Hepburn, Arkin thrill in “Wait Until Dark”

D uring the last week’s Halloween festivities, I found myself looking back on various frightening slices of cinema. Although October has passed and the month of chills is behind us, there’s a little-known, unconventional thriller that deserves a mention.

Just last week, I learned that the film in question earned the recognition as having one of the ten scariest movie moments (according to a BravoTV list) within its running time. Surprisingly enough, the creepy little movie I write of is actually a star-vehicle for graceful Audrey Hepburn, known for such roles as Holy Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

“Wait Until Dark” has one of the first, and perhaps the finest, jump moments in the history of film. To say anything more than this would be a crime against movie-watching humanity.

The story concerns a recently-blinded woman who is still adjusting to living life without sight. She ends up, after a series of events, in possession of a doll that, unknown to her, is stuffed with heroine. The drug lord who wants the doll terrorizes the woman, trapping her in her apartment, in an attempt for her to give up the doll. Ultimately, the woman will be forced to use her weakness to her advantage and has a final showdown with the villain in complete darkness.

Theaters dropped all lights (“to the legal limit”) during the last twenty minutes of the movie to heighten the suspense, but this trick is really unnecessary. It is virtually impossible not to find yourself creeping toward the edge of your seat during the final moments of this movie.

Perhaps a great deal of the effectiveness of “Wait Until Dark” can be attributed to the meticulous character development. Audrey Hepburn’s “champion blind lady” wins are sympathies from her first second on screen. She’s a smart, funny, beautiful woman who just happens to have a disability. Her character is touching and Hepburn’s portrayal is nothing short of outstanding. Her performance was nominated for an Academy Award.

Despite that, this 1967 film marks the last film appearance Hepburn would have for a decade. She took a self-determined hiatus, making a triumphant return to the screen opposite Sean Connery in “Robin and Marion.”

The supporting cast is uniformly impressive, especially Alan Arkin in a rare turn as a bad guy. It would not be hard to argue that Arkin’s layered, sinister performance also deserved an Oscar nomination. By the end of the movie, you’ll find yourself thoroughly creeped out by Arkin and his dark sunglasses.
If the film has any fault, it would be its rather slow start. But even this can be forgiven thanks to the incredible payoff. There is a reason, after all, that “Wait Until Dark” ranks so highly on the aforementioned list.

If you’re looking for a good scare, look no further than this atypical, but wonderfully entertaining film. But remember, wait until dark before you push play.