History WMG / Vertigo

[[WMG:The judge is in on Elster's plan.]]
In a slip of the tongue, the judge says that "the body" fell from the tower, as if the judge knows that Elster's wife was already dead before falling. The judge might be in on Elster's plan, just like the hotel lady probably was. This helped ensure that the trial went as Elster intended. Then it is no coincidence that the film dedicates so much time to the judge's monologue (influencing the jury by drawing suspicion away from Elster, and with the aforementioned giveaway hidden among the judge's many lines). And it is no coincidence that the trial is shown to take place directly in front of the tower - this shows that it was easy for Elster to choose a tower and an "accompanying" local judge.

In a slip of the tongue, the judge says that "the body" fell from the tower, as if the judge knows that Elster's wife was already dead before falling. The judge might be in on Elster's plan, just like the hotel lady probably was. This helped ensure that the trial went as Elster intended. Then it is no coincidence that the film dedicates so much time to the judge's monologue (influencing the jury by drawing suspicion away from Elster, and with the aforementioned giveaway hidden among the judge's many lines). And it is no coincidence that the trial is shown to take place directly in front of the tower - this shows that it was easy for Elster to choose a tower and an "accompanying" judge.

!!It's AllJustADream.

!!Scottie's obsessive behavior in the last half of the film was his detective skills warning him that something was off about the death of Madeleine.

!!AllJustADream

[[WMG: Scottie's obsessive behavior in the last half of the film was his detective skills warning him that something was off about the death of Madeleine.]]

Now, we all know it's partly about love and obsession, but Scottie's action or recreating Madeleine with Judy seems rather odd until you remember he was a police detective. Detectives have been trained to use logical deduction and hone their instinct to notice details, especially in that time before forensics became a common factor. So, Scottie's obsession of changing Judy into Madeleine may have been his detective skills subconsciously telling him that there was more to the death of Madeleine, and that Judy looking like Madeleine was more than just a mere coincidence. And it's not until he sees the necklace does his consciously realize that Judy and Madeleine were the same person, and that he had been played by Gavin Elster.

Film critic James F. Maxfield suggested that the film can be interpreted as a variant on the Creator/AmbroseBierce short story Literature/AnOccurrenceAtOwlCreekBridge, and that the main narrative of the film is actually imagined by Scottie, dangling from a building at the end of the opening rooftop chase.

Now, we all know it's partly above love, but Scottie's action or recreating Madeleine with Judy seems rather odd until you remember he was a police detective. Detectives have been trained to use logical deduction and hone their instinct to notice details, especially in that time before forensics became a common factor. So, Scottie's obsession of changing Judy into Madeleine may have been his detective skills subconsciously telling him that there was more to the death of Madeleine, and that Judy looking like Madeleine was more than just a mere coincidence. And it's not until he sees the necklace does his consciously realize that Judy and Madeleine were the same person, and that he had been played by Gavin Elster.

Now, we all know it's partly above love, but Scottie's action or recreating Madeleine with Judy seems rather odd until you remember he was a police detective. Detectives have been trained to use logical deduction and to notice details, especially in that time before forensics became a common factor. So, Scottie's obsession of changing Judy into Madeleine may have been his detective skills subconsciously telling him that there was more to the death of Madeleine, and that Judy looking like Madeleine was more than just a mere coincidence. And it's not until he sees the necklace does his consciously realize that Judy and Madeleine were the same person, and that he had been played by Gavin Elster.

Now, we all know it's partly above love, but Scottie's action or recreating Madeleine with Judy seems rather odd until you remember he was a police detective. Detectives have been trained to use logical deduction and to notice details, especially in that time. So, Scottie's obsession of changing Judy into Madeleine may have been his detective skills subconsciously telling him that there was more to the death of Madeleine, and that Judy looking like Madeleine was more than just a coincidence. And it's not until he sees the necklace does his consciously realize that Judy and Madeleine were the same person, and that he had been played by Gavin Elster.

* It is possible, as the making-of featurette that had been produced to celebrate the film's restoration in 1996 stated that Hitchcock purposefully filmed scenes with certain filters to give off a dream-like quality to the film.

Film critic James F. Maxfield suggested that the film can be interpreted as a variant on the Creator/AmbroseBierce short story Literature/AnOccurrenceAtOwlCreekBridge, and that the main narrative of the film is actually imagined by Scottie, dangling from a building at the end of the opening rooftop chase.