MovieChat Forums > Vertigo (1958) Discussion > Dem Eyebrows !

Dem Eyebrows !

posted 10 years ago by cableaddict
12 replies | jump to latest

Seriously, I thought Novak's "eyebrows" were the creepiest part of the movie.

Am I alone?

That and her weird forehead curls when she's Judy.

The eyebrows and curls were stylish at the time. Things change and then come back in style again.

I doubt those eyebrows were ever in style. I never saw any other woman of that time period (or any other time period) wearing their eyebrows like that.

DAMM: Drunks Against Mad Mothers

[–] otter 10 years ago

Madeline had fairly reasonable eyebrows; much of her look was so stylish and elegant that it could be worn in any era, including her makeup and her eyebrows. (Seriously, some of Madeline's clothes could be worn today, like the white coat, or the black dress with a green drape .)

Judy's mmassive Joan Crawford brows were intended to be faddish and badly done, because Judy was supposed to look like the 1958 version of a cheap bimbo.

" Jack, you have debauched my sloth! "

[–] halomaniac88 9 years ago

Judy's eyebrows did indeed look trashy. Thick eyebrows don't work on everyone.

[–] krycek19 8 years ago

Except they weren't real eyebrows. They were clearly painted on and it looked terrible.

[–] jinx_malone 9 years ago

Audrey Hepburn wore hers the same way, better not look at too many photos of actresses from that time period.

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"It's better not to know so much about what things mean." David Lynch

[–] DracTarashV 9 years ago

Novak's eyebrows looked fine when she was impersonating Madeleine. But yes, they were very unappealing when she went back to being Judy (aka "herself").

Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!

[–] lynda618 9 years ago

Channeling Groucho Marx...

[–] DerKommissar_2525 9 years ago

Scotty seemed to prefer the toned down eyebrown version too, and it makes a lot of sense that he was so unwilling to compromise.

[–] steelysunshine 9 years ago

I think they were supposed to make her look doll like. Sort of a prelude to Johnny turning her into a doll like version of Madeline.

[–] Golem36 9 years ago

I went to a screening years and years ago (I think it was 1998), and the people in the theater were making jokes and laughing about her eyebrows. It's a classic and one of Hitchcock's best.