Hitchcock scenes (Vertigo)

[sawakatoome]

I wish that someone could explain how Scottie was able to descend the
stairs of the apartment building when he could not even stand on a step
stool?
I like the story, but think that Hitch should have done something about
this scene.

sawky replies:
I guess, without thinking, people just assume that acrophobia affects
different people .. differently. For one person, I suppose it *might*
be so absurdly dibilitating that simply standing up causes vertigo.
(Actually, doesn't Scottie half-joke about this in his first scene with
Midge? .. "What if a pencil falls from the table, I bend down to pick
it up and 'bingo', my acrophobia's back!")

We know Scottie's acrophobia doesn't stem from a childhood
incident/accident (.. its all so new to him and his friends) .. so I
would guess everyday stuff he's done since he was a kid (e.g.
ascending/descending stairs) would have little or minimal effect on
him.

But by standing on a stool the way he did (i.e. to see whether it would
cause a reaction or not) is a test .. and this is why I think he reacts
badly.

Fergal #.

[sawakatoome]

Post by sawakatoome
.. so I
would guess everyday stuff he's done since he was a kid (e.g.
ascending/descending stairs) would have little or minimal effect on
him.

I continue:
Meant to include ... the bell-tower stairs are not the same as the
McKittrick Hotel stairs.

With the bell-tower stairs, Scottie always had direct access to how
high up he was, simply by glancing over his shoulder.

The McKittrick Hotel stairs are the more straightforward stairs, in
that they are closer to being a 'slope' than a vertiginous drop, like
the bell-tower.

Fergal #.

[b***@aol.com]

Post by sawakatoome

Post by sawakatoome
.. so I
would guess everyday stuff he's done since he was a kid (e.g.
ascending/descending stairs) would have little or minimal effect on
him.

Meant to include ... the bell-tower stairs are not the same as the
McKittrick Hotel stairs.
With the bell-tower stairs, Scottie always had direct access to how
high up he was, simply by glancing over his shoulder.
The McKittrick Hotel stairs are the more straightforward stairs, in
that they are closer to being a 'slope' than a vertiginous drop, like
the bell-tower.
Fergal #.

Thanks for the feedback to my question. It is a favorite film of mine,
and I've thought often about how Scottie insisted on waiting downstairs
while the woman went up to check the room. I can accept the reasonable
explainations, but I'm still surprised that Hitch didn't take advantage
of this very photogentic view (see the link). To focus on Scottie's
problem at this scene would seem to add to the theme.

http://community.webtv.net/BigMovieFan/Vertigo

Rich Wagner

[sawakatoome]

Ricj wrote:
and I've thought often about how Scottie insisted on waiting downstairs

while the woman went up to check the room. I can accept the reasonable

explainations, but I'm still surprised that Hitch didn't take advantage

of this very photogentic view (see the link). To focus on Scottie's
problem at this scene would seem to add to the theme.

sawky replies:
Nice image .. thanks for that, I guess it adds to all the up / down,
ascending / descending imagery and movement .. suitable, considering
the title and subject of the film.

Also, I always thought he waited downstairs (while she went up to check
the room) out of common courtesy. At that time, (1) there may not be
anything to be alarmed about and (2) he's a RETIRED police detective
(and would have been illegal for him to act like an active one .. he's
already pushing it showing his badge to get answers).

Fergal #.

[b***@aol.com]

Also, I always thought he waited downstairs (while she went up to check

the room) out of common courtesy. At that time, (1) there may not be
anything to be alarmed about and (2) he's a RETIRED police detective
(and would have been illegal for him to act like an active one .. he's
already pushing it showing his badge to get answers).

Fergal #.


I did notice that too. I guess he always knew that the best way to
get information was to make it appear to be "official" business. If he
simply identified himself as a private detective, she may have refused
to help in order to protect her tenant.

Rich