SSC Film Studies

Vertigo

At the start of vertigo we are given two different types of people we are given a man that is shot like a woman and a woman that is shot like  a man and this is due to Hitchcock's directing. Because he has conditioned from the start that Midge will not be getting the male gaze this is shown by how Midge is dressed, shot and acts because she is wearing plain yellow clothes showing that she is neutral and it also does not show of any of the body that would actually sexualise her this in turn means that she will not be getting the males gaze. But also her acting she is acting like a motherly figure and this is even acknowledged by Scottie who says this to her. This tells the audience how we should actually feel about her and that she alone does not deserve the male gaze that is bestowed on Madeline. In this scene she carries on to actually try and help Scottie sort out with his situation with Vertigo so she gets a step ladder so that Scottie can gradually learn like a mother teaching a child how to ride a bike. Overall Midge is represented to be a practical, realistic, emancipated, eminently sane, positive and healthy.