Cinema Studies: Vertigo

Use Mulvey’s theory of visual pleasure to analyse Vertigo




In the essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”, Mulvey discusses the two types of scopophilia (‘active scopophilia’ and ‘narcissistic scopophilia’) and the “three kinds of looks” associated with cinema, in relation to the ‘privileging of the male gaze’ and the construction of women as the gazed-at ‘objects’. ‘Active scopophilia’ arises from “pleasure in using ‘another person’ as an ‘object’ of sexual stimulation through sight” while ‘narcissistic scopophilia’ is developed through narcissism and the constitution of the ego, from identifying with “the image seen” (Mulvey 1992:750). In Vertigo, Judy/Madeleine is the target of both the ‘active scopophilic acts’ of Scottie (the male protagonist in Vertigo) and the audiences :

“… subjective camera predominates. Apart from one flash-back from Judy’s point of view, the narrative is woven around what Scottie sees ... The audience follows the growth of his erotic obsession and subsequent despair precisely from his point of view (Mulvey 1992:755).



According to Mulvey, Freud describes scopophilia (active scopophilia) as a ‘component instinct of sexuality’ that exists quite ‘independently of the erotogenic zones’ (Mulvey 1992:748). The “insistence on just looking” is also “part of refusal to touch”; one reason for Scottie’s status as bachelor is “a lack of the usual male aggression that would reach out to touch”. (Coates 1991:180)



‘Narcissistic scopophilia’ is associated with the ‘mirror phase’ . Freud sees the two types of scopophilia as ‘interacting and overlaying each other’ (Mulvey 1992:750). For instance, it is possible for the audiences of Vertigo and Scottie to perform several ‘active scopophilia’ and ‘narcissistic scopophilia’ acts simultaneously. While viewing the film Vertigo, the audiences are perhaps, inevitably performing ‘active scopophilia’. In order to assume the subject position of Scottie as a ‘voyeur’, it may be necessary for the audiences to identify with Scottie, and this involves ‘narcissistic scopophilia’ on their part. While witnessing Madeleine’s act of ‘narcissistic scopophilia’ towards Carlotta’s image, the audiences (who are now occupying the subject position of Scottie) are again, re-enacting ‘active scopophila’.

While instances of scopophilia bring about pleasure to the voyeurs - in the reverse formation, there is pleasure in being looked at (Mulvey 1992:748):

“…In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness…” (Mulvey 1992:750)



Judy’s exhibitionism and masochism make her an ideal counterpart to Scottie’s active sadistic voyeurism ; “she knows her part is to perform, and only by playing it through and then replaying it can she keep Scottie’s erotic interest” (Mulvey 1992:755). Midge’s act of painting her own face into the Carlotta portrait (which seems to suggest an inherent desire in women to be objects of fetish) momentarily places herself in the subject position of the ‘gazed-at’.

To conclude, I will agree with Mulvey that the predominant gaze pertaining to Vertigo is the ‘male gaze’, while the female characters (particularly Carlotta and Judy/Madeleine) are objects of the combined gaze of the audiences and the male protagonist.