An essay about Hitchcock's auteur status within the film Vertigo

1. Beth Graham
How useful have you found the auteur critical approach in gaining a deeper understanding
of Vertigo?
Alfred Hitchcock is one of the first directors to be associated with the auteur theory, a filmmaker
with a distinctive style which creates a signature within their films making them easily identifiable
by audiences. Hitchcock is so distinctive when it comes to the auteur theory as he was one
directing around the start of the industry meaning by the time Vertigo debuted his signature style
was well known to both audiences and critics alike. Critic Andrew Sarris also developed an auteur
theory comprised of three key elements: technical competence, personal style and interior
meaning. All of these elements can be seen in Vertigo and allow for a deeper understanding due to
Hitchcock’s conventions within genre and narratives.
The first element of Sarris’ auteur theory is technical competence and the critic comments “... if a
director has no technical competence, no elementary flair for the cinema, he is automatically cast
out from the pantheon of directors.” Hitchcock however quickly became known for dream
sequences and a range of shots including dolly zooms, point of view shots and shot reverse shots.
As one of the screenwriters of Vertigo, Taylor even commented that “[the camera] was his
instrument, and he was its instrument, and they were one.” An example of his technical
competence can be seen in Vertigo during the first Ernie’s restaurant scene. Hitchcock uses a
tracking shot to follow Madeleine through the restaurant connoting the reoccurring theme of
voyeurism seen within not only Vertigo but throughout his other work such as the opening
sequence of Rear Window. Interestingly this tracking shot is one of the only points in the film in
which the audience are not shown Scottie’s point of view, this is very important in terms of the
narrative as it foreshadows the role of the spectator nearer the end of the film and suggests the
shift between the mystery and thriller genres. The tracking shot in the restaurant follows Madeleine
with Gavin Elster and links to Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory as the male ideal. This however is
also reflected in the mise-en-scene of the scene examples including her luxurious green evening
gown against the bright red background. This tracking shot documents Scottie’s fascination with
Madeleine as she is presented to be the ideal woman something Hitchcock then contrasts by
mirroring this scene with Judy but instead using only shot reverse shots to show Scottie’s lack of
interest in Judy.
The second part of Sarris’ theory is personal style, the personalised signature of a director or a
recurring characteristic within their films. For Hitchcock this includes examples such as the
MacGuffin narrative structure or the binary opposition of the predator versus the prey once again
linking back to the voyeuristic nature of relationships. It must also be noted that Kim Novak’s
casting as Madeleine is also in alignment with Hitchcock’s personal style, he was known to hire
young blondes and treat them in a similar manner to their representation in the film. A range of
techniques that showcase Hitchcock’s personal style can be seen when Scottie follows Madeleine
to the art gallery including the male gaze and objectification of women. Additionally another key
element of Hitchcock’s style is forcing audiences to look at key narrative points or in this scene red
herrings within the MacGuffin narrative structure. During this scene the camera will at first zoom
into a feature of the Carlotta portrait that mirrors Madeleine’s appearance then the camera turns to
Scottie in order to capture his reaction and consolidation of Elster’s story of possession. This
element within the film allows the spectator to piece together the story alongside the protagonist

2. Beth Graham
which is reflective of the mystery genre but also supports the MacGuffin narrative, using red
herrings to manipulate audience and to allow for a twist.
The final part of the auteur theory is interior meaning, known as the ultimate premise Sarris states
“Interior meaning is extrapolated from the tension between a director’s personality and his
material.” Throughout Hitchcock’s films, Vertigo in particular, America’s obsession with an idealistic
view of beauty is highlighted, themes include obsession, compulsion and desire within a patriarchal
society. This ideology and interior meaning can be seen within Judy’s full transformation back to
Madeleine at Scottie’s hand. Hitchcock employs technical competence through the application of a
fog filter and green lighting upon the reveal of Judy as the ghost of Madeline, a woman objectified
to fit a man’s lustful desires, society’s ideal. Within this final element of Sarris’ theory he explained
his view on film in terms of a director’s interior meaning “cinema as an art.” This idea is not only
reflected in Novak’s performance as the desirable Madeleine and more mundane or ordinary Judy,
but also in the need for subsequent viewings. Vertigo itself requires subsequent viewings to gain a
deeper understanding of both the narrative and the characters as critic Saamadder comments on
the need for additional viewings “the beauty of Vertigo cannot be so captured and pined, it is more
akin to the butterfly garden in which we all have our own nets. Everyone’s catch will be different,
and different each time.” The interior meaning of the film is dependent on which character you
sympathise with but this changes constantly depending on the amount of viewings and knowledge
of critical reception or theories surrounding the film’s ambiguities such as how Scottie survived the
opening sequence.
In conclusion, the auteur critical response surrounding Hitchcock is crucial in gaining a deeper
understanding of Vertigo especially when applying Sarris’ auteur theory to the film. One can easily
find examples of technical competence, personal style and interior meaning throughout Vertigo and
relate it back to Hitchcock’s own personal signature throughout his films. Vertigo captures the
themes of voyeurism and objectification of women, a key element of many films by the director, but
by knowing these thematic links other elements within the film become clearer as they foreshadow
Scottie’s obsession over Elster’s fictionalised character of Madeleine.