Wait Until Dark (1967)

A recently blinded woman is terrorized by a trio of thugs while they search for a heroin-stuffed doll they believe is in her apartment.

Director:

Terence Young

Writers:

Frederick Knott (based on the play by), Robert Carrington (screenplay)

Stars:

Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Audrey Hepburn	...	Susy Hendrix
Alan Arkin	...	Roat / Roat Jr. / Roat Sr.
Richard Crenna	...	Mike Talman
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	...	Sam Hendrix
Jack Weston	...	Carlino
Samantha Jones	...	Lisa
Julie Herrod	...	Gloria

Storyline

Susy was recently blinded and recently married. Susy's husband, Sam, is asked to hold a doll for a woman he doesn't know as they get off an airplane. The woman disappears. Later, she's found dead by her former associates, Mike and Carlino, small-time hoods, in Susy's basement apartment. (Both occupants of the apartment are then absent.) The doll woman's newer partner in crime, Harry Rote, who murdered her for self-dealing, presses Mike and Carlino into a scheme to recover the doll, which contains a fortune in smuggled heroin. After disposing of the body, the thugs return while Susy is present to continue their search. They assume Susy's blindness will enable them to search her apartment under her very nose for the doll. In Sam's absence, Mike pretends to be an old friend of Sam's, while the three together spin for Susy a story of a murder investigation of her husband from which only the finding of the missing doll can save him. Rote is a predator, and his stalking of Susy becomes ever...

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Plot Keywords:

blind woman | psychopath | corpse | apartment | panic | 

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Taglines:

A blind woman plays a deadly game of survival

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

During World War II, 16-year-old Audrey Hepburn was a volunteer nurse in a Dutch hospital. During the battle of Arnhem, Hepburn's hospital received many wounded Allied soldiers. One of the injured soldiers young Audrey helped nurse back to health was a young British paratrooper - and future director - named Terence Young who more than 20 years later directed Hepburn in Wait Until Dark (1967).

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Goofs

When Susy sends Carlino to check the back windows for broken glass he makes a mess with the blinds (parts open, part closed etc.). The camera from the living room immediately shows the blinds smooth again. Move into the bedroom and the blinds are a mess, as he left them. When he comes back out of the bathroom, they speak for a moment. The next shot is from the living room, which shows the blinds miraculously smooth once again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lisa: Come on Louis, come on!

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Crazy Credits

The end credits show each character with the performer's credit; Alan Arkin is shown three times, including once in each disguise.

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Connections

Referenced in Gossip Girl: Easy J (2010)

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Soundtracks

Wait Until Dark
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Performed by Sue Raney

User Reviews

Very confusing, but it's a good thriller with a good plot

"Wait Until Dark" was recommended by a friend of mine because I complained that "Psycho" was good, but not thrilling enough. "Wait Until Dark" is a great thriller that works mostly because of it's story line and performances.

Audrey Hepburn plays a blind woman named Susie, whose husband is out. She doesn't know it, but she posses a doll full of heroin, and three men are working together to get it. Like some Hithcock thrillers such as "Rope" and "Rear Window," "Wait Until Dark" takes place in an apartment. Another similarity is that strange events happen that turn out to be very shocking!

The film is interesting because Susy alone figures out the trio's plan to take the doll. She works with he friend, Gloria, to unravel the plan. Twists and turns come and go throughout the film. The scariest, or most shocking one involves a telephone. I won't tell you what it is, but it made me gasp. The twists get a bit confusing at times, but they provide good shocks for the audience.

Audrey Hepburn does a good job of playing a blind woman, and knows exactly how to act.

Men come and go throughout her apartment, and it's up to the audience (and her) to figure out the plan.

Fans of this will also like: "Rear Window,"(1954) "Memento," (2000) and "Vertigo." (1958)

Feel free to send me a Private Message regarding this comment.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 1967 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Wait Until Dark

Filming Locations:

John F. Kennedy International Airport, Queens, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1