That end was so ridiculous haha

I don't know if I went into this with high expectations because of the critical acclaim it has, but I was left a bit confused at the end as to why _Vertigo_ is so lauded. I love many movies from this era and indeed Hitchcock's work (I especially love _Rear Window_) but hadn't seen this one before. The first half of the film was enjoyable and felt like a slow burn, unfolding towards some thrilling conclusion. James Stewart is always watchable and the cast in general is good, but I felt the film's second half drastically let it down. [spoiler]There were abrupt developments, such as Stewart's character Scotty getting hospitalised then suddenly free again, and then there's how Scotty displays a manipulative stalker-like side when he finds Kim Novak's character again, and pretty much holds her captive for the remainder of the film - until her death marks the almost hilariously abrupt ending[/spoiler]. I certainly wanted to like this film, and perhaps a second viewing will unlock some of its charms, but as a first watch and impression, _Vertigo_ was sadly lacking for such a lauded film by an acclaimed director.

It's good, but the thing that sticks in my mind [spoiler](apart from the murder, the set-up of an old friend, the ruthless impersonation and a man's tragic guilt causing him to be sectioned)[/spoiler]. Is that two women died so a man didn't shit himself every time he was more than a foot off the ground.

I was prepared to give this a 10 right up till the scene where [spoiler] Judy comes out of the bathroom in her hotel dressed like Madelaine and the kiss, bathed in green light (reminiscent of the dress we first see "Madelaine" in) [/spoiler]. However, everything after that scene brought it down to a 7 for me, just seemed like a weaker ending than [spoiler] the horror of both these people living the rest of their lives haunted by a woman who never really existed [/spoiler].