Movie: "Wait Until Dark" (1967)

[Bob Pr.]

Shown in the monthly "Cinema Studies" section of KU's Endacott Society.

"Wait Until Dark" (1967) 108 min. Color. Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller.
Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, Jack Weston.
Plot: A recently blinded woman (Hepburn) eventually becomes terrorized by a trio of thugs who masquerade as law officers in their search for a doll stuffed with heroin they believe is in her apartment.

IMDB: 7.9/10 stars. Wait Until Dark (1967) - IMDb
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics: 94% ripe (not rotten). Wait Until Dark - Rotten Tomatoes
Roger Ebert: Wait Until Dark :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews (While I usually agree with Ebert's assessments, in this case, I don't; I think this movie is far more worthy than his 1968 judgment credits it.)
Trailer: IMDb Video: Wait Until Dark

I'm bothered by film characterizations of people that aren't reasonably realistic when the movie purports to be realistic. In this movie, almost all seemed close enough to the reasonably possible. The 2 ex-cons, recently released from prison, were a little over the top (i.e., maybe too gifted, too far from bumbling) in their detail and improvisations. And the little girl's initial temper tantrum didn't fit, IMO, with all of her other reasonable behaviors. But, I easily brushed aside those nit-picks and enjoyed it.

Suzy (Hepburn) was great as the recently blind wife struggling to adapt to living in a world with sight. And maybe our empathy for a blind person having to deal with such problems heightens our emotional response. IMO, this is a VERY realistic thriller; it put most of our audience on the edge of their seats.

GREAT movie!!

9 of 10 stars.