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This film shows what a director can do with some good actors and a good script. It takes Audrey Hepburn to turn this into a great film. Her vulnerable blind woman, at the mercy of a group of drug traffickers, is amazing. Alan Arkin, who sometimes plays comic victims, is outstanding as a true psychopath. He doesn't want the hidden drugs. He wants power over everything. He'd be the last guy a group of organized criminals would want on their side. But they've got him and they need to cater to him. The movie is about situations as Audrey Hepburn must defend herself, once she realizes this is necessary. She knows the house and knows that in darkness she has a chance. Still, she weighs about eighty pounds and has probably never confronted someone physically in her life--and she can't see her attackers.

I'll tell a little story. There's a scene where a towel on top of a refrigerator hangs down so the door can't close. The woman must darken the room, but the light in the refrigerator is going to stay on until the towel is removed. A friend of mine saw this movie with his family, and when this happened, his mother, a real character, stood up and screamed: "Pull the towel out of the door." The whole family disappeared under their seats and denied the existence of this woman.

As far as suspense goes, I can't think of a movie (and that includes every slasher movie I've seen) that has such sustained terror as this one.

Never in my life have I ever seen 800 people fly off their seas like I did the night I saw WAIT UNTIL DARK at the cinema in 1970. And I was up there with them. Moaning away in shock. Screaming! (and I don't scream) ............In the run up to the final 20 mins the cinema management slammed the foyer doors, switched off all the aisle lights one by one all around the cinema, and turned up the volume; ripples of creepiness washed over the audience....and then....whammo! The noise from the audience, the screaming and the shifting about in our seats.....I haven't heard shocked noises like that in a cinema since. Do yourself a BIG favour...........get the DVD and watch this at home, by yourself, in total darkness! You will scream your head off and tell everyone you know what a great thriller this is.

The legendary Audrey Hepburn gives a stellar performance in WAIT UNTIL DARK. She's the seemingly vulnerable, yet strong and resourceful Suzy Hendrix. Suzy is blind, but she's also very smart. Finding herself inadvertently mixed up in a scheme involving narcotics and murder, she must use her wits in order to survive.

Led by the psychopathic mastermind, Roat (Alan Arkin), a trio of criminals attempt to gaslight Suzy because she has something in her apartment that they desperately desire. This is staged brilliantly, and Suzy gets caught up in the fake drama. That is, until she starts to smell a rat!

This is a tremendously suspenseful movie, filled with nail-biting sequences. Especially, the finale, when Suzy must face the full wrath of the unhinged Roat! Arkin deserves special mention for his portrayal of such a heartless, ruthless monster. He's not just creepy, he's terrifying! Richard Crenna and Jack Weston are also quite good as Roat's ill-fated cohorts, as is young Julie Herrod as the very helpful Gloria...

Excellent,very underrated suspense where Audrey Hepburn shows how much

eclectic she was from psychological dramas (children's hour) to musicals (My fair lady)to thrillers "in camera " like this absorbing exciting "wait until dark" .Directed by Terence YOung (who directed the best James Bond bar one -Goldfinger-),it never gives the feeling of watching a filmed stage production and however it was a play in the first place.Hepburn is wonderful as the courageous blind woman who 's got to fight against killers (and she gets fine support from Richard Crenna and Alan Arkin) in her apartment.Influenced by "rear window" ,it's perhaps not as good as Hitch's classic,but it rises to the occasion.The scene when Hepburn shoots out (and smashes) all the lights is mind-boggling.So is the fridge's terrifying sequence which climaxes the movie.

Every cine buff fond of suspense deserves -and must see- "Wait until dark" Sit down and get some scares...in the dark of course.

My title sums it all. I was very surprised at how good this film was. I found it very similar to a movie like "Rear Window". One other person's comments was titled "The best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made". It think that is very true. Most of the film is shot within this basement apartment unit. And the thriller is so great because of Hepburn being blind and these three bad guys freely walking into her unit and introducing themselves as her husband's friends, or police, or some neighbour. But they all forget one thing: She uses her ears like no regular person does, she doesn't need eyes. But that is where the thriller kicks in. Sometimes it is pretty painful for us to watch (us who can see) because she seems so vulnerable. Wrapping around of all this is Henry Mancini's music. He is using a technique that he also used in the film "Night Visitor" where there is this melody on the keyboard and after everynote there is the detuned note following it. Pretty cool effect. One thing I didn't get though, There is a scene where the room looks pretty dark and Alan Arkin still has his sun glasses on. I loved this film, 10 out of 10.

This was a great showcase for the acting talent of Audrey Hepburn. She does a great job as the vulnerable blind woman who finds the inner strength and perception to deal with a deadly situation. Alan Arkin is brilliantly menacing as the cold blooded killer. I nearly jumped out of my seat when I first saw this film when it opened.

Albeit obscure, 1967's "Wait Until Dark" is a fantastic movie in many regards. It may not have epic chases, mushy love scenes, or even a plot involving robotics, but it does capture the mind for that hour and a half. To its credit are the performances of Audrey Hepburn as an insecure "champion blind woman," Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as her encouraging husband, Julie Herrod as her helpful (but rebellious) young friend, and a whole host of (well, three) others as a variety of crooks, cops, and impostors. The plot is well thought-out, with twists and turns to keep you busy from even before Hepburn sets foot on the stage. It almost entirely takes place one or two rooms of an apartment, utilizing the limited set to a "Rear Window"-esque advantage. There is suspense, emotion, crime, passion, and a delve into the world of the blind- and its potential symbolism. Convincing performances, death and devilry, and an almost mother-daughter relationship are all found within this obscure classic, "Wait Until Dark."

In "Wait Until Dark", I really felt sorry for Audrey Hepburn's Susy Hendrix: blind, lied to by a 'nice' guy who is actually in cahoots with a murderer, sassed by the bespectacled neighbor girl, and then--after a hellish night spent being terrorized by thugs--husband Efrem Zimbalist Jr. walks in and doesn't even give her a hand. "I'm over here, Susy", he tells her, mildly condescending. Film is based on Frederick Knott's popular play, and has an elaborate but obtuse set-up involving a missing doll filled with heroin. There's a great deal of talk about where it is, who had it last, etc. The filmmakers bide their time before getting to the showdown between Hepburn and Alan Arkin, cool and collected as a self-assured psychopath. If you can make it through the first half-hour or so, you'll find that "Wait Until Dark" gets cooking thereafter. There are some terrific jolts, and Hepburn is a great, stubborn fighter. The frosty, subdued color photography is 'realistic' and very stylish, as is Henry Mancini's spooky music. The end-credits theme song (by Mancini, Jay Livingston and Ray Evans) seems a throwaway, but is nicely sung by the uncredited Sue Raney. *** from ****

This is highly suspenseful and cerebral mystery that tells about a photographer(Efrem Zimbalist)arriving into N.Y. airport when a young woman(Samantha Jones) delivers secretly a heroin-filled doll.Later his blind wife(Audrey Hepburn),finding alone in their apartment is terrorized by a duo of nasties crooks(Richard Crenna,Jack Weston)and a cruel psycho(Alan Arkin)looking for the drug stuffed doll hided in her basement flat.It's a battle of wits between intelligent blind woman and evil villains and winds up pitting two rival,the obstinate blind girl and brutal psycho against each other in order to save herself and destroy them both.

The film contains tension,thriller,drama,mystery and shocks ,including decent scares with tense terror sequences especially in its final part,in a creepy denouement,near of the end with a crazy killer trying murder her.Although is sometimes slow moving and stagy,however is entertaining for the continuous suspense.Audrey Hepburn is sensational in one of her best films and terrific performance by Alan Arkin as a grisly murderer.Sinister and mysterious atmosphere is finely made by the cameraman Charles Lang and appropriate musical score by the classic Henry Mancini(Pink Panther's creator score).The film is produced by Mel Ferrer(Hepburn's husband) and based on Frederick Knotts's writings.The motion picture is well directed by Terence Young ,author of two best James Bond films(Dr No and From Russia with love)and again directed to Audrey Hepburn in a failed film titled ¨Bloodline¨.The movie will like to suspense enthusiastic and Hepburn fans.Rating : Better than average.

"Wait Until Dark" has lasted for 23 years as one of the scariest movies ever made. Audrey is fabulous as a blind woman who is harassed by three men trying to find an object in her apartment without her noticing. The cinematography is excellent, especially at the end when the audience is practically struck blind as well. A wonderful choice for viewing on a dark night.

One of those high-concept suspense thrillers that falls apart the second you start analyzing its plot, "Wait Until Dark" goes around the world and back again in order to set up its premise -- blind woman being stalked by criminal thugs -- and then sits back and lets the actors do all of the work. And, luckily for this movie's creators, the actors deliver. Audrey Hepburn makes this a much better movie than it has any right being, and Alan Arkin delivers a weird but effective performance as the off-kilter psycho who comes after her for some heroin he believes is stashed in her apartment. The film gives away its stage origins -- most of the action is confined to Hepburn's apartment, and director Terence Young doesn't do a lot to give his movie a cinematic quality. But Hepburn and Arkin make this worth watching, and some moments toward the end do succeed in generating some truly nail-biting suspense.

Grade: B-

The problem with this film is its dubious story. The villain, Roat, conceives a plan that requires that he change his disguise, and further requires that he manipulate two other people. I can see how a psychopath might be intelligent and clever. What defies belief is how someone preoccupied with drugs could be so inventive, so creative, so quick-witted, and so resourceful. Had the object of his attention been something other than drugs, a valuable gem for example, the premise might have had more credibility.

To further the plot along, Roat's complex scheme requires an intelligent victim. And thus, Susy Hendrix, although blind, is super alert, quick-witted, and resourceful. Helping Susy is Gloria, the glasses-wearing, precocious teen.

Indeed, "Wait Until Dark" gushes with smart characters who know exactly what to say and do, at exactly the right moment. The result is a story that comes across as affected and artificial, a conclusion further supported by the film's implausible ending.

If the story is weak, the acting is not. Alan Arkin is terrific as the villain. Both Crenna and Weston give credible performances. And who could criticize the demure and likable Audrey Hepburn? Not me.

This movie does belong in the "thriller" genre. But its suspense is diluted somewhat by a too talky script, the result perhaps of its origin as a play.

Overall, "Wait Until Dark" is a good movie to watch once, mainly for the acting achievements of Arkin and Hepburn.

I watched this movie out of sheer "desperation" -- I couldn't find any current movies on that I wanted to see or that I hadn't seen before, so I just ended up on the channel this film was on. It was fate!! What a fun, suspenseful film!!

If you have not seen Audrey Hepburn in a movie, see this and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and you will *really* appreciate her talent and beauty. Also of mention is Alan Arkin. I read that critics didn't like his role as the heavy in this film when it was first released, but personally I think he is great in it -- intimidating and kitschy at the same time.

This film builds the suspense throughout perfectly. There is not a lull or a let-down to be found! Also, this has a twist ending and a classic suspense/horror plot element that has been done many times since, but not as well!

The Bottom Line: 4 1/2 Jiffy's Out of 5

Adaptations of stage plays can cause considerable difficulties for filmmakers.WAIT UNTIL DARK is especially claustrophobic and stagey;but in this case,it actually works in it's favour.Terence Young directed some absolute howlers in his film career(ACTION OF THE TIGER,INCHON,BLOODLINE among them),but he made some very fine efforts too(DR NO,FROM Russia WITH LOVE,the two best James Bond films),including this one.The film starts off slowly and uncinematically,with a wordy,stage-bound setting up of the plot,but gradually suspense and thrills build up unto the rousing final duel between the blind Audrey Hepburn and psychotic murderer Alan Arkin.Both give first class performances;an excellent actor usually known for his comic roles,it's unusual to see Arkin playing such a maniac though he does it convincingly,and Hepburn makes you believe she is genuinely blind even in real life.

The film's pulsating last 15 minutes are as gripping and thrilling a sequence as ever committed to celluloid,with superbly well-judged moments of nerve-jangling shock.The supporting performances are OK,but why didn't child actress Julie Herrod ever make another film? The final scenes between her,Audrey,and the usually rather stiff Efrem Zimbalist Jnr are very well done and touch the emotions.Henry Mancini's score is sometimes effective but seems on occasions overtly familiar to CHARADE(1963),an Audrey Hepburn/Cary Grant classic Mancini composed several years earlier.The film would've been absolutely outstanding if it wasn't for the indifferent opening scenes,and rather more light relief:the only bits of real humour come at the end credits,when we see Arkin credited as ROAT,ROAT JNR,and ROAT SNR(JNR and SNR were obviously impersonations as part of the subterfuge to steal the heroin-stuffed doll),but it's still a very good thriller nonetheless.

Only a handful of actresses were able to display vulnerability as well as AUDREY HEPBURN does in WAIT UNTIL DARK--and she's especially good here because she's playing a woman recently blinded who is learning how to cope with her handicap when the story begins.

The plot's suspense depends entirely on how she gradually (very gradually) becomes aware of the danger she's in when three intruders invade her apartment on a pretext--until finally, she learns that what they are really after is a doll stuffed with heroin that has been stored somewhere within her apartment.

It's only when the full realization of her situation becomes clear to Audrey that the story builds to the proper amount of suspense this sort of tale should generate. Before that, things get a little tedious and there's too much interplay between Hepburn and the interlopers before their devious scheme is developed.

The heroin seekers are played in rather theatrical style by ALAN ARKIN, JACK WESTON and RICHARD CRENNA and the stage origins of the original are sometimes clearly evident in the claustrophobic apartment setting.

Hepburn's blindness is well-simulated, but the tale itself is a bit too contrived to be taken very seriously. By today's standards, the gripping suspense of the final moments is somewhat tamer than when the film was originally made, diluted no doubt by the more graphic exposition of crime in today's thrillers.

Perhaps this is the fault of Terence Young's direction which lets the pace slacken too much before building to a strong climax.

In my opinion, a movie really passes as being scary if a scene makes you jump. "Wait Until Dark" has one such scene (but I won't tell you what it is; I'm gonna let you get scared). The plot involves blind Suzy Hendrix (Audrey Hepburn) unwittingly involved in a drug-smuggling plot. The really creepy aspect comes when oily thug Harry Roat (Alan Arkin) gets into her confidence.

This is one of those movies that will probably make you suspicious of the people around you. And don't stop the movie at any point - you have to watch it beginning to end to get the full experience. Another classic movie from one of the world's classic actresses and an ever dependable actor.

Wait until Dark (1967)

I wish this was a better movie. I love Audrey Hepburn, and she's truly the star here trying to make the limited script work. I don't know that she plays a blind person quite right, but good enough for me. She's charming.

The other highlight is the up and down performance of Alan Arkin in an early role. When he's the sunglass wearing psycho looking for the heroin in the doll he's pretty good, but when he puts on disguises and plays other roles he's kind of silly, though maybe that's intentional. Of the remaining four characters, no one is quite right on (the girl, I suppose) and the cop/thief played by Jack Weston is too exaggerated for my taste.

This is a play, to be sure, made for film. That changes some of our expectations, in theory, but in a way that makes the script, which is the weakest point, even weaker. Plays, above all, have to be finely tuned in their dialog, their concepts, their economy. This one is such a huge strain, especially in the middle parts, it's hard to not laugh at it a bit.

I'm not saying it's not horrifying in concept—a blind woman being tormented by some thugs to get information out of her she actually might not have—but the delivery is canned and so compacted in this screen version, shot almost entirely in an apartment, is just creaks.

You do get the feeling this is supposed to the be the equal of say "Rope" or "Rear Window" by Hitchcock, which just shows you the limits of many directors and scripts because this doesn't have the depth, the visual panache, the psychological twists, of a good Hitch.

It does have some of the 1960s falseness that pervaded the industry (including Hitchcock's films), and I have never quite acquired a taste for it. 1967 marks the birth of "New Hollywood" and a vigorous, fresh kind of filmmaking that is rather the opposite of this. For good reason.

I've seen this three or four times over the years, and every time I say, maybe I'll like it this time. Nope, not quite. It's fun, it's good, and it's got very good moments —and it's got Audrey—but that's not quite, not at all quite enough. It does have a great finale, however, and it has some really bizarrely inventive music by Mancini using quartertones on the piano. So, there are aspects...give them some effort.

I ended up watching this film with absolutely no preconceptions whatsoever, due entirely to the fact that I had never heard of the film before, (ignorance rules o.k!).

What I was presented with was an absolute feast of superb acting, Arkin & Hepburn especially. A plot that constantly led the viewer into a false sense of expectation, YES we knew Audrey was going to come out unscathed, but everything else in between ??? The girl who played 'Gloria' was sinister in her own right, & could surely have gone on & played many a possessed child in many a 'poltergeist' type film, had the opportunity arisen.

Personally speaking, I have a very short attention span when it comes to movies of any kind, but this one gripped me from start to end. Arkin wouldn't have looked out of place in a 1990's pulp fiction genre. Scary, believable, superb! Hepburn was her usual vivacious self, apparently revelling in the blind woman against all odds scenario, superb!

Two scary, sh** I wasn't expecting that, type of moments came in the form of the Arkin's car driving, & his incredible gymnastic spring towards the end. Corny maybe?, but so well done it can be totally forgiven.

The fact is, that this could so very easily have become a very mediocre 'stage play to film' adaptation. What makes it that little bit special is very hard to pinpoint. Perhaps it's because it's NOT a Hitchcock, but could so very easily have been. One can only ponder how the master of suspense himself could have improved this gem of film?

I would recommend anyone who watches this movie, to dim the lights to a mere glow, & prepare to be sucked in!

& remember to guard your luggage just that little more carefully next time at the airport!

I wasn't very enthrilled or scared by this movie. Maybe that's because this movie came out in the 60's and I'm living in 21st centry filled with bloody movies. However, Audrey Hepburn never lets me down. By performing a blind woman who fights against crooked drug dealers, she proves that she was not only a romantic movie queen but also the best actress who ever lived.