1. Vertigo (1958)
John "Scottie" Ferguson (James Stewart) is retired from the force due to vertigo and clinical depression (a rooftop chase and his fear of heights resulted in the death of another officer). He is asked by an acquaintance to tail his wife Madeline, whom he claims is possessed. This sparks a strange turn of events whereby he becomes obsessed with Madeline and exorcising his personal demons. A bit of a departure from his romantic thriller past, Vertigo had a lukewarm reception by the critics who felt it was too long and bogged down in detail. The French were responsible for the rehabilitation of the film's reputation. The French have always taken Hitchcock very very seriously and when the film was rereleased in cinemas and home video in 1983 it was a great commercial success and received exemplary reviews. Now sitting on Sight and Sound's No. 1 position of the greatest films of all time, some people feel the adulation is growing excessive. My two cents: I would much rather be watching Rope or Marnie but Hitchcock did succeed with Vertigo in making a unique movie which is dreamlike and lavish. The score by Bernard Hermann is a definite bonus.