Conspiracy and Horror

Although Saboteur (1942) seems to be a preachy film that goes to great lengths to throw its own patriotism in our face, we must consider its historicity. We must consider what was happening in the world at the time the film was released. World War II had already begun, and there was widespread fear that foreign powers had sent spies and saboteurs into our country to sabotage production in military factories. Saboteur’s protagonist is young and idealistic airplane mechanic Barry Kane. Barry is wrongfully accused of committing an act of arson that is ultimately responsible for his best friend’s death. Jim Merod has graced us with his point of view that Hitchcock is a sadistic filmmaker. In a majority of Hitchcock films the protagonist is an ordinary working man who is forced to leave the comfort of the familiar behind. When we watch a Hitchcock film we know that the protagonist is going to go on a wild ride and that we must follow and to some degree become him. Hitchcock is obviously aware of the fear of sabotage, so he plays on it and on reminds us that a war is also being fought at home. The war is being fought between working-class Americans and those who conspire, and the weapons are fear and deception.

Hitchcock presents us with several instances in which Barry Kane is in danger of being captured by police and must put himself at the mercy of others. Barry and we must trust in the inherent goodness of these working Americans. Barry befriends a truck driver who later assists him in evading the police. Following his escape Barry meets a kindly old blind man. This blind man feels that his blindness allows him to see deeper into the hearts of others. Although he is aware of Barry’s handcuffs from the very beginning, he believes that his duty as an American is to believe that a man is innocent until he is proven guilty. Barry beams and his expression shows us that he is truly proud to be an American. His niece Pat is anxious to turn Barry over to the police, and the blind man asks if it is her fear that makes her so cruel. He then reminds us that our duty as Americans is to be willing to disregard the law when necessary. Barry and Pat seek refuge on a train with circus sideshow performers. Even though these circus freaks are outcasts of society, even they emphasize the importance of making decisions through a democratic process. Although there are powerful forces working against this country, the inherent goodness of all Americans will prove stronger in the end.

Vertigo (1958) has less-ambitious political agenda than Saboteur. Vertigo is an emotional thriller/mystery in which John must explore his own fear and obsession. I’ve seen this film before but I believe that I was only thirteen or fourteen at the time, and it had little effect on me back then. My second viewing revealed much more about the atmosphere that Hitchcock wants to create and how he is experimenting with the medium of film. His use of lighting is especially important in this film as it is used to heighten the emotional intensity of nearly every scene. One especially strong example occurs in the Argosy bookstore scene when John is learning about the tragedy of Carlotta’s life. Night falls and the lighting changes drastically in the background to emphasize how this is the darkest and most tragic part of the story.

Lighting also becomes especially important in nearly every scene following Madeleine’s death. When John sees Judy Barton, a young woman who happens to look like Madeleine, he follows her all the way back to her hotel. When he first meets Judy and she is hesitant to let him in to her life the room is expansive and bright. But after he begins his quest to transform Judy into Madeleine the room becomes dark and confining. In a majority of the scenes which take place in Judy’s room the green fluorescent Hotel Empire sign is only light source. This contributes to the haunting atmosphere already created by John’s efforts to turn Judy into Madeleine. In one particular shot Judy is sitting by the window green lighting lights up only one side of Judy’s face leaving the other in shadow. This reflects how Judy is confused and that assuming her role as Madeleine to make John love her is splitting her in half.

The self-pioneered “Hitchcock Zoom”, the inclusion of animation sequences, and effective use of music all contribute to our immersion in the atmosphere of Hitchcock’s work. The Hitchcock zoom allows us to feel John’s weakness ourselves and when he is vulnerable we feel fragile as well. The film's ending leaves us somewhat unfulfilled because John loses Madeleine twice, but Hitchcock nevertheless accomplishes his purpose in creating a compelling mystery that allows us to see the world through the eyes of an imperfect hero.