Critic’s Pick: ‘Vertigo’ at the Egyptian

Not just one critic’s choice, this 1958 Alfred Hitchcock film was recently voted the greatest film of all time in the prestigious Sight & Sound poll of hundreds of critics worldwide, replacing perennial No. 1 “Citizen Kane.” Not too shabby for a film that was dismissed by most observers on its original release. The story is set in San Francisco, and “Vertigo’s” view of the place might be the most elegantly spooky vision of an American city ever put on film, especially in this rare 70mm screening. What sets “Vertigo” apart is the director’s ability to take two of the biggest stars of the day — James Stewart as a retired police detective, Kim Novak as a spectacular woman of mystery — and use them to create as dark and deeply personal a story as any that’s appeared at Sundance. Saturday at 7:30 p.m., American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.