\'Vertigo\' Tops Sight and Sound Poll of Greatest Films

By ROBIN POGREBIN

Orson Welles's “Citizen Kane” has been deposed as the top film of all time by Alfred Hitchcock's “Vertigo” in the latest Sight and Sound poll, according to the British Film Institute. “Vertigo” beat the previous champ by 34 votes; a decade ago, “Kane” won by just five votes.

“Citizen Kane” held the top position for 50 years. The highest-ranking film from this century is Wong Kar-Wai's “In the Mood for Love,” which now shares the 24th slot with Dreyer's “Ordet.”

In the poll â€" which surveyed 846 critics, programmers, academics and distributors â€" Hitchcock has risen steadily over 30 years, with “Vertigo” climbing from seventh place, to fourth in 1992, second in 2002 and now first. Welles had two films (“The Magnificent Ambersons” as well as “Kane”) in the list in 1972 and 1982, but now “Ambersons” has slipped to 81st place in the top 100.