Susy Hendrix, played by Audrey Hepburn, is a woman who has recently lost her sight. On one fateful afternoon, after finishing at "blind school", she returns to her apartment and unwittingly finds herself thrust into the middle of a desperate search. The search is being conducted by three unscrupulous criminals, played by Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna and Jack Weston, each of whom is engaged in trying to find a doll within which there is a significant amount of heroin hidden. Due to a series of unfortunate events, they have good reason to believe that the doll is within Susy's home. What they can not be sure of, however, is whether Susy is herself aware of that fact. Cue a series of assumed identities and a slew of attempted manipulations with the threat of violence only ever a whisper away as the criminals seek to take full advantage of Susy's vulnerabilities. Yet, while her visual sense may no longer serve her, she has other ways of discovering what is truly going on. And if she can just hang in there until the day gets dark, she may be able to even the odds against the malign forces that surround her.
Long before Al Pacino won an Oscar for his portrayal of blind Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, Audrey Hepburn was demonstrating her acting chops in what is a compelling and typically sympathetic performance. Hepburn's movements and physical positioning as a blind person are meticulous and convincing. And, as an actress who is naturally skilled in exuding vulnerability, the situations she is placed within are often excruciating to watch. To compound this, Alan Arkin plays an utterly remorseless psychotic killer who should be trusted by no-one, including his hapless sidekicks. As the film progresses, the angelic grace and charm of Hepburn placed against the diabolical intensity of Arkin makes for one of the most compelling cinematic character face-offs you could ever hope to witness.
With regards to the acting, then, we are in safe hands. The pacing of the film, however, is slightly less accomplished. The film begins with several scenes designed to establish the set-up of the plot. The problem is that it takes a good while for that process to be completed and, thus, the film somewhat stutters into action. Once it gets going, though, it does a fine job of ratcheting up the tension and providing a dark thrill-ride to its unsettling destination.
The real missed opportunity with this film comes in the form of the plotting itself. It is, essentially, utterly unconvincing. A fundamental example of this is that the atmosphere and logic of the film rely on the female protagonist being isolated from outside help. But the fact she lives in an apartment in a clearly residential area makes such isolation highly unlikely. Poor Susy doesn't even think to scream for help until the film is well into its run-time and her situation has become particularly perilous. This doubtful element of the plot is exacerbated by the fact that Susy's one ally is a young teenage girl who lives in the apartment above her and is made fully aware of the danger Susy is in. But not once are her parents or guardians of any description invoked or contacted during Susy's moments of extreme duress.
So, overall, Wait Until Dark is certainly a tense, compelling watch if more than a little preposterous in places. The sense of claustrophobia provides the film with a heightened tension while Hepburn's channelling of blindness is a marvel to behold and in itself ought to silence any critics who question her acting credentials. Her performance is made even more effective by the fact that she maintains the presence and charm in this role that she is still so often revered for possessing. Yet, ultimately, one must acknowledge that the film rarely makes more than superficial use of Hepburn's deeper gifts for eliciting compassion, the stock in trade here is edge-of-the-seat drama. On this particular level, the film very much delivers.
Long before Al Pacino won an Oscar for his portrayal of blind Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, Audrey Hepburn was demonstrating her acting chops in what is a compelling and typically sympathetic performance. Hepburn's movements and physical positioning as a blind person are meticulous and convincing. And, as an actress who is naturally skilled in exuding vulnerability, the situations she is placed within are often excruciating to watch. To compound this, Alan Arkin plays an utterly remorseless psychotic killer who should be trusted by no-one, including his hapless sidekicks. As the film progresses, the angelic grace and charm of Hepburn placed against the diabolical intensity of Arkin makes for one of the most compelling cinematic character face-offs you could ever hope to witness.
With regards to the acting, then, we are in safe hands. The pacing of the film, however, is slightly less accomplished. The film begins with several scenes designed to establish the set-up of the plot. The problem is that it takes a good while for that process to be completed and, thus, the film somewhat stutters into action. Once it gets going, though, it does a fine job of ratcheting up the tension and providing a dark thrill-ride to its unsettling destination.
The real missed opportunity with this film comes in the form of the plotting itself. It is, essentially, utterly unconvincing. A fundamental example of this is that the atmosphere and logic of the film rely on the female protagonist being isolated from outside help. But the fact she lives in an apartment in a clearly residential area makes such isolation highly unlikely. Poor Susy doesn't even think to scream for help until the film is well into its run-time and her situation has become particularly perilous. This doubtful element of the plot is exacerbated by the fact that Susy's one ally is a young teenage girl who lives in the apartment above her and is made fully aware of the danger Susy is in. But not once are her parents or guardians of any description invoked or contacted during Susy's moments of extreme duress.
So, overall, Wait Until Dark is certainly a tense, compelling watch if more than a little preposterous in places. The sense of claustrophobia provides the film with a heightened tension while Hepburn's channelling of blindness is a marvel to behold and in itself ought to silence any critics who question her acting credentials. Her performance is made even more effective by the fact that she maintains the presence and charm in this role that she is still so often revered for possessing. Yet, ultimately, one must acknowledge that the film rarely makes more than superficial use of Hepburn's deeper gifts for eliciting compassion, the stock in trade here is edge-of-the-seat drama. On this particular level, the film very much delivers.