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Now that my heart has returned to its proper position in my chest, I am ready to write about a 1967 classic called Wait Until Dark that despite some minor plot holes, had me riveted to the screen due primarily to an absolutely awesome damsel in distress and an equally awesome villain, the ultimate cat and mouse game. Did this film live up to its reputation? I was holding my breath during the final ten minutes of the movie and literally jumped from my chair twice.
Based on a 1966 Broadway play by Frederick Knott that starred Lee Remick and Robert Duvall, this film introduces us to a mysterious woman named Lisa (Samantha Jones) who is seen boarding a plane to Manhattan with a doll filled with heroin. Lisa discovers someone anticipating her arrival and we see her give the doll to Sam Hendrix (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.). The next time we see Lisa her body is hanging in a wardrobe bag inside Sam's apartment.
Also in the apartment are Harry Roat Jr. (Alan Arkin), Mike Talman (Richard Crenna) and Carlino (Jack Weston), three very shady characters (at least one is a dirty cop I think) who are there looking for the doll which seems to be nowhere in the apartment. Enter Sam's wife, Suzy (Audrey Hepburn), who lost her sight in an accident about a year ago and is attending a special school for the blind to learn how to adjust to her condition. These three thugs convince Suzy that Sam is responsible for Lisa's death and the only way to help him is to give them the doll, but she doesn't know where it is.
In talking about stage to screen adaptations, I have often spoke of the importance of opening up the piece so that it doesn't look like a photographed stage play, but this piece is a rare exception to that rule. The claustrophobic atmosphere that director Terence Young creates setting the majority of the story in the Hendrix apartment works because we see Suzy being slowly manipulated into an extremely tight corner that she might not be able to get out of. Making our heroine blind intensified her vulnerability and likability without her ever coming off helpless. They say when one sense is lost, the others are heightened. This, coupled with the fact that Suzy goes to blind school is what makes her so amazing...even as the danger of what is happening to her starts to come together for her, she never forgets her head, never forgets what she learned in school, and when it comes down to a climactic showdown which she knows she cannot avoid, she brilliantly evens the playing field.
Young creates an absolute chilling atmosphere here and has a pretty perfect cast to work with who make you forget the unexplained plotholes. Mel Ferrer is billed as producer of this film, which essentially means he purchased the film rights of this play for his wife, Hepburn and it was the smartest money Ferrer ever spent because Hepburn gives a brilliant performance, creating a heroine of vulnerability and strength who, though terrified, never stops thinking and makes us frightened for her. The performance earned Hepburn her fifth Oscar nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress.
Alan Arkin was robbed of a nomination for his Harry Roat Jr., possibly the most bone-chilling movie villain I have ever seen...this guy is right up there with Hans Gruber and Hannibal Lecter. Arkin has been quoted as saying the reason he didn't get a nomination is because "you don't get nominated for being mean to Audrey Hepburn." Whether or not that is true, he certainly commits to what the character is asked to do, which is essentially, three different characters and, despite his long and distinguished career, I don't think Arkin has ever been better. Richard Crenna got the role of his career as Mike, the guy whose loyalties are never quite clear and Jack Weston serves the story properly as the oily Carlino. Can't wrap this review without mentioning Henry Mancini for providing maybe the creepiest and most appropriate movie score I have ever heard in a movie...even the music gave me the chills. Turn the lights out, hold onto something, and watch.
Now that my heart has returned to its proper position in my chest, I am ready to write about a 1967 classic called Wait Until Dark that despite some minor plot holes, had me riveted to the screen due primarily to an absolutely awesome damsel in distress and an equally awesome villain, the ultimate cat and mouse game. Did this film live up to its reputation? I was holding my breath during the final ten minutes of the movie and literally jumped from my chair twice.
Based on a 1966 Broadway play by Frederick Knott that starred Lee Remick and Robert Duvall, this film introduces us to a mysterious woman named Lisa (Samantha Jones) who is seen boarding a plane to Manhattan with a doll filled with heroin. Lisa discovers someone anticipating her arrival and we see her give the doll to Sam Hendrix (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.). The next time we see Lisa her body is hanging in a wardrobe bag inside Sam's apartment.
Also in the apartment are Harry Roat Jr. (Alan Arkin), Mike Talman (Richard Crenna) and Carlino (Jack Weston), three very shady characters (at least one is a dirty cop I think) who are there looking for the doll which seems to be nowhere in the apartment. Enter Sam's wife, Suzy (Audrey Hepburn), who lost her sight in an accident about a year ago and is attending a special school for the blind to learn how to adjust to her condition. These three thugs convince Suzy that Sam is responsible for Lisa's death and the only way to help him is to give them the doll, but she doesn't know where it is.
In talking about stage to screen adaptations, I have often spoke of the importance of opening up the piece so that it doesn't look like a photographed stage play, but this piece is a rare exception to that rule. The claustrophobic atmosphere that director Terence Young creates setting the majority of the story in the Hendrix apartment works because we see Suzy being slowly manipulated into an extremely tight corner that she might not be able to get out of. Making our heroine blind intensified her vulnerability and likability without her ever coming off helpless. They say when one sense is lost, the others are heightened. This, coupled with the fact that Suzy goes to blind school is what makes her so amazing...even as the danger of what is happening to her starts to come together for her, she never forgets her head, never forgets what she learned in school, and when it comes down to a climactic showdown which she knows she cannot avoid, she brilliantly evens the playing field.
Young creates an absolute chilling atmosphere here and has a pretty perfect cast to work with who make you forget the unexplained plotholes. Mel Ferrer is billed as producer of this film, which essentially means he purchased the film rights of this play for his wife, Hepburn and it was the smartest money Ferrer ever spent because Hepburn gives a brilliant performance, creating a heroine of vulnerability and strength who, though terrified, never stops thinking and makes us frightened for her. The performance earned Hepburn her fifth Oscar nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress.
Alan Arkin was robbed of a nomination for his Harry Roat Jr., possibly the most bone-chilling movie villain I have ever seen...this guy is right up there with Hans Gruber and Hannibal Lecter. Arkin has been quoted as saying the reason he didn't get a nomination is because "you don't get nominated for being mean to Audrey Hepburn." Whether or not that is true, he certainly commits to what the character is asked to do, which is essentially, three different characters and, despite his long and distinguished career, I don't think Arkin has ever been better. Richard Crenna got the role of his career as Mike, the guy whose loyalties are never quite clear and Jack Weston serves the story properly as the oily Carlino. Can't wrap this review without mentioning Henry Mancini for providing maybe the creepiest and most appropriate movie score I have ever heard in a movie...even the music gave me the chills. Turn the lights out, hold onto something, and watch.