Directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, Vertigo is about a police officer, John “Scottie” Ferguson, who retired from his duty, after developing Vertigo and acrophobia. Thanks to an incident that occurred at his workplace. Thus, he occasionally finds his surroundings rotating. Galvin Elster hires him to follow his wife, Madeline.
People took some time to accept the American psychological thriller movie. However, it turned out to be one of the best movies ever and a classic Hitchcock movie. It overtook Citizen Kane (1941) and became one of the greatest movies ever.
Vertigo’s reception in England was less friendly. However, France offered it a warm welcome. The movie was produced by Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions. Made with $2.5 million, Vertigo collected $7.3 million internationally. Alfred Hitchcock appeared in a gray suit with a trumpet case on the street in the name of a cameo appearance.
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Vertigo Filming Locations
Vertigo is based on D’entre les morts, a novel by Pierre Boileau and published in 1954. The movie was filmed under the title, From Among The Dead, from September 1957 to December 1957. Principal photography began in September in San Francisco.
Mission San Juan Bautista Tower
Scottie discovers that Judy is Gavin’s mistress, and the duo hides his wife’s murder. Scottie has a fear of heights. So, he asks Judy to go up the tower. The movie contains one more scene where Madeline falls off the tower. However, the tower was made more dramatic for the movie.
The tower is at Mission San Juan Bautista, California. Judy Lanini, the associate producer, requested Hitchcock to film there. The crew members made a staircase in the studio and presented it as the tower’s staircase in the movie. The rest was a result of trick photography and matte paintings by Hitchcock at the Paramount studio in Los Angeles.
Golden Gate Bridge
Madeline, supposedly possessed by Carlotta, jumps into the San Francisco Bay. Scottie jumps into the bay to save her. He later takes her to the car, shouting her name. Fortunately, she wakes up in the movie. The scene was filmed at the Fort Point, Presidio, below the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Scottie saves Madeline, and the duo drives to the Muir Woods in north San Francisco, according to the movie. There, they talk about Scottie’s supposed possession. The scene actually got filmed at Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, nine miles from Boulder Creek.
Hotel Vertigo
Scottie meets Judy, who resembles Madeline. However, he wants her to change herself more to look like Madeline. The red-headed woman, Judy, agrees to change herself for Scottie because he promises her to love her after that. Judy says she stays in the Empire Hotel.
In real life, it is the Hotel Vertigo/York Hotel at 940 Sutter Street, San Francisco. It is in the in the Lower Nob Hill. The hotel is permanently closed but still has the banners made for the movie.
Cypress Point, Pebble Beach
Madeline and Scottie arrive on the beach after walking through the Muir Woods. Madeline embraces Scottie, and they kiss each other. The scene was filmed at Cypress Point on California’s Pebble Beach. The Pebble beach has a golf course and coastal majesty.
Legion of Honor, San Francisco
Madeline stares at a portrait, and Scottie asks an attendant about the lady in the portrait. The lady turns out to be Carlotta. The scene was filmed at an art museum, The Legion of Honor, in San Francisco, California. The museum still contains many portraits shown in the movie. However, Carlotta’s portrait was removed and lost after filming.
St. Joseph’s Hospital
Scottie gets treated in a sanatorium, according to the movie. It is the real-life St. Joseph’s Hospital, 355 Buena Vista East, built in 1928. In 1979, the hospital was closed, and the place became a home to the condominiums.
The McKittrick Hotel
The McKittrick Hotel shown in the movie is operated as Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory School’s sports field. It used to be a Victorian Mansion with an owner when the movie, Vertigo, was filmed. Now, the school is in Cathedral Hill, California.
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