Midge Wood (Barbara Bel Geddes) in Vertigo (1958) is a girl friend, fiancée and a mother figure combined into one. As Scottie Ferguson’s (James Stewart) fiancée she tries to pacify and help him when she finds him lonely and withdrawn in the hospital sequence after Madeleine’s death. She tries to be brave and amusing and adds more emotion. Midge as a girl friend stands by Scottie’s side at the time of the difficulties and during his mental breakdown. She is very much loyal to him. Like a true friend and mother Midge tries to console and embrace Scottie saying: Please try, Johnny. You’re not lost-Mother’s here . . . You don’t even know I’m here, do you? Well, I’m here.” (Spoto 289/qtd from the film). According to Spoto Vertigo is “as much the tragedy of a lost and exploited woman as it is the bizarre story of an abused man” (291), and in the end only one survives and the other is lost forever. The victim is the woman. These words suggest that woman is ready to sacrifice her life for the sake of others. Woman is just a plaything in the hands of a …show more content…
Judy caught in her own web of spell now had to be false Madeleine for the sake of both Scottie and herself. Now she has really renounced herself and according to Spoto “has become the double of a double, an imitation twice removed from the reality” (297). Forced by Judy’s own romantic passion, becomes a nonexistent person and hence the double death of the real and the imitation- of real Judy and also false Madeline (297). The first part of the film dealt with the death of real Madeleine and the death of false Madeleine and the second part ends with the death of real Judy and recreated false Madeleine. The film projects a total disaster in pursuit of love. Judy at times is confused between reality and fantasy and finally fails to recognise reality which is sometimes stranger than