Vertigo

Ex-detective (Scottie) is forced to retire after suffering from vertigo but whilst convalescing accepts a job from an old friend (Gavin) to follow his wife (Madeleine) whom he suspects as being possessed by a dead person. Scottie witnesses Madeleine travelling to various locations connected with Carlotta Valdes (possibly her Great Grandmother) however, whilst at the bottom of the Golden Gate Bridge, Madeleine jumps into the water but Scottie rescues her. During his observations of Madeleine, Scottie falls in love and is determined to discover what is burdening her. He learns of Carlotta’s past and her suicide at 26. Madeleine is the same age.

Madeleine tells Scottie about a recurring dream when he recognises that the place she describes is the Mission she visited during his surveillance. He decides to take her there, hoping to dispel the dream and cure her psychosis. At the Mission, Madeleine climbs the bell tower but Scottie’s vertigo prevents him from following. He does see her fall to her death.

After Madeleine’s death, Scottie is distraught and his mental state deteriorates after the Coroner stated that he could have done more to save Madeleine. The verdict tips Scottie over the edge; he becomes mute and placed in a psychiatric hospital.

After leaving hospital Scottie meets Judy Barton (a Madeleine look-alike) and pesters her for a date. Prior to which, Judy has a flashback where Gavin hired Judy as Madeleine’s double and deliberately led Scottie to the tower where Gavin waited with the real Madeleine, who he pushed out of the tower, fully aware that Scottie’s vertigo would stop him from climbing to the top.

Judy’s relationship with Scottie blossomed despite him forcing her to change her appearance to resemble Madeleine. On one occasion, Judy decides to wear Madeleine’s pendant. Scottie instantly recognised it and confronts Judy by returning to the bell tower where she is forced to climb the tower, this time he follows; is cured of vertigo and is able to make sense of Gavin’s plot to kill his wife. Scottie realises that he didn’t know Madeleine at all whereupon Judy declares her love for him but is surprised by the sudden appearance of a nun and ironically, falls from the tower to her death.