Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 psychological masterpiece Vertigo - in which obsessive ex-cop James Stewart pursues troubled loner Kim Novak through the streets of San Francisco and up and down the coast of California - is one of the most dissected, discussed, and revered films of all time.

Now, for the first time, the story of this remarkable film is revealed. Writing with the full cooperation of the director's family, many crew members, and the film's restoration team, film historian Dan Auiler offers an in-depth re-creation of the making of Hitchcock's signature thriller.

Through an extensive review of early script drafts, detailed interviews with the participants, and many archival materials, Auiler leads us down the winding path that brought this spellbinding and desperately romantic film to the screen. Scores of production notes, sketches, and storyboards - some in Hitchcock's own hand - are included, along with a generous array of stills from the film and its restoration.