“Vertigo Movie Review.” Variety Magazine. 14 May. 1958. 8 Apr. 2008.
        <http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=variety100&content=jump&
        jump=review&reviewID=VE1117796098&category=1935>.

         In this original 1958 Variety Magazine review of Hitchcock’s Vertigo, the critic provides a very mixed assessment of the film. The reviewer lauds the performance of Jimmy Stewart while noting that under Hitchcock’s direction, Kim Novak is “nearer an actress than she was in [previous films].” The reviewer also notes the beautiful photography of San Francisco and feels that the images will play a paramount role in whatever success the film generates. The major problem with the film is that “the film’s first half is too slow and too long.” The critic believes that this may be the result of Hitchcock becoming too enamored with scenery or with a screenplay that just takes too long to get going. The reviewer describes the action as “mainly psychic” while appreciating and even giving away the final scene of the film. The review culminates by questioning if the two-hour runtime could be better spent by the viewer. The critic finds the film to be “basically only a psychological murder mystery.”
        This review is important because it shows the overwhelming sentiments that the film received when it first came out. The critic goes so far as to question if she wasted her time watching the film. And this is a film which is today regarded as a masterpiece. It is interesting to note that the Variety viewer believed that the film’s photography would play a part in its success. Although this turned out to be incorrect, Hitchcock too believed that extravagant settings would lead to a strong reception. Overtime, response to Vertigo changed as critics began to find deeper meaning in the film.