News•May 9, 2026
Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’: The Unrelenting Male Gaze that Blurs the Lines Between Possession and Obsession
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 film *Vertigo* was initially dismissed by critics for its implausible plot and James Stewart’s atypical role, but it has since risen to become the most‑voted greatest film of all time in the BFI Sight & Sound poll. The movie’s complex narrative about obsession, the male gaze, and identity was reshaped by a controversial early plot twist and a groundbreaking camera technique known as the “Vertigo effect.” Production history reveals a scramble over casting, screenplay credits, and a costly dolly‑zoom that cost $19,000. Today, *Vertigo* is preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry as culturally and historically significant.
