After watching Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday, I saw that Audrey had talent to go with the looks and I quickly garnered a near obsession for her! Wait Until Dark may not be her most attractive role, even though she is extremely gorgeous in this film, but it is definitely one of the best performances I have ever seen by anyone. Coupled with this fantastic performance is a brilliant plot build up. The scheme put together by the men looking for the doll is very clever as, although contrived, takes full advantage of Susy's blindness. Even more clever is how Susy works out their scheme, mainly by using her heightened sense of hearing, something the men did not take in to consideration. These slow, intricate developments are fascinating to watch but most importantly, lead to a climatic ending reaching Hitchcock levels of suspense. As the title of the film suggests, you really have to wait until dark to fully appreciate how well made this film is. When Susy turns the tables on Roat (Alan Arkin) by smashing all the lights, the cliff hanger is nail biting and it isn't until the very last shot that you see who comes out on top. Hepburn is especially well cast in this role as it is very unnerving to see such an icon go through such an ordeal.
As I mentioned, Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Susy Hendrix is an all time great performance. The way she depicts being blind is very convincing; the frustration at her condition is very clear to see and her mannerisms appear perfect. This is a great role for Audrey as she often was cast in lovely films that lacked edge. This, along with Charade, packs a bit more of a punch and gives her something to grind her beautiful teeth in to. It's a shame she went on a ten year hiatus because this could have been the start of a new era in her film roles. Alan Arkin is excellent as Roat. Although he should maybe leave impersonations to someone else, he is the personification of evil and comes across very well as a ruthless crook. The lack of remorse and his apparent calmness are very effective in letting the audience know what they're dealing with. Richard Crenna also puts in a good performance as the semi likable Mike. He is charming but also very impatient with regards to the doll, the only thing that Susy appears to be ignorant on.
As the film almost exclusively takes place in a flat, there is an overwhelmingly claustrophobic feel going on which does wonders with regards to the suspense build up. The director has done a great job in making Susy appear vulnerable and making you really care about what is going to happen. The low lighting levels create a very intense atmosphere that reflects the dark goings on within the film. To compliment the direction perfectly is the haunting score. The repetitive piano pounding in parts is almost numbing, as if you were losing one of your senses, and the high tempo music in the climatic finale makes it as if you can almost see what is happening even though there is no light.
This is how thrillers, should be; style and substance in equally huge doses. I can not believe how little is thought of Wait Until Dark as it easily competes with many Hitchcock films that are regarded as classics. Maybe the genre was out of fashion at the time of release but it really does deserve ample praise as it kept me entertained and on the edge of my seat.
As I mentioned, Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Susy Hendrix is an all time great performance. The way she depicts being blind is very convincing; the frustration at her condition is very clear to see and her mannerisms appear perfect. This is a great role for Audrey as she often was cast in lovely films that lacked edge. This, along with Charade, packs a bit more of a punch and gives her something to grind her beautiful teeth in to. It's a shame she went on a ten year hiatus because this could have been the start of a new era in her film roles. Alan Arkin is excellent as Roat. Although he should maybe leave impersonations to someone else, he is the personification of evil and comes across very well as a ruthless crook. The lack of remorse and his apparent calmness are very effective in letting the audience know what they're dealing with. Richard Crenna also puts in a good performance as the semi likable Mike. He is charming but also very impatient with regards to the doll, the only thing that Susy appears to be ignorant on.
As the film almost exclusively takes place in a flat, there is an overwhelmingly claustrophobic feel going on which does wonders with regards to the suspense build up. The director has done a great job in making Susy appear vulnerable and making you really care about what is going to happen. The low lighting levels create a very intense atmosphere that reflects the dark goings on within the film. To compliment the direction perfectly is the haunting score. The repetitive piano pounding in parts is almost numbing, as if you were losing one of your senses, and the high tempo music in the climatic finale makes it as if you can almost see what is happening even though there is no light.
This is how thrillers, should be; style and substance in equally huge doses. I can not believe how little is thought of Wait Until Dark as it easily competes with many Hitchcock films that are regarded as classics. Maybe the genre was out of fashion at the time of release but it really does deserve ample praise as it kept me entertained and on the edge of my seat.