Trivia / Wait Until Dark

• Actor-Inspired Element: During the credits there is no credit for costumes, this is because Audrey Hepburn herself picked the clothes she wore from the stores in Paris. Alan Arkin also claimed in an interview that he chose to play Roat as though he were "on every conceivable drug known to man," an element not original to the play.
• Awesome, Dear Boy: Alan Arkin said the role of Harry Roat was easy to get, as most of the actors approached prior didn't want to play a role that terrorized Audrey Hepburn. Arkin said he jumped at the chance to play the part.
• Billing Displacement: Although Audrey Hepburn is given top-billing, she does not appear until over 21 minutes into the film.
• Creator Backlash: The 1998 Broadway revival was not well-received despite excellent early ticket sales, with Quentin Tarantino's turn as Harry Roat torn to shreds by most critics. Few of the cast and crew of this production are willing to talk about it, even decades later.
• Enforced Method Acting: In regards to the audience. In some theatrical productions — and even some showings of the cinematic adaptation — every light, including those in the foyer, is either turned off or covered during the climax to make it harder for audience members' eyes to adjust and heighten tension.
• Playing Against Type:
  • This was Audrey Hepburn's only horror film, despite it more commonly being categorized as a suspense-thriller.
  • The villainous role of Harry Roat is also extremely atypical for Alan Arkin, who tends to go for more comedic parts. He claimed the experience of playing a villain was so uncomfortable that he never wanted to do it again and particularly hated "terrorizing" Audrey Hepburn.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Julie Andrews was considered for the role of Susy Hendrix.
  • Jack L. Warner first considered George C. Scott for the role of Harry Roat and Robert Redford for the role of Mike Talman before casting Alan Arkin and Richard Crenna in the parts.
  • Sean Connery was mentioned in press as possible choice for role of Harry Roat.
  • Carol Reed was a consideration for the director position, but Audrey Hepburn and her husband, producer Mel Ferrer, wanted Terence Young on the job since they were already friends with him.

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