Vertigo- A 1958 Film Directed by Alfred Hitchcock - Starring James Stewart and Kim Novak -run time two hours and Five Minutes

 Alfred Hitchcock had a very long career in movies.

(Born: August 13, 1899, Leytonstone, London, United Kingdom

Died: April 29, 1980, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, United States)

In his six decades in the movie business he made over fifty films.  My research indicates Vertigo is regarded among his very best works.

The story was based on the 1954 novel D'entre les morts (From Among the Dead) by Boileau-Narcejac. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor. The film stars James Stewart as former police detective John "Scottie" Ferguson, who has retired because an incident in the line of duty has caused him to develop acrophobia (an extreme fear of heights) and vertigo, a false sense of rotational movement.

The film opens with Scottie witnessing the death of a police officer who falls from a rooftop. Scottie is blamed for the death, and he develops a fear of heights. He retires from the police force and becomes a private investigator.

Scottie is hired by his old college friend Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) to follow his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak). Elster believes that Madeleine is possessed by the spirit of her great-grandmother, Carlotta Valdes. Scottie agrees to follow Madeleine, and he soon becomes obsessed with her.

Scottie follows Madeleine to various locations around San Francisco, including the Mission Dolores cemetery, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Twin Peaks. He watches her as she gazes at Carlotta's grave, and he sees her fainting at the top of the bell tower.

Scottie eventually saves Madeleine from suicide, and he begins to fall in love with her. However, Madeleine's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and she eventually disappears. Scottie eventually discovers that Madeleine is not who she seems, and that Elster has been manipulating him all along.

Vertigo is a complex and multilayered film that explores themes of obsession, deception, and the nature of reality. It is considered to be one of Hitchcock's masterpieces, and it has been praised for its visual style, its psychological insights, and its haunting atmosphere.

Two Musical Comedys From The 1950s Sure to Lift Your Spirits - There is no Business Like Show Business and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

 There's No Business Like Show Business is a 1954 American musical comedy-drama film directed by Walter Lang. It stars an ensemble cast, consisting of Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, Marilyn Monroe, Dan Dailey, Johnnie Ray, and Mitzi Gaynor. The title is borrowed from the famous song in the stage musical (and MGM film) Annie Get Your Gun. The screenplay was written by Phoebe Ephron and Henry Ephron, based on a story by Lamar Trotti; and the movie was Fox's first musical in CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color. O'Connor later called the film the best picture he ever made.

The film tells the story of the Donahue family, a vaudeville act that becomes a successful Broadway show. The parents, Terry (Dailey) and Molly (Merman), are the driving force behind the act, but their children all have their own dreams. Steve (Ray) wants to become a priest, Katy (Gaynor) wants to be a star, and Tim (O'Connor) wants to be a dancer. 

The film follows the Donahues as they navigate the ups and downs of show business. They experience success and failure, love and loss, but they always come back together. The film is a celebration of the show business world and the people who make it work.

There's No Business Like Show Business was a critical and commercial success. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Merman. The film also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture.

The film is a classic of the musical genre. It features some of Irving Berlin's most famous songs, including "There's No Business Like Show Business," "Heat Wave," and "Alexander's Ragtime Band." The film is also notable for its star-studded cast, which includes some of the biggest names in Hollywood at the time.

The film is a classic of the musical genre. It features some of Irving Berlin's most famous songs, including "There's No Business Like Show Business," "Heat Wave," and "Alexander's Ragtime Band

I like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes much more than There is no Business Like Show Business. I totally enjoyed the close friendship of the lead characters played by Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe, The comic genius of Monroe shines through as does that of Jane Russell. And it does not hurt that skin tight dresses show of their 1950s Playboy figures. There are also gorgeous men (including a dance sequence with Russell and a dozen scantily attired men that must have shocked the prudish), silly old men (yikes!) Going crazy for Marilyn, an excitement laden cruise passage from New York to Paris on which Marilyn pursues wealthy men while Jane goes after 20 young men on an Olympic team.

"A kiss on the hand might feel very good, but a diamond tiara is forever."

The two women are from Little Rock. They had a singing and dancing act. They moved to New York City as Marilyn, Loralie, wants a very rich husband.and Jane just wants love. I don't want to give a way the plot line except to say it is fun and exciting.

Both movies are on. YouTube

I will soon do a post on two musicals starring Rita Hayworth

Mel Ulm