Similar Products - Task Three (Character Analysis)

Vertigo - John "Scottie" Ferguson


John Ferguson is the main character from 1958 Hitchcock Psychological thriller "Vertigo" He is a troubled retired detective, with acrophobia (Fear of heights) which can be seen in the above scene. In the film he retires as a detective after his acrophobia leads to the death of another officer. So this establishes a troubled b-ackground to the film. He then lives with his ex fiancee and tries to find a way to get over his fear with little luck. He is introduced to a Madeleine Elster who is apparently possessed. After tailing her for a day, he comes to the conclusion that she is being possessed by her great-grandmother who committed suicide. She then tries to kill her self by by jumping in a bay. He saves her from the bay. 


John then becomes attracted to her and this eventually results in Madeleine and himself confess their love to each other. However she then throws her self of a church tower and dies. John's experiences vertigo due to his phobia and fails to save her.


From this you establish that Scottie's is very troubled, but however caring and kind. After the death of Madeleine, he becomes depressed and mute, and sent to a Sanatorium. Where he then experience hallucinations and vivid nightmares. He later meets a woman who looks like Madeleine, he stalks this woman to her hotel where she exclaims that she is Judy and not Madeleine. (It is then revealed that she is actually Madeleine and her suicide was staged). This then leads to a change in Scottie's character he develops a relationship with this Judy and makes her look more like Madeleine. She reveals her real identity as Madeleine to him at the same place she framed her death. And then dies in the same way as she did the first way, accidentally.




Characteristics
-Loyal, he remains friends with his ex fiancee though out the film. He also loves Madeleine despite what happens.
-Obsessiveness over Madeleine he makes Judy into Madeleine before she is revealed to be Madeleine
-Kind, he agrees to help the apparently possessed girl he's never met. Worried about her committing suicide
-Depressive, after Madeleine kills herself, this effects him so much he experiences nightmares, goes mute, and stalk the places where Madeleine used to go. This also shows his loyalty and obsessiveness.
-Clever, establishing what is wrong with Madeleine. 


Ethics and Morals

-He risks his life to save a woman he barely knows. So he is some what a Samaritan and Hero. Clearly making him the protagonist.
-He is very embarrassed by his acrophobia enough so to retire.
-He feels a lot of responsibility to others. 

On screen he is mainly portrayed as a kind, caring character, but he is also shown having quite weak will power. Mainly pulled down by his acrophobia. Towards the end of the film he becomes strong willed and overcomes his fear. While he has some conventions of a thriller character he also has some which don't fit in. The depression period he experiences is unusual for a main protagonist as well as his obsession over Madeleine.