Vertigo was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is often cited as his most complex (emotionally and psychologically) deep film.

It stars James Stewart as John “Scottie” Ferguson. This was a rare role for Stewart at the time, as he did not usually play deeply flawed or manipulative characters.

Kim Novak played the dual roles of Madeleine Elster and Judy Barton, which played on the film’s importance of duality and male fantasy.

The film is based on the 1954 French novel D’entre les morts. The novel’s authors were Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac, and Alfred Hitchcock’s company personally bought the rights to the book for a film version.

The famous dolly zoom effect was popularized by this film. It is now also known as the vertigo shot, which partially simulates what vertigo feels like.

The green lighting used on Kim Novak symbolizes fantasy and obsession.

The tower scenes were partially filmed at the San Juan Bautista Mission in San Juan Bautista, California. The rest was shot on a film set.

Hitchcock originally wanted Vera Miles for the female lead, but she became pregnant, and he had to choose Kim Novak instead.

The film was a box office disappointment when first released. Critics and audiences found it slow, disturbing, and morally compromising. It was later regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. The film’s reputation really started to rebound in the 1980s.

The British Film Institute’s Sight and Sound poll named it the greatest film of all time in 2012.

Alfred Hitchcock made a cameo appearance about 11 minutes into the film. He walks past the shipyard carrying a trumpet case.

The color “vertigo green” is a recurring visual motif.