My first foray into the films of legendary screen actress Audrey Hepburn comes in the form of the 1967 thriller “Wait Until Dark.”
Based on the 1966 Frederick Knott play of the same name, “Wait Until Dark” is slightly hamstrung by older effects, off putting music, and less than superb writing, but have no illusions, its a fantastic thriller that’s acted so well on all fronts you can easily overlook some of the shortcomings of a 1967 production.
If you’re expecting punches to be held, you’ll be shocked as soon as the movie opens. We have a beautiful temptress (Samantha Jones) smuggling a doll stuffed with heroin across the border. The doll is passed off to an unsuspecting man who brings it home to his wife, and the movie proceeds to follow a group of criminals over the course of a single night as they stalk the house in attempt to retrieve the doll.
Audrey Hepburn stars as Susy Hendrix and the part comes with a unique twist; Susy has recently been rendered blind due to the effects of an auto accident. Hepburn plays the part extremely well, and demonstrates with a character that has such emotional background just how to pull off a memorable performance. She does so in a way that we can believe the reality of the situation; Susy is an attractive young woman who suddenly loses her sight and becomes dependent on those around her. She conceals her obvious bitterness under a veil of a smile, and is shown throughout the movie relying too much on the assistance of her dutiful husband (Efram Zimbalist Jr) and the young girl who resides in the apartment upstairs.
Audrey Hepburn is a legendary name, but Alan Arkin will also blow you away with his performance as the sinister Roat, the leader of the thugs. Arkins displays a hauntingly sadistic nature and truly evil demeanor, and he is a marvel to watch. You’ll see hints of the iconic Mr. Blonde, as he coolly delivers lines all the while hiding beneath the surface is a fuse waiting to explode. Its the type of character you laud, and more importantly, never forget. One scene depicts Roat preparing to burn Susy alive with gasoline – and that’s only to brush the surface of what he is willing to do to get his drugs back.
The Susy character goes through tremendous growth in the single day the story tales place in. While seemingly helpless at first, she begins to use her still functioning senses to her advantage. Roat and his con-men associates (Richard Crenna & Jack Weston) believe taking advantage of her will be easy. Its a statement for people who are blind or afflicted with other disabilities.
There are some issues with the script itself. The introduction of Susy has her referencing her condition in virtually every line she speaks, and gets redundant. This may be due to the age of the movie or that is comes from a play. Some other parts find her not acting in a normal way that someone being terrorized would, but it is a scary movie after all.
“Wait Until Dark” is an excellent film. The characters are iconic and the talent behind them shows us how stars of the past cemented themselves as permanent cinema royalty. Its a perfect thriller to get yourself primed for whats on the horizon. Get ready, October is coming.
by – Matt DeCristo
