2. Our focus film is Alfred Hitchcock‟s Vertigo (1958)
Vertigo is currently rated as the Number 1 film of all time by the BFI
The ability of candidates to engage in critical study of a single film is examined in this section. The
synoptic dimension is clear – as there is the expectation that the candidate‟s cumulative learning will be
brought to bear in this study.
Critical approaches that may be applied include those arising from the frameworks for the FM3 research
project while contextual study will consolidate work completed for FM2 and FM4 Sections A & B. The
role of macro and microelements of film in the construction of meaning and the creation of emotion
informs the specification as a whole.
Each of the films available for study has given rise to much debate in its critical reception and each lends
itself to study within on or more of the critical frameworks listed for FM3. A consideration of some of
these debates and the application of critical frameworks will provide a basis for the candidate‟s own
engagement with the film.
Hitchcock’s supreme and most mysterious piece (as cinema
and as an emblem of the art). Paranoia and obsession have
never looked better—Marco Müller
After half a century of monopolising the top spot, Citizen
Kane was beginning to look smugly inviolable. Call it
Schadenfreude, but let’s rejoice that this now conventional
and ritualised symbol of ‘the greatest’ has finally been
taken down a peg. The accession of Vertigo is hardly in the
nature of a coup d’état. Tying for 11th place in 1972,
Hitchcock’s masterpiece steadily inched up the poll over
the next three decades, and by 2002 was clearly the heir
apparent. Still, even ardent Wellesians should feel gratified
at the modest revolution – if only for the proof that film
canons (and the versions of history they legitimate) are not
completely fossilised.

3. When you sit your FM4 Examination at the end of the course you will be presented with a choice of
THREE questions for Section C.
TWO Questions will be general questions. ONE will be specific to Vertigo and focus on a particular
aspect of the film.
Previous questions include:
YOU MUST ONLY ANSWER ONE QUESTION FOR THIS SECTION!
Section C is an „in-depth‟ study of Vertigo. This means we must cover all aspects of the films
production, background and reception.
Our course will focus upon the following areas:
Psychoanalysis of Film
Spectatorship
The „Auteur‟ Theory
Representations of Gender - Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema by Laura Mulvey (aka „The
Male Gaze‟)
You will be expected to demonstrate a thorough understanding of Vertigo, it‟s Director and the films
key themes.

4. You may have noticed that FM4: Section C is the only module on the entire course devoted to just
ONE film text. This indicates that we must understand our chosen film in great detail.
Psychoanalytical theory states that films contain ideologies and psychological messages that are
created in sub-conscious mind of the filmmaker. As a result it is essential we understand the mind of
the filmmaker whose film we study.
You should also spend sometime researching the life and career of Alfred Hitchcock.
Documentaries about Hitchcock:
„Hitchcocked!‟*
„Reputation: Part 1 – Hitch: Alfred the Great‟ *
„Reputations: Part 2 – Hitch: Alfred Hitchcock the Auteur‟ *
„In the Masters Shadow‟*
„Paul Merton looks at Hitchcock‟*
*= Available on Youtube.com
Early Life
Birth
Early career in
Britain
Move to the United States
Relationship with female
co-stars, in particular Kim
Novak, Grace Kelly
&TippieHedrin
Death and
legacy

5. The purpose of any opening title sequence is to establish the mood and visual characteristics of the
film. The opening titles are also essential in introducing:

6. Characters
Locations
Narrative/Plot
Themes
Visual Style
Genre
The opening sequence is split in to two sections. The first is a mixture of live action and graphics that
serve to introduce the character of MADELIENE (Kim Novak).The second section is live action and
the beginning of the narrative – it introduces the character of Scottie (James Stewart).
The first part of the opening sequence focuses solely on Madeleine and the theme of „Vertigo‟. This
sequence is very effective in introducing key theme of women as objects to be used.
The extreme close up of Madeleine‟s lips inform us that physical appearance of female characters is
very important. The character is clearly nervous (symbolised by her twitching lips) and is
uncomfortable being placed under such close scrutiny.

7. The next shot is another Extreme Close Up of Madeleine‟s eyes. Her eyes shift nervously from side to
side – she is clearly uncomfortable being paced under such close scrutiny. The shot also introduces
more themes of the film: Anxiety, Paranoia, the notion of looking and „Gazing‟.
The theme of „Gazing‟ is reinforced by the next shot of Madeleine. An extreme close up of her eye is
shown with the films title „Vertigo‟ over it. A link between the condition of „Vertigo‟ and
watching/gazing is introduced to the audience and is vital to our understanding of the film.
Gaze: to look steadily and intently, as with great interest or
wonder.
Gaze is often indicative of wonder, fascination, awe or
admiration.

8. The theme of unstable identity and the internal working of the mind are shown through a mix of lice
action, colour change and the Vertigo graphic.
THESE ARE CENTRAL THEMES OF „VERTIGO‟
The second section of the opening sequence begins with an action sequence as several policemen
pursue a criminal across the rooftops of San Francisco. The function of this sequence is to reinforce
the themes, mood and tone established through the graphical credit sequence, but also introduces the
idea of Scottie as the „Castrated‟.
The opening chase sequence sets up an atmosphere of anxiety and very importantly of suspense, as
one of Scottie is literally left suspended in mid air.
Spirals
Spirals evoke the literal and figurative feelings of Vertigo that hound Scottie and Madeleine/Judy. The
opening credits feature a spiral emerging from a women‟s eye. When Scottie looks down from the roof
at his fallen colleague, the dead man‟s limbs are splayed in the shape of a spiral, indicating that events
have spiralled out of control.
As Scottie observes Madeleine in the museum sitting in front of Carlotta Valdes‟s portrait, the camera
zooms in on the back of her head to reveal a tightly wound spiralling bun, an exact replica of the style
worn by Carlotta. The spiral foreshadows the dizzying chaos into which Madeleine will lead Scottie. The
most physically jarring spiral is the on formed by the winding stairs of the bell tower as revealed from
Scottie‟s perspective. As he chases Madeleine up the stairs attempts to half her apparent suicide his
acrophobia takes over and the camera shoots straight down the stairwell. His Vertigo has made him
powerless to save the woman he loves. The very structure of the film suggests a spiralling circulatory:
Scottie falls in love with Madeleine, loses her to death, then falls in love with Judy/Madeleine again,
only to lose her to death as well.

9. The chase sequence ends with Scottie being left suspended at a great height with a fear of impending
doom and realisation that he is powerless. Scottie‟s Vertigo incapacitates him and is used by Gavin
Elster to manipulate him later in the film.
Combined, both opening sequences successfully set the mood of the film, as well as the visual style.
The sequences introduce:
Themes of suspense, identity & Obsession
The use of generic conventions:
Vulnerable Female
Objectification of women
A flawed male lead
Voyeurism
Notions of Looking/Gazing
A mise-en-scene that
echoes the characters
state of mind
The fact that this is the films
title gives us a reason to think
, fulfillment and despair.
Herrmann really understood what
Hitchcock was going for – he
wanted to penetrate to the heart of
obsession”
Martin Scorsese (Sight & Sound,
Sept 04)
“Hitchcock’s film (Vertigo)
is about obsession, which
means that it’s about
circling back to the same
moment, again and
again…
… and the music is also
built around spirals and
circles
Vertigo
“a sensation of dizziness or abnormal motion resulting from a disorder of the sense of balance”
Dolly-Zoom
(aka The „Vertigo Shot‟)
The dolly zoom is commonly used by filmmakers
to represent the sensation of vertigo, a "falling-
away-from-oneself feeling" or a feeling of
unreality, or to suggest that a character is
undergoing a realization that causes him or her
to reassess everything he or she had previously
believed. After Hitchcock popularized the effect
(he used it again for a climactic revelation in
Marnie), the technique was used by many other
filmmakers, and eventually became regarded as
a gimmick or cliché. This was especially true
after director Steven Spielberg re-popularized
the effect in his highly regarded film Jaws, in a
memorable shot of a dolly zoom into Police
Chief Brody's stunned reaction at the climax of
a shark attack on a beach (after a suspenseful
build-up). Other notable examples include Peter
Jackson‟s Fellowship of the Ring as the four
Hobbits first encounter the Ring Wraiths.

10. that „Vertigo‟is a key component of the film and the characters deserve close inspection.
Hitchcock creates the sensation of Vertigo in the film through a creative use of the camera. The
technique is achieved by zooming towards an object whilst simultaneously tracking backwards at the
same speed.
The „Vertigo‟ shot is used as a storytelling device throughout the film and is used to position the
audience in the place of Scottie and share his „Vertigo‟.
In his essay, „Hitchcock‟s Films Revisited‟ film theorist Robin Wood writes:
The
first use of the „Vertigo‟ shot comes during the opening sequence as Scottie, hanging from the building
roof top, looks down to see his fellow officer dead on the ground.
This sequence ends by fading to black, only to fade up to a scene with Scottie and Midge discussing
Scottie‟s „Condition‟. As an audience we never see Scottie get down from the rooftop and there
appears to be no way for him to save himself.
It could be argued that the entire film is a psychological journey through the mind of Scottie as he
contemplates both the possibility of life and the possibility of giving up.
This idea introduces the theme: DEATH AS BOTH ATTRACTIVE AND FRIGHTENING as a major
theme of the film.
„Castration Anxiety‟ is one of the most important aspects of Psychoanalysis and will be a fundamental
part of your understanding of Vertigo.
The „Castration Complex/Anxiety‟ is an area of psychology developed by Sigmund Freud.
“The sensation has been explained I believe, by psychologists, as arising
from the tension between the desire to fall and the dread of falling... an
idea it is worth bearing in mind in relation to the whole film
We are made to understand what it feels like to be so near death, and to
have death made so temptingly easy – a way out of pain and effort”
“Castration Anxiety is the conscious or unconscious fear of losing
all or parts of the sexual organs, or the function of them”

11. Castration Anxiety may also be metaphorical and refer to being castrated
metaphorically – to have a masculine feature removed
This can refer to being degraded, dominated or made insignificant!
Men will usually go to extreme lengths to save their pride and have their perception
restored. The question for restoration can often take the form of proving virility or
sexual dominance.
During the
opening
sequence
Scottie, a Policeman whose purpose is to protect others, fails, and see‟s a
fellow police officer fall to his death as he attempted to save Scottie. As
a result of this he develops ACROPHOBIA and suffers from
Vertigo.
According to Freud, when a child (male) becomes aware of both male and female genetalia he
assumes that the female‟s penis has been removed and becomes anxious that his penis may be cut
off by his rival.
Watch the opening sequence to Vertigo and consider the following questions:
1. How can we argue that Scottie has been a victim of „Castration Anxiety‟?
2. What „masculine feature‟ is removed from Scottie during the sequence?
3. What are the symptoms of Scottie‟s „Castration‟?
4. How is Scottie‟s „Castration‟ shown on screen?
An extreme fear of heights. Suffers of ACROPHOBIA
can experience panic attacks, become dizzy or
agitated when confronted with high places.
A sensation of whirling and loss of balance,
associated particularly with looking down from a
great height or caused by a specific medical condition

12. During this sequence is effectively „Castrated‟ as his masculine qualities (To be active, in control,
dominant etc) are removed from him and he is left hanging, waiting for the help of others. He
becomes „Passive‟ and demonstrated typically female characteristics.
In the opening of Vertigo Scottie is „feminised‟
Midge‟s apartment reveals that Scottie was a fairly average man firmly rooted in reality before his
near-death experience. If Madeleine represents a romantic, otherworldly ideal, Midge stands for the
opposite. The bespectacled Midge is practical, competent, realistic and well adjusted.
Throughout this sequence, Scottie is consistently emasculated.
This scene begins with a fade from black to Scottie and Midge sitting in
her apartment. The fade suggests a passage of time between this sequence
and the opening; posing the question:
How did Scottie get down from the rooftop?
The scene opens by highlighting Scottie‟s „weakness‟ through his use of a
walking cane. He begins the scene as an injured man and his „weakness‟ is
emphasised.
As a result of this he must wear a corset – a feminine item of clothing
designed to emphasise a feminine shape and body type.
Watch the next scene between „Scottie‟ & „Midge‟ and consider the following:
1. How is Scottie‟s „Castration‟ highlighted?
2. In what ways is Scottie seen as „passive‟?
3. How does Hitchcock construct Scottie‟s Masculinity?
1 – Make (person) weaker or less effective
2 – Deprive a man of his male role or identity: “he
feels emasculated because he cannot control his this
situation”
Is possessing the qualities or characteristics
considered typical of, or appropriate to a man.

13. Throughout the sequence Midge is represented as motherly and unappealing (to Scottie, and therefore
the audience) as a love interest. This is best emphasised when she states”
“You know about these things. You‟re a big boy now”
Later in the sequence she encourages Scottie to climb the ladder – similar to a mother attempting to
encourage her child.
When Scottie fall he lands in Midge‟s arms in a way you expect to see in romantic films of the Golden
Hollywood era, but the roles are reversed, with Midge occupying the male role, and Scottie the female.
This scene tells us that the impossible relations between men and women will be an
integral aspect of this film!
Scottie (and by extension, the Spectator) clearly has a different relationship with Midge than that he
has with Madeleine.
This sequence is unique in its absence of Point of View shots – We are never given the opportunity to
„gaze‟ at Midge like we do with Madeleine. We are encouraged to see as the masculine character in
the scene and see her as neutral, with no overt sexuality or appeal.
The editing of the dialogue is in an alternating pattern (taking turns, being polite) and their
relationship is constructed by its „reality‟
Midge:
We are encouraged to view Midge as a „Mother‟ figure. She is
purposefully unappealing to Scottie and the Spectator in the
auditorium – her drab clothes, „librarian‟ look and maternal
role are effective in removing her feminine qualities. She does
not connote „to-be-looked-at-ness‟
Madeleine:
Throughout the film we are encouraged, even forced to „gaze‟ at
Madeleine and see her as a desirable, sexual object. The first
time both Scottie and the spectator see‟s her, the camera literally
draws us towards her, connoting her „to=be-looked-at-ness‟
She is consistently shot via POV shots – we are literally „gazing‟
at her through the eyes of Scottie.

14. As we have already identified, Midge emasculates Scottie, and this continues in the next scene, in
which Scottie meets with his college friend Gavin Elster.
Throughout the scene, Scottie is again emasculated and positioned as the
„passive‟ character – a typically female role.
Is a major theme of Vertigo and forms the
basis of our understanding of Scottie‟s
character and motivations. The only other prominent male figure in
the film is that of Madeleine‟s estranged husband, Gavin Elster.
Through Gavin and Scottie, we are presented with varying
representations of masculinity, from the rich, powerful, middle-class male, to his damaged,
emasculated and psychologically damaged counter part.
There are clear differences between Scottie and Gavin:
Powerful
Dominant
Attractive
Rich
Manipulator
In control of his own
life
Married
Before you move on to the next scene, you should write a short essay style answer to the
following questions, focusing solely on the opening sequence and first scene.
“How has your study of „Psycho-analysis‟ enhanced your understanding of Scottie?

15. At first, Scottie is comfortable walking around the large office whilst Gavin remains seated. It is only
when Gavin mentions Madeleine (a women who required help) that Scottie becomes uneasy.
The quick cut to Gavin‟s face as he says:
Emphasises what Robin Wood claims is “The result of Gavin
dominating, imposing his story on Scottie”
User of others
Weak
Castrated
Damaged
Dangerous
Threatening
Dominant
Submissive
Manipulated
Sympathetic
Lack of control
Victim of Trauma
Watch the sequence between Scottie & Gavin and consider the following:
How is Gavin‟s masculinity constructed?
How are the camera and mise-en-scene used to emphasise the difference between Scottie
& Gavin.
Someone dead!

16. The way Scottie manipulates Scottie, arguably leads to his feminisation, and position of the „Passive‟;
he is instructed how to act, and a complex game is constructed by
Gavin that Scottie obediently plays.
Scottie‟s psychological vulnerability is on display and is being
exploited by Gavin.
Positioning of the camera and the characters is also significant in this
scene. Once the subject of Madeleine comes up the cinematographic
style shifts to a series of low/high angle S/R/S exchanged between
Gavin and Scottie.
Gavin looms over Scottie throughout the scene, mostly achieve
through a lot of low angle shots that emphasise his physical
dominance over Scottie.
At the beginning of the scene Scottie attempts to remain standing and
asserts his control over the situation. By constantly framing Scottie in
a high angle shot and Gavin in a Low Angle, Hitchcock presents other
men as imposing and Scottie weak. He is overshadowed and
controlled by Gavin.
Laura Mulvey is a British Feminist Film Theorist from Britain.
She is best known for her study of gender in cinema, entitled: “Visual
Pleasure and the Narrative Cinema”
Her essay is credited with the shift of film analysis from aesthetic and
cultural to a psychological framework.
She was heavily influenced by the psychoanalytical works of psychologists
Sigmund Freud, and Jacques Lacan.
In her essay she coined the phrase: „THE MALE GAZE‟
Mulvey in her own words:
She believes that all audiences must view each film from the perspective of a heterosexual male.
“Sees the representation of women in film and literature (and therefore
society in general) as being dominated by a male point of view. Her belief
is that the world is a patriarchy and that men have the ‘active’ roles and
women ‘passive’”

17. Look at these images! The camera shots have been chosen for us, and as a
result, so has our „position‟ in relation to the character. The camera is
focused upon the bodies of each actress and by extension so is our
(spectators) gaze. We are unable to view either character in any other way
as the director has denied us alternative Points of View.
As spectators we are left no alternatives other than to view each female
from the perspective of a heterosexual male. Even women are forced to view
women this way.
Star Trek: Into Darkness received lots of negative responses to it‟s depiction
one women, especially the character of Carol Marcus.
“The scene (pictured) was flat out gratuitous. It had no point. There was no
reason for her to change clothes. There was no reason for her to change in front of Kirk. There was no
reason for her to change in a shuttlecraft with the back door hanging wide open” -
http://trekmovie.com/
Mulvey states that the role of a female character in a narrative has two functions:
1. As an erotic object for the characters within the story
2. As an erotic object for the spectator within the auditorium
Mulvey states that our world is ordered by sexual imbalance and pleasure in looking has been split in
to the following:
The characters that „look at‟ (Gaze) at others are seen as the „ACTIVE‟ role – Male characters
The characters that are „To be looked at‟ (gazed) are seen as the „PASSIVE‟ tole – female
characters – and therefore under the control of the male „Gazer‟
As a result of this the MALE GAZER projects his fantasy on to the female form, which is styled
according to his tastes.
Mikaela Barnes (Megan Fox) is introduced via a POV shot from the
perspective of the male lead Sam (LeBeouf). She is clearly an erotic
object for the character (this is obvious from the way he looks at her).
Barnes also fullfils the role of erotic object for the spectators as we are
given no alternative POV and gaze at her body

18. Women are simultaneously looked at, and displayed as a SEXUAL OBJECT – the connote „TO-BE-
LOOKED-AT-NESS‟
The scene begins with a MCU of Scottie‟s face. As he turns to „gaze‟ at
Madeleine, the camera pans right and follows his line of sight. The
camera itself is drawn towards Madeleine; visually representing his
inability to take his eyes of her, he is literally drawn to her. The camera
also acts as the spectators POV and we, as spectators are drawn to
Madeleine, and encouraged to view her as an erotic object.
As the camera moves closer (and by extension, the spectator) to her the
music swells and reinforces the romantic nature of the image.
The mise-en-scene is effective as the red hints at lust, love, danger,
romance etc. and the green dress makes Madeleine stand out from the
other women in the room who are dressed in dark, drab clothing.
This sequence introduces Madeleine as alluring and captivating. It is impossible for Scottie and the
spectator to take their eyes off her or resist her pull. In this shot she fulfils the role of erotic object for
Scottie and for the spectator in the auditorium.
As Madeleine leaves the bar with Gavin Elster, her alluring nature is again
highlighted.
Hitchcock uses the camera to „frame‟ Madeleine and present her as a
paradigm of beauty. This profile shot, from Scottie‟s POV, allows the
Watch the scene at „Ernie‟s bar‟ when Scottie first lays eyes on Madeleine. Pay close
attention to the camera movement use of music
How is the „Male Gaze‟ applied to this sequence?
How does the camera position Madeleine as a „erotic object‟ for both Scottie and the
spectator?

19. spectator to gaze at her face in close up.
This shot literally frames Madeleine in the doorway. The image reminds us of a painting – Hitchcock
presents her as an ideal women/erotic object that is being created in the mind of Scottie. We
(spectator), & Scottie see her an ideal „creation‟.
As mentioned earlier, throughout film history, male characters have played the „ACTIVE‟ role and
drive the narrative forward.
Women generally play „PASSIVE‟ roles and are seen as erotic object who slow the narrative – they
inspire things to happen.
Notice, in the sequence above, the narrative literally stops progressing so we can GAZE at Madeleine.
MULVEY STATES THAT FILMS INTEND TO REFLECT THE PSYHICAL OBSESSION OF THE
SOCIETY THAT PRODUVED OT – A PATRIARCHIAL SOCIETY
In order for us to fully identify with the male protagonist we must be able to accept the cinematic
world as a substitute for reality. The function of a film is to therefore reproduce as accurately as it
can, the so-called natural conditions of human perception.
Camera movement, shot types and invisible editing tend to blur the limits of screen space. We see the
world as „real‟ as this perfect male or „bearer of the gaze‟ is free to look and create the action.
During the sequences were Scottie follow‟s Madeleine, Hitchock relies on POV shots to position the
audience in the same place as Scottie. We are literally seeing this world, and by extension, Madeleine
through Scottie‟s eyes.
Watch the sequences where Scottie begins to follow Madeleine.
Make a note of the shot types used, the music, how the audience is positioned in relation
to the characters and how the narrative develops.
In what ways can you apply the „Male Gaze‟ theory to these sequences from Vertigo?

20. In this sequence, not only are we, the spectator „gazing‟ at Madeleine, we are being led around San
Francisco by her. She is occupying the „ACTIVE‟ role whilst the „PASSIVE‟ Scottie follows her.
Due to Scottie‟s weakness he has allowed himself to be
manipulated, and therefore feminised by a stronger male
character. His „Castration‟ creates his desire to „save‟ Madeleine and regain the masculine qualities
he has lost.
You may also notice that Scottie is continually driving in a spiral - a major motif of the film!
To do: More analysis of Bell Tower Sequences:
Control over M & J in the beauty salon
Auteur

21. Vertigo is basically the wild ride of a textbook cynic who gives in to sentimentalism and has two
(technically three) relationships destroyed by his dysfunctional emotions and obsessions. And, of
course, there is the title character, Scottie‟s phobia, waiting in the wings to lend a hand if Scottie‟s life
looks like it might be stabilizing at any point in the movie. Anyway, I decided I wanted to take a closer
look at some of the ideas we were playing around with after class with Watson and the Hitch Lady, so
this is a look at the movie using what I understand of Freudian psychology, plus some entertaining
input from the Vengeful Cynic. (We disagree about the way the movie ends, but I went with his view
because Freud would disagree with me as well.)
At the very beginning of the movie, we see Scottie vaulting across rooftops, struggling to keep up with
the policeman ahead of him as he realizes that he is afraid of heights. He is, of course, suffering from
castration anxiety. The ability to chase down criminals is important to his work, which is tied directly
to his role as a male, providing for himself (he is not married . . . I‟m getting to that). If he is unable to
perform adequately, it will signify that he is impotent. When he fails to save the life of the policeman
who is trying to save him, he is effectively castrated.
There is, at this point, one woman in his life, and soon there will be a second. The first, Midge,
threatens his already repressed sexuality, but her relationship with him also conflicts with that threat.
She often attempts to operate as a mother figure (later in the movie she will come directly out and
identify herself as such: “Mother is here.”), but she is also very much the liberated woman in the
story. She is self-sufficient, supporting herself from her own work and even, in many ways, more able
to cope with life than Scottie. She was also the one to break off their engagement when they were in
college (even though she wants to pick up the pieces now), and perhaps he has never gotten past the
effects of that rejection. She doesn‟t have any real issues, and even as I watched the movie I couldn‟t
help but think that she is the only well-adjusted character in the movie. Unless, of course, someone
wants to make the usual case for penis envy! Personally, I‟m leaving Freud‟s theories about women
alone.
Then Madeleine enters the scene. Scottie is asked to follow her and protect her from the very
beginning of the relationship, long before they ever meet face to face. Far from threatening his
sexuality, Madeline gives him another chance to make up for his
„castration‟ experience. An important part of the job is, at first, to
maintain distance between them. This makes him feel safe. The
availability of this second chance to perform his task becomes more and
more apparent to him as he sees how much help she needs, culminating
in her throwing herself into San Francisco Bay. Here is something that

22. Scottie can deal with, and he does. He feels that he has taken a step towards redeeming himself and
regaining his virility through the rescue of this lovely, helpless young woman. And now he has
undressed her and placed her in his bed. Is it any wonder that his sexuality, and even his sanity,
becomes tied directly to her very existence? Or that he becomes totally enamoured of her?
But she isn‟t safe yet, and he isn‟t fully redeemed yet, either. He must
continue to protect her as the attraction grows and he becomes more
obsessed with finding out what is causing her madness. Then, disaster
strikes. Before he is ready to confront the act of regaining the full
measure of his sexuality, she dashes ahead of him, running up the bell
tower. And, yes, the tower is tall and thin and otherwise generally phallic
in nature. Duh. He is unable to follow her all the way to the top and she
plummets to her death. He is now totally devastated, and the slimy guy
presiding over the inquest into her death (or whatever it is) certainly
doesn‟t help his perceptions of himself.
And so, he finds himself in an asylum, shutting the entire world out. Midge certainly can‟t break
through the barrier and she sees that he is still “in love” with Madeleine. It takes an indeterminate
amount of time for him to slowly come out of his depression. As he slowly revisits the places where he
had previously encountered Madeline, he begins to strongly manifest the classic symptoms of a phallic
fixation (some symbolically, some literally). Then he meets Judy, immediately notes the resemblance,
and the fixation becomes dominant. He is so obsessed and desperate to work through his repression
and regain his lost virility that he treats Judy like an object,
ignoring her feelings in order to „do her up‟ like Madeleine.
And when he is shocked to discover that this
actually is Madeleine, he firmly and instantly takes the
initiative this time. He drives her out to the bell tower and
roughly forces her to the top (against her will), where there is a
brief but intense burst of passion between them. Then she is
scared off of the pinnacle by the arrival of a nun (symbol of female
chastity) and plummets to her death. He moves to the edge, now
unafraid of the terrible height and not threatened by the presence of
the chaste woman behind him, exhausted in every way, but
satisfied as the bells toll behind him. As the movie ends he is
finally able to stand triumphant high above his conquest.
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