Go Behind the Scenes of ‘Vertigo’ With 12 Captivating Photos of Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak on the Set of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psychological Thriller

See why Stewart said Hitchcock was 'better prepared than almost anybody I’ve ever seen'

By Abbey Bender January 6, 2026

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Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 thriller Vertigo is considered by many to be the greatest film of all time, and while it originally received mixed reviews, its gorgeous Technicolor imagery, powerhouse performances from James Stewart and Kim Novak and provocative plot have proved incredibly influential over the decades.

The haunting story of Vertigo centers on John “Scottie” Ferguson, a San Francisco detective who retires due to his vertigo, only to be hired as a private investigator following an acquaintance’s wife, Madeleine Elster, who has been acting strangely—and who turns out not to be who she says she is, in one of Hitchcock’s most psychologically complex twists.

Vertigo’s themes of sexual obsession, doubling and deception remain potent as ever over 67 years since the film was released. Read on for a revealing look at how Hitchcock, Stewart and Novak created a masterpiece with rare photos from the set of the film.

1. Stewart stretches

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In this photo from the set, James "Jimmy" Stewart stretches in between takes. Vertigo was the last of the four films he made with Hitchcock, as he had previously starred in Rope (1948), Rear Window (1954) and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). Stewart rose to stardom for his everyman roles, and his Hitchcock work showed audiences that he was equally skilled at bringing more complicated characters to life. Stewart had great respect for Hitchcock, and said, “He came into a picture better prepared than almost anybody I’ve ever seen.”
2. An unexpected visitor

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Stewart’s 6-foot-3 height is on full display here, as he towers over Hitchcock and French crooner and actor Maurice Chevalier. Chevalier did not appear in Vertigo, but as a popular entertainer of the era, he paid a visit to the set.
3. Photobombing

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Here, Stewart lurks in the background as Hitchcock converses with his leading lady. Vertigo was the only Hitchcock movie Kim Novak starred in, and it became her most iconic work.
4. In the bedroom

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Vertigo was ahead of its time for its sexual themes, and the film went on to inspire the erotic thriller genre that emerged in later decades. In this revealing photo, Hitchcock cracks a rare smile as he directs Novak while she lies in bed. The director could often be demanding with his female stars, and Novak later said, “I know that Hitchcock gave me a lot of freedom in creating the character, but he was very exact in telling me exactly what to do. How to move, where to stand. I think you can see a little of me resisting that in some of the shots, kind of insisting on my own identity.”
5. Hitchcock and his blonde

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Here, Hitchcock guides Novak as they stand outside during the making of Vertigo. The film was shot on location in San Francisco and was notable for featuring Novak in a dual role as both an archetypal Hitchcock blonde and a brunette, as she plays both Madeleine Elster, the blonde woman Scottie falls for, and Judy Barton, the brunette who turns out to have been posing as her in a devious murder scheme.
6. Stunning in a skirt suit

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The striking ’50s fashions of Vertigo were created by the wildly prolific costume designer Edith Head, and in one of the film’s most memorable moments, Scottie spies on Madeleine as she wanders through a lurid flower shop while wearing a sharply tailored gray skirt suit that stands in contrast to the setting. Here, Novak wears the famous suit while on set with Hitchcock. Surprisingly, Novak originally didn’t like the suit, as she found it too stiff, but she ultimately decided that discomfort she felt enhanced her performance as a deceptive character.
7. Lean on me

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Who’s that brunette? Why, it’s Kim Novak in full costume as her “other” character, Judy Barton. Novak, seen here in a candid moment with Hitchcock, said that she felt more comfortable playing Judy than Madeleine, and recalled that she “felt totally liberated” as soon as she put on Judy’s costumes.
8. All dressed up

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Here, Novak wears a sleek gown as she talks to Hitchcock on set. Interestingly, Novak wasn’t Hitchcock’s original choice for the film’s dual role. The director originally wanted Vera Miles to play the part, but she had to drop out of the film when she became pregnant. Hitchcock had previously worked with Miles in The Wrong Man (1957) and an episode of his TV show, and had positioned her as the next Grace Kelly. She later played Janet Leigh’s sister in Psycho. Hitchcock and Novak didn’t always get along, and he said, “Miss Novak arrived on the set with all sorts of preconceived notions that I couldn't possibly go along with.”
9. Behind the music

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One of Hitchcock’s most trusted collaborators was composer Bernard Herrmann, who scored The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), The Birds (1963) and Marnie (1964) in addition to Vertigo. Herrmann’s scores are instantly recognizable for their evocative drama, and in this picture, Herrmann appears to be taking a snooze as Hitchcock looks on.
10. Perfecting the script

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Hitchcock didn’t write the screenplay to Vertigo, but as a perfectionist, he gave copious notes on it. Here, he pores over the script as his wife, Alma Reville, brings him a cup of tea. Reville was a screenwriter herself and worked with Hitchcock on films like The Lady Vanishes (1938), Suspicion (1941) and Shadow of a Doubt (1943), so there’s a good chance she could’ve had some story notes of her own!
11. A family affair

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Given the dark themes of his work, you may not think of Hitchcock as a family man, but in this sweet photo, his only child, Patricia Hitchcock, pays him a visit during the making of Vertigo. Patricia was an actress and had small roles in her father’s films Stage Fright (1950), Strangers on a Train (1951) and Psycho, and she spoke fondly of her famous dad, saying, “I was very close to my father. He used to take me out every Saturday, shopping and to lunch. On Sundays, he took me to church regularly, until I could drive. Then I’d drive him to church regularly. It’s because of his diligence that my religion is so strong today.”
12. Sketches of suspense

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Okay, this isn’t technically a behind-the-scenes photo of Jimmy Stewart in Vertigo, but we still had to include it! Like many directors, Hitchcock sketched out storyboards for his films, and in this artist rendition of his original pencil sketches, we see the concept for the legendary opening scene in which he hangs from a building during an intense chase.

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