garden of Lonely Children. Aided by fantastical characters who look a lot like people from her real life, Gwen travels this magical land to find a way to connect with her distant family. Hmmm…this sound so familiar…

Why It Matters: The NFR’s write-up is ONE SENTENCE, and not a very detailed one at that. The accompanying essay by Mary Pickford expert Eileen Whitfield gives a little more insight into the film’s production.

But Does It Really?: I went into “Poor Little Rich Girl” with somewhat high expectations after being bored to tears with Pickford’s other NFR offering: “Tess of the Storm Country”. I agree that Mary Pickford should be on this list, and overall this film is enjoyable, if a bit plodding, but I have yet to hear a compelling argument as to why this specific Mary Pickford film made the cut. She was already a star at this point in her career, and the film does not have any historical significance other than it was also successful. Perhaps it’s the name recognition that puts “Poor Little Rich Girl” at the head of the class. It’ll do for now, but surely there’s a more superior Pickford offering out there.

Everybody Gets One: Stage actor Madlaine Traverse reprises her role as Gwen’s mother from the original stage play.

Wow, That’s Dated: Organ grinders, plus punishing your child by making them cross-dress. Break those gender constructs!

Other notes

• By 1917, Mary Pickford was Hollywood’s biggest star, and had a contract with Famous Players (now Paramount) that granted her full control over her films, as well as half the profits. “Poor Little Rich Girl” was produced by Pickford’s own production company, another perk from the new contract.
• The stage version of “Poor Little Rich Girl” originally played Broadway in 1913 and starred Viola Dana. Ms. Dana eventually became a film star herself, and her 1917 offering “The Girl Without a Soul” is also in the NFR.
• This was the first movie where Mary Pickford played a child, as opposed to a childish ingénue (ick). Pickford was 25 years old when she played 11-year-old Gwen, her short stature (around 5’1”) aiding in the illusion. In addition, certain set pieces were built at a slightly larger scale.
• Director Maurice Tourneur did not get along with Mary Pickford, who (along with screenwriter Frances Marion) insisted on adding a few gags into the film. Tourneur did not appreciate the additions, stating his films were dignified, but Pickford was “the muscle” on her films, and got her way. Pickford and Tourneur did not work together after “Poor Little Rich Girl”.
• Gwen’s banker father and socialite mother are too preoccupied to care for her? Maybe this family just needs Mary Poppins.
• Am I missing something with Mary Pickford? She’s clearly having fun in the role, and she’s as cute as I am allowed to find a woman playing a child, but I’m missing her overall appeal. This is the biggest star of her time?
• These domestics are really pushing a fear of bears onto Gwen. She has a bigger case of arkoudaphobia than Stephen Colbert.
• I am enjoying Gwen’s occasional daydreams in which she literalizes everyone’s figures of speech. Very “Bobby’s World”.
• Cinematographers Lucien Andriot and John van den Broek are having fun with the camera once Gwen starts getting drowsy.
• The Garden of Lonely Children? Is that like the Island of Misfit Toys?
• I know Gwen’s just trying to be polite to the Organ Grinder, but “Mr. Grinder” takes on a whole new meaning these days.
• The fantasy scenes are definitely the movie’s highlight, but we don’t get to them until more than two thirds of the way through. They should have been the bulk of the movie, a la “Wizard of Oz”! But hey, that’s my critique of 103-year-old movie that has endured just fine without me.

Legacy

• “The Poor Little Rich Girl” was another hit for Mary Pickford, and kicked off a string of movies in which Pickford played a child, including “Pollyanna”, “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm”, and “Little Annie Rooney”. Pickford’s career faltered after the transition to talkies, but she survived as a producer and co-founder of United Artists.

• Director Maurice Tourneur would go on to direct another NFR entry/children’s fantasy: 1918’s “The Blue Bird”.

• “The Poor Little Rich Girl” is one of several Mary Pickford films that were remade in the ‘30s as a Shirley Temple vehicle. The Temple version drops the “The” from the title, as well as pretty much everything else from the original plot.

• Poor Little Rich Girl was also the nickname linked to Barbara Hutton, a wealthy socialite whose tragic personal life earned her the moniker. The title was also used for her inevitable TV movie starring Farrah Fawcett.

#439) Sullivan’s Travels (1941)

OR “A Bum Deal”

Directed & Written by Preston Sturges

Class of 1990

The Plot: Hollywood director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) is dissatisfied with the successful comedies he has helmed for his studio, and vows to adapt the novel “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” into a dramatic movie about the impoverished. To better understand his subject, Sullivan checks his privilege and decides to travel the country posing as a vagrant. Sullivan doesn’t get too far before he meets a jaded aspiring actress (Veronica Lake) on her last day in Hollywood. Through their journey, Sullivan not only learns about the world outside of Hollywood, but also about just how important his comedies were to the average moviegoer.

Why It Matters: The NFR write-up gives an overview of the plot and the film’s genesis. A more detailed appreciation comes courtesy of an essay by film expert/author Julie Grossman.

But Does It Really?: It may not be the greatest film comedy, but “Sullivan’s Travels” is a well-crafted film that still has plenty of laugh out loud moments. Sturges’ screenplay gets its point across, and keeps up the pace (and the laughs) all the way through. No argument here for the NFR inclusion of “Sullivan’s Travels”.

Everybody Gets One: After appearing as an extra and bit player in several RKO and MGM films, Veronica Lake got her breakout role in 1941’s “I Wanted Wings”. It was during one take that her hair fell over her right eye, inadvertently creating her iconic “peek-a-boo” look. Lake was six months pregnant with her daughter Elaine during production of “Sullivan’s Travels”, resulting in the use of a body double in several scenes, and infuriating Preston Sturges, who never cast her again.

Wow, That’s Dated: The film’s look at our poverty situation is definitely dated (more on that later). But worse are some of the cringe-worthy credits at the end. Veronica Lake’s character is credited simply as “The Girl”, while African-American actor Charles Moore is credited as “Colored Chef” and is the one-note stereotype of the day. Oof.

Seriously, Oscars?: “Sullivan’s” received mixed reviews upon release, and audiences felt it wasn’t as good as Preston Sturges’ other 1941 offering “The Lady Eve”. Not surprisingly, “Eve” got an Oscar nod, while “Sullivan’s” was completely ignored.

Other notes

• Preston Sturges was inspired to write “Sullivan’s Travels” as a response to his view that comedies of the era had gotten too preachy. The film is dedicated to “those who made us laugh”, which was originally meant to be part of the film’s epilogue.
• I was not familiar with Joel McCrea before this movie, and unsurprisingly, he’s quite good in this. His screen persona is somewhere between Gary Cooper’s naturalism and William Holden’s ruggedness. And at 6’ 2”, he was certainly one of Hollywood’s tallest stars.
• The opening scene between Sullivan and the studio heads is outstanding. The whole scene is covered in one take, with every actor spouting their dialogue at Hawksian speed. It’s all the exposition you need before we’re off to the races.

• Also in that opening scene: Sullivan bemoaning that “the world [is] committing suicide…with grim death gargling at you from every corner”. This is another movie I probably should have avoided during my COVID-19 shelter in place.
• The first scenes are packed with smart, funny dialogue that keeps everything moving, and is promptly followed by a delightfully slapstick chase scene that, had it not been preceded by such classy dialogue, would seem like a run-of-the-mill Three Stooges short. Sturges earns his chase scene.

• You could make a “Sullivan’s Travels”-type movie today, but you couldn’t remake it completely. The problem is that you would now have to acknowledge the mental health issues all too commonly found in our homeless population today. And that doesn’t make for good comedy. Sturges recognized the tricky line he had to walk, opting for non-verbal montages during the film’s deeper dives into the subject.
• There’s a 17-year age gap between Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake. I’m gonna have to prosecute this movie to the fullest extent of the law.
• Best exchange in the movie: “How does the girl fit into the picture?” “There’s always a girl in the picture. What’s the matter, don’t you go to the movies?”
• Today on “We Suck at Inflation”: the 10 cents Sullivan starts out with is $1.76 today, and the five dollars he hands out to each bum is about $88.
• Whoa, there’s a shot of Veronica Lake in a shower. Didn’t see that coming. I assume all that steam is to hide her baby belly, among other things.
• Sturges definitely thought the phrase “income tax” was funny; he uses it a few times as a punchline.
• I didn’t realize “Sullivan’s Travels” is on the list of great chain gang movies like “I Am a Fugitive…” and “Cool Hand Luke”. Joel McCrea even spends a night in the box!
• After the film’s release, Sturges received a letter from the NAACP’s then-secretary Walter White in praise of the film’s church sequence, featuring a large group of African-American actors and extras. White thanked Struges for “the dignified and decent treatment of Negroes” in the movie. I guess he didn’t see the “Colored Chef” scenes.
• The film’s most famous sequence is Sullivan watching as his fellow inmates laugh hysterically at the Disney short “Playful Pluto”. The cartoon was Sturges’ second choice after Charlie Chaplin denied permission to use one of his films. Truly, every dog has its day.

• “There’s a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did you know that that’s all some people have? It isn’t much, but it’s better than nothing in this cockeyed caravan.” There’s your thesis statement. Thankfully, the preceding film makes sure Sturges doesn’t come off as too preachy.

Legacy

• Preston Sturges’ film career wasn’t harmed by the lukewarm reception of “Sullivan’s Travels”, and he spent the ‘40s making seven more films, including future NFR entries “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek” and “Hail the Conquering Hero”.

• “Sullivan’s Travels” is the standard for any filmmaker (real or fictitious) who wishes to break out of their pigeonhole and create something “meaningful”. Lawrence Kasdan’s film “Grand Canyon” even goes as far to say “movies are where we get our answers to life.”

• Exhibit A for my argument that any modern remake wouldn’t be as good: “Life Stinks”.

• “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” finally did get made in 2000 by the Coen Brothers. Come for the Odyssey parallels, stay for the bluegrass soundtrack.

#438) Vertigo (1958)

OR “Scottie Doesn’t Know”

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Written by Alec Coppel and Samuel Taylor. Based on the novel “D’entre les morts” (“The Living and the Dead”) by Pierre Boileau & Thomas Narcejac.

Class of 1989

Spoilers Ahead

The Plot: San Francisco Detective John “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart) is sent into early retirement when a rooftop chase triggers his acrophobia and leads to the death of a colleague. His college friend Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) coaxes Ferguson to follow his wife Madeline (Kim Novak), who Elster fears is possessed by the spirit of her great-grandmother, Carlotta Valdes. Ferguson discreetly follows Madeline, but her suicide attempt leads to the two interacting and sparking an unexpected romance. After Madeline’s death at Mission San Juan Bautista, Ferguson becomes fixated on Judy Barton, a woman who looks remarkably like Madeline. It’s no surprise that Hitchcock took a movie about a middle-aged man obsessing over a younger blonde woman and turned it into a classic!

Why It Matters: The NFR write-up praises “Vertigo” to the hilt, calling it “a vivid picture of the consuming and harrowing nature of desire”. Hitchcock receives praise, as does the “mesmerizing” Novak and the “surprisingly compelling” Stewart. There’s also an essay by Hitchcock expert Thomas Leitch.

But Does It Really?: You could spend days reading the endless essays and articles about the artistry of “Vertigo”, but I’ll keep things simple here. “Vertigo” works because it invites you to obsess over not only the mystery, but the film itself (The motifs! The symbolism!) What starts as a standard Hitchcock thriller becomes a doomed romance, a deep psychological character study, and a ghost story all in one. If you’re willing to forgive the film’s obvious issues regarding its unhealthy control over women, “Vertigo” is Hitchcock in his prime elevating the art form of the movies. “Vertigo” is a classic that improves with age, and an untouchable for NFR inclusion.

Everybody Gets One: Kim Novak started her Hollywood career modeling refrigerators at an L.A. trade show, ultimately signing a film contract with Columbia. The studio loaned Novak to Paramount to make “Vertigo” after Hitchcock’s first choice Vera Miles became pregnant. Novak has spoken fondly of working with James Stewart, and while she respected Hitchcock, he remained somewhat distant to her during production. Currently, Kim Novak is retired, focusing on her painting and photography, with the occasional “Vertigo” screening appearance.

Wow, That’s Dated: Top billing for this movie goes to the VistaVision widescreen process: still a novelty in 1958. Also, as a longtime resident of San Francisco, I can tell you that this city has definitely changed in the last 60 years. Street parking is never as easy as the movies will lead you to believe.

Title Track: For the record, vertigo is not the same as acrophobia. Vertigo is a common type of dizziness in which you feel that the stationary things around you are moving or spinning. Because Scottie develops his vertigo and acrophobia concurrently, many over the years have conflated the two.

Seriously, Oscars?: “Vertigo” did just okay on its initial release. Although the film broke even, critics were divided, and audiences deemed it too big a departure from Hitchcock’s previous ‘50s thrillers like “The Man Who Knew Too Much”. Despite this, “Vertigo” entered the Oscar race with two nominations: Art Direction (losing to “Gigi”) and Sound (losing to “South Pacific”).

Other notes

• The original novel “D’entre les morts” has a near identical plot to the movie, with the major difference of being set in wartime France. Hitchcock lobbied for the novel’s film rights after losing out on the authors’ previous book, which became the classic movie “Les Diaboliques”. Screenwriter Samuel Taylor was hired based on his knowledge of San Francisco, and although his draft was used for the final film, previous draft writer Alec Coppel successfully appealed to the Writers Guild for credit.
• Shoutout as always to Saul Bass for his opening titles. Oh, the things he can do with his Spirograph.

• One of the most famous readings on the Michael Douglas Scale: James Stewart is 25 years older than Kim Novak! He is also 14 years older than Barbara Bel Geddes, despite their two characters being college classmates. Maybe he went to night school?
• That first scene between Scottie and Midge is quite the exposition dump, much of it repeated in the next scene with Elster. We get it: He has vertigo. It’s the title!
• What’s Hitch carrying? Most sources agree it’s a trumpet or bugle case, but IMDb says it’s a plague doctor mask. I think we all have too much free time these days…

• If the suspense of Jimmy Stewart tailing Kim Novak doesn’t intrigue you, at least there’s this lovely footage of 1957 San Francisco. This city never looked more beautiful.
• Jimmy Stewart knows how to reign in his natural Stewart-isms when the time calls for it. Once Scottie zeroes in on Madeline, his movement becomes more economic, his homespun stammering more scarce. Stewart knows exactly what he’s doing in this performance. Now if only Scottie wasn’t instantly creepy towards Madeline…
• Ooh, nice timing with the waves on the rear projection. Sure, it’s an innuendo, but it looks great!

• While Mission San Juan Bautista is a real place, its bell tower was created specifically for the moving using matte paintings and trick photography.
• [Spoilers] It’s a good thing the corpse of the real Mrs. Elster landed face down on the mission roof. Otherwise Scottie could have figured out the whole ruse then and there. Special mention to Jean Corbett, the real vic.

• Scottie’s mental breakdown is portrayed as an effects-heavy sequence from artist John Ferren, who also painted the Carlotta portrait featured in the film. Hitchcock chose to credit the scene as a “special sequence” so as not to spoil things for the audience.

• Now’s a good time to give praise to Bernard Herrmann’s score. Herrmann’s composition compliments the film’s spiral motif perfectly, making this the first score that might actually cause dizziness.
• If this movie were made today, Scottie’s stalking of Judy would not fly at all. He’d get about two words in before Judy broke out the mace.
• How did Elster find Judy for this gig? You can’t really put out a notice for this kind of thing. “Wanted: Young attractive woman to play decoy wife in murder plot. Adept at improv, skilled driver; art knowledge a plus. Meals and wardrobe provided.”
• The spiral motif continues with a very impressive 360 shot of Scottie and Judy kissing, complete with a dissolving backdrop. It’s one of the rare rear projection shots of the time that holds up well today.

• What an ending. Stewart’s denouement is startling, as is the final moments when he becomes the ghost in his own ghost story: forever haunting and haunted.

Legacy

• After “Vertigo” underperformed at the box office, Hitchcock blamed James Stewart for being too old to convincingly play Scottie. The two never worked together again, causing Stewart to miss out on the lead in Hitch’s next picture: “North by Northwest”.

• While there were film buffs in the ‘60s and ‘70s who sang the praises of “Vertigo”, the film didn’t get a major re-evaluation until it was re-released in 1983. The film continues to be a critical darling, and in 2012 edged out “Citizen Kane” in Sight & Sound’s critics’ poll of greatest movies.
• You can still visit many of the San Francisco locations used in “Vertigo” (though you’re not allowed that close to the water at Fort Point). In fact, the York Hotel (sitting in for the film’s Empire Hotel) has been renamed Hotel Vertigo in the film’s honor.

• “Vertigo” doesn’t so much prompt parodies as it does homages. See “De Palma, Films of Brian”.

• Okay fine, I’ll mention “High Anxiety”, the Mel Brooks movie whose only strength is the movies it spoofs.

• The 1997 music video for Faith No More’s “Last Cup of Sorrow” is a light-hearted recreation of the film. Hey, that’s Jennifer Jason Leigh!

• But perhaps the film’s most enduring legacy: the dolly-zoom perfected in “Vertigo” to highlight Scottie’s acrophobia is more commonly known as “the Vertigo effect”. You may recognize it from Spielberg’s effective usage in “Jaws”.