Vertigo Quiz: Hitchcock's San Francisco Filming Locations

A retired detective afraid of heights follows a mysterious woman across San Francisco, and this Vertigo quiz visits the real places on screen. Play 10 interactive questions on James Stewart, Kim Novak, Mission Dolores, Fort Point beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, the Legion of Honor, Mission San Juan Bautista, Ernie's restaurant, the dolly zoom, Bernard Herrmann and the Sight and Sound poll.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Director
Who directed Vertigo?
Star
Who plays detective Scottie Ferguson?
Actress
Who plays Madeleine and Judy?
Grave
In which mission cemetery does Madeleine visit Carlotta's grave?
Bay
Where does Madeleine leap into the bay?
Museum
Where does Madeleine gaze at Carlotta's portrait?
Tower
Which mission's bell tower appears in the climax?
Shot
What camera technique did Vertigo popularize?
Music
Who composed the score?
Poll
Which film did Vertigo replace at the top of the 2012 Sight and Sound critics' poll?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Who directed Vertigo?
Answer: Alfred Hitchcock
It was released in 1958.
Q2: Who plays detective Scottie Ferguson?
Answer: James Stewart
Scottie suffers from acrophobia.
Q3: Who plays Madeleine and Judy?
Answer: Kim Novak
The double role drives the plot.
Q4: In which mission cemetery does Madeleine visit Carlotta's grave?
Answer: Mission Dolores
It is San Francisco's oldest building.
Q5: Where does Madeleine leap into the bay?
Answer: Fort Point beneath the Golden Gate Bridge
Scottie pulls her out.
Q6: Where does Madeleine gaze at Carlotta's portrait?
Answer: The Legion of Honor
The painting was made for the film.
Q7: Which mission's bell tower appears in the climax?
Answer: Mission San Juan Bautista
The tower was added with studio effects.
Q8: What camera technique did Vertigo popularize?
Answer: The dolly zoom
It is often called the Vertigo effect.
Q9: Who composed the score?
Answer: Bernard Herrmann
He worked often with Hitchcock.
Q10: Which film did Vertigo replace at the top of the 2012 Sight and Sound critics' poll?
Answer: Citizen Kane
It was named the greatest film of all time.

Vertigo Quiz – Hitchcock's San Francisco Filming Locations

Vertigo, released in 1958, is Alfred Hitchcock's psychological thriller set in San Francisco. James Stewart plays Scottie Ferguson, a former detective with a fear of heights, hired to follow Madeleine, played by Kim Novak.

Scottie trails her to the cemetery at Mission Dolores, the Legion of Honor, where she studies a portrait of Carlotta Valdes, and Fort Point beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, where she leaps into the bay. The climax takes place at Mission San Juan Bautista, whose bell tower was created with studio effects.

The film popularized the dolly zoom, known as the Vertigo effect, and features Bernard Herrmann's haunting score. In 2012 critics in the Sight and Sound poll named it the greatest film of all time, replacing Citizen Kane.

What This Quiz Teaches

Classic film fans will enjoy these questions.

Who made Vertigo
Who starred in it
Where it was filmed
Which techniques it used
How critics rank it

Did You Know?

Saul Bass designed the opening titles.
Ernie's restaurant appears in a famous scene.
Judy's room was at the Empire Hotel.
Vertigo was a modest success on release.
Novak wore a gray suit chosen by Hitchcock.