Vertigo is a movie that I’ve always had trouble with. In many ways it is one of Hitchcock’s greatest films, but I can certainly see why he didn’t like it all that much. I agree that James Stewart was incredibly miscast, mainly due to his very limited range as an actor. He was never exactly known for his dark side, honestly he’s just too earnest of a person to pull it off. However, he did the best he could and still managed to give his darkest performance this time around (it’s also a guilty pleasure of mine to see him going crazy). San Fransisco is quite possibly the best aspect of the film to me because Hitchcock shoots it so beautifully. It looks like a dream, the pastel look is amazing on the eyes. The plot is also one of the better one’s Hitchcock dealt with. No, it’s not as twisted as De Palma’s semi-remake Obsession, but for 1959 you have to give it credit for being really demented. It’s not my favorite film from the master, but it is a hidden masterpiece.