- Actors: Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Jack Weston
- Directors: Terence Young
- Writers: Frederick Knott, Jane-Howard Carrington, Robert Carrington
- Producers: Mel Ferrer
- Language English
- Classification: 12
- Studio: Warner
- VHS Release Date: 19 Feb 2001
- Run Time: 108 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000058CBN
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,120 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Audrey Hepburn's last Oscar nomination was for this adaptation of Frederick Knott's famed stage thriller about a blind woman, a con man (Alan Arkin), and a doll full of heroin. Thanks to Hepburn's husband, a photographer who does a good deal of travelling, she's unknowingly come into possession of said doll, which was given to him on a plane by a comely young drug runner who winds up dead. The murderous Arkin, aided by sympathetic henchman Richard Crenna, will let nothing stand in the way of his obtaining it, even if it comes down to assaying multiple "personalities" in order to visit and terrorise Hepburn; Crenna is unwillingly enlisted to help. However, the "world's champion blind lady" (as Hepburn sardonically states) is more than up to the task of defending herself in her basement Manhattan apartment in a heart-stopping climax that to this day still defines the way horror movies with jack-in-the-box psychos are made. Despite the obvious staginess of it all (the entire action takes place in Hepburn's apartment), it still works magnificently, thanks to Hepburn's steely will and Arkin's deadly, sadistic madman. A helpful hint: turn out all the lights when you watch it; theatres back in 1967 did so, killing the guiding lights during the film's last 15 minutes. We can't tell you why, but trust us, it's worth it. --Mark Englehart, Amazon.com
Product Description
Great Video, starring Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin & Richard Crenna, Hollywood treasures 1967, 103 minutes running time, fast dispatch, UK SELLER
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This taut thriller is based on a stage play, and wisely is not opened out too much: after some initial scene setting, the action is concentrated in one apartment and the street immediately outside.
Two con men (Richard Crenna and Jack Weston, both giving beautifully-nuanced performances) reluctantly assist the murderous Harry Roat (Alan Arkin) in his attempt to recover a stash of heroin hidden in a china doll which they believe is in the possession of a blind woman (Audrey Hepburn). The attempts to trick and then terrorise her into giving up the doll, and the distrust between the criminals, give rise to the twists and turns in the plot. It all ends in a tension-filled sequence, much of which takes place in pitch darkness.
Hepburn gives a terrific performance as a frightened woman driven to the ends of her ingenuity, strength and courage, and Arkin is as threatening when restrained as he is when enraged.
According to the box, this 12-certificate DVD "Contains moderate violence and threat". Piffle. Watch it with the lights out, and it will make Psycho look like the Magic Roundabout.
Two con men (Richard Crenna and Jack Weston, both giving beautifully-nuanced performances) reluctantly assist the murderous Harry Roat (Alan Arkin) in his attempt to recover a stash of heroin hidden in a china doll which they believe is in the possession of a blind woman (Audrey Hepburn). The attempts to trick and then terrorise her into giving up the doll, and the distrust between the criminals, give rise to the twists and turns in the plot. It all ends in a tension-filled sequence, much of which takes place in pitch darkness.
Hepburn gives a terrific performance as a frightened woman driven to the ends of her ingenuity, strength and courage, and Arkin is as threatening when restrained as he is when enraged.
According to the box, this 12-certificate DVD "Contains moderate violence and threat". Piffle. Watch it with the lights out, and it will make Psycho look like the Magic Roundabout.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I watched this as a kid and it stuck in my mind so much that whenever it's on TV I always watch it.
Everyone does so well in this, Hepburn is at once both fragile and strong, Crenna and Weston are hods but with some conscience about what they're doing. For me Alan Arkin stole the film, Roat is creepy. As it turns out I also found creepy to be very attractive and found myself almost rooting for the bad guy.
It does look a little dated now but if you enjoy well acted suspence for example The Night of the Hunter / Robert Mitchem I think you won't go far wrong in adding this to your collection.
Everyone does so well in this, Hepburn is at once both fragile and strong, Crenna and Weston are hods but with some conscience about what they're doing. For me Alan Arkin stole the film, Roat is creepy. As it turns out I also found creepy to be very attractive and found myself almost rooting for the bad guy.
It does look a little dated now but if you enjoy well acted suspence for example The Night of the Hunter / Robert Mitchem I think you won't go far wrong in adding this to your collection.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This thriller stars Audrey Hepburn as a recently blinded woman who unknowingly gets a doll filled with narcotics. Some evil drug dealers want it back! They wait until she is alone, and then search her apartment, terrorizing her. Hepburn must use every bit of her cunning to survive the attack.
The lovely and perky Miss Hepburn seems much too capable to really have been recently blinded and too-stylish (how does she put on that make-up??), but Arkin, as the head drug dealer, makes up for it. He is so cruel, creepy and repulsive, you will be on the edge of your seat. I've never forgotten this film because of his electrifying performance. He plays three very different roles quite convincingly, and shows great range and talent as an actor. Richard Crenna is also excellent as a thug with a soft heart.
I recommend this film for those who like to be scared--you will be!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dated, absurdly convoluted and filled with plot holes but still...
Little dates as much as a once-groundbreaking genre piece, and Wait Until Dark is no exception. Audrey Hepburn's `world champion blind lady' finds herself letting an unlikely... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Trevor Willsmer
Wait Until Dark
A chilling thriller which still makes me hide behind the sofa although I have seen it a number of times before I still jumped out of my skin at the appropriate places. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ms. S. B. Duggan
5 stars without no doubt
It was sad that Hepburn didn't make movies from 67-75. Because this 1967 movie proofs that more movies would have been fantastic. Just like the late Elvis. Read more
Published 21 months ago
sunshine 33rays
This is a slightly different film from Audrey Hepburn but one to watch.l found it quite edgywith some scary bits.loved the film.
Published 23 months ago by sheilagh rowland
Wait Until Dark (DVD, WB, 2005)
The special features of this edition are: 1) A look in the Dark - Alan Arkin and Mel Ferrer talk about the making of the film; 2) 3 trailers: the theatrical trailer, the Warning... Read more
Published on 1 May 2010 by M. Carvalho
Don't wait
I remembered seeing about ten minutes of this film on television some years ago and finding the setup interesting, so I bought the DVD - it turned out to be better than I'd hoped. Read more
Published on 22 April 2010 by Richard Jones
Film
Great film worth watching again, the old ones are the best. Especially if you like Audrey Hepburn which my son does.
Published on 3 Dec 2009 by S. A. Giles
Best screen villain ever?
This is a good, tense little thriller that betrays its stage origins but is raised several notches by Alan Arkin's extraordinary performance as Harry Roat Jnr, the super-smooth,... Read more
Published on 31 July 2009 by Mick the Hat
Outdated
Good acting, terrific thriller, blah blah blah. The truth is it's very outdated, the acting is over the top, the story, the direction, the characters' situation, the music,... Read more
Published on 12 Sep 2008 by Mr. N. Daniau
Terrific thriller
I remember watching this on television in the 1970's and it was one the scariest films of any genre I'd ever seen. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2007 by S J Buck
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