Vertigo Page #22

Synopsis: An ex-police officer who suffers from an intense fear of heights is hired to prevent an old friend's wife from committing suicide, but all is not as it seems. Hitchcock's haunting, compelling masterpiece is uniquely revelatory about the director's own predilections and hang-ups and is widely considered to be one of his masterworks.
Production: Paramount Pictures
  Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 4 nominations.
 
IMDB:
8.3
Rotten Tomatoes:
96%
PG
Year:
1958
128 min
4,209 Views


SCOTTIE:

I'm trying to buy you a suit.

JUDY:

But I loved the second one she wore.

And this one --

(She touches a suit

on the chair)

-- is beautiful.

SCOTTIE:

They're none of them right.

JUDY:

But why?

The saleswoman has a sudden thought.

SALESWOMAN:

Oh!! I think I know the suit you

mean! We had it -- oh, it must be

sometime ago! Let me go see. We may

still have the model.

And she hurries away into the back room. Judy looks at Scottie

with wondering, understanding eyes.

JUDY:

You're looking for the suit she wore!

For me?!?

Scottie looks at her anxiously, not wanting an argument.

JUDY:

(Repelled)

You want me to dress like her?

SCOTTIE:

Judy, I just want you to look nice.

And I know what kind of suit would

look well on you.

JUDY:

Ah, no!!! I don't want to be dressed

like someone dead!

SCOTTIE:

Judy --

JUDY:

It's a horrible idea! Is that what

I'm here for? To make you feel that

you're with someone that's dead?

She has risen from her chair, appalled, and close to tears.

The Saleswoman enters briskly.

SALESWOMAN:

She'll be out in a moment.

SCOTTIE:

Now, Judy, it isn't anything to get --

JUDY:

No, I won't do it!!

She walks away. Scottie follows her.

SCOTTIE:

Judy!!

The saleswoman watches the altercation with interest. The

two are out of earshot, now, but what they're seems pretty

evident.

Scottie is being urgently persuasive, Judy is staring at the

floor, shaking her head, fighting the tears. The following

is distant and blurred.

SCOTTIE:

Judy, it can't make much difference

to you. I just want to see how you'd

look and I know it won't be the same,

but --

JUDY:

No, I don't want any clothes! I don't

want anything! I want to get out of

here!

SCOTTIE:

(strongly)

Judy, you've got to do this for me!

Please!

She looks up at him, frightened, and at that moment he sees

the model enter, wearing the grey suit.

SCOTTIE:

Yes! That's it!

SALESWOMAN:

I thought so!

JUDY:

I don't like it!

SCOTTIE:

We'll take it! Will it fit?

SALESWOMAN:

Oh, yes! It may need some slight

alterations, but it is madam's size.

(To the model)

All right, dear.

(To Judy)

We'll have it for you to try in a

moment.

SCOTTIE:

How soon can it be altered?

SALESWOMAN:

Well...

SCOTTIE:

Can we have it by tonight?

SALESWOMAN:

Well, if it's absolutely necessary...

SCOTTIE:

Yes, it is. Now, I want to look at

an evening dress, a dinner dress,

black -- short -- long sleeves --

with a neck cut this...

(Indicates square

neck)

...and the skirt out.

(Indicates full skirt

with his hands)

JUDY:

(Appealing)

Scottie --

He whirls on her with blazing eyes and stares at her

commandingly, and Judy shrinks a little.

SALESWOMAN:

(Laughs, embarrassed)

My, you certainly do know what you

want, sir. I'll see what we have.

She goes into the back room. Judy and Scottie remains as

they were, their eyes fixed on each other. But Judy is cowed.

DISSOLVE T0:

INT. RANSOHOFF'S, SHOE SALON - (DAY)

Open on a SHOT of Judy's legs, standing in new, high-heeled

brown shoes. On the floor around her are other shoes and

shoe boxes scattered haphazardly.

SCOTTIE'S VOICE

All right. Walk.

The legs start to walk, and the scene opens up as Judy walks

away from the CAMERA, and we find Scottie seated, watching,

and a shoe salesman in attendance. Judy sways a bit on the

high heels in a way that could be reminiscent of Madeleine.

She stops and turns, and stands staring at Scottie, without

expression.

SCOTTIE:

All right. That's it. Do you have in

black, too?

SALESMAN:

Yes, we have.

SCOTTIE:

All right.

He looks at Judy and meets her gaze steadfastly.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT)

In the living room. There is a fire in the fireplace. Judy

is seated on the floor before the fire, bent forward with

her head and arms buried in the seat of the easy chair. She's

been crying. Scottie enters from the kitchen carrying a bottle

of cognac and two glasses. He looks down at Judy, then pours

cognac into the two glasses and sets the bottle down.

SCOTTIE:

Here, Judy. Take it straight down.

It's medicine.

Judy raises her tear-streaked face.

JUDY:

(Pleading)

Why are you doing this? What good

will it do?

She takes the glass from his outstretched hand.

SCOTTIE:

I don't know. No good, I guess. But

I don't know.

She takes a large sip of cognac, makes a face, and puts the

glass away. As she does:

JUDY:

(Tearfully)

I wish you'd leave me alone. I want

to go away.

SCOTTIE:

You can.

JUDY:

No, you wouldn't let me.

(Then, almost to

herself)

And I don't want to go...

Scottie comes down to her and puts his hands on her arms and

holds her and looks into her eyes intently.

SCOTTIE:

Judy, I want to tell you: these few

days have been the first happy days

I've had in a year.

JUDY:

(Sadly)

I know. Because I remind you of her.

The one that's dead. And not even

that, very much.

SCOTTIE:

(Meaning it)

No, it's you too, Judy. Something in

you.

She looks at him with a new spark of hope, and her eyes are

almost willing him to kiss her. But then he drops his hands

from her arms, and the glow fades from her eyes, and she

looks away.

JUDY:

(Dully)

You don't even want to touch me.

SCOTTIE:

(Grimly)

Yes. Yes, I do.

He rises and walks away toward the window. She looks after

him, then rises and almost runs to him.

JUDY:

Couldn't you like me, just me, the

way I am?! When we first started out

it was so good! We had fun! And you

started on the clothes! I'll wear

the darned clothes if you want me

to! If you just like me!

They are face to face, and Scottie is studying her somberly.

Beyond them, through the window, we can see that magnificent

symbol, the Coit Tower.

SCOTTIE:

(Studying)

The color of your hair...

JUDY:

Ah, no!

SCOTTIE:

Judy, please it can't matter to you...

She shrinks a little, and is defeated.

JUDY:

The trouble is, I'm gone now. For

you. And I can't do anything about

it. I want you to love me. If I let

you change me, will that do it? If I

do what you tell me, will you love

me?

SCOTTIE:

Yes.

JUDY:

All right. Then I'll do it. Because

I don't care about me anymore. I

just want you to love me.

Long pause.

SCOTTIE:

(Gently)

I'll take you home.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ELIZABETH ARDEN SALON - (DAY)

The first impact is of SOUND, of the buzz of hair dryers and

the shrill cacophony of female voices talking and laughing.

Scottie is leaning at the doorway leading into the inner

salon. The CAMERA PANS AWAY from him through another door

and comes to REST on a big head of Judy, covered with, soap

suds, bent over a basin. One of the beauty operators looks

out toward Scottie then walks out to him.

OPERATOR:

I'm afraid it's going to be several

hours. The young lady thought perhaps

you'd like to go home, and she'll

come there as soon as she's finished.

SCOTTIE:

Oh! Well... no. Tell her I'll go to

her hotel, and wait for her there.

She starts to turns away. Scottie stops her.

SCOTTIE:

Oh! You're sure about the color of

the hair.

OPERATOR:

0h, yes. It's an easy color.

SCOTTIE:

And the rest of --

Rate this script:4.7 / 3 votes

Alec Coppel

Alec Coppel (17 September 1907 – 22 January 1972) was an Australian-born screenwriter, novelist and playwright. He spent the majority of his career in London and Hollywood, specialising in light thrillers, mysteries and sex comedies. He is best known for the films Vertigo (1958), The Captain's Paradise (1953), Mr Denning Drives North (1951) and Obsession (1949), and the plays I Killed the Count and The Gazebo. more…

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Submitted by acronimous on May 13, 2018

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