MovieChat Forums > Wait Until Dark (1967) Discussion > SPOILER why all the disguises. . .???

SPOILER why all the disguises. . .???


Why did Alan Arkin character keep showing up in disguises? Heroine was blind and street outside apartment had to be emptiest thoroughfare in New York. And if he really was concerned about someone seeing him enter building, why didn't he wear disguises through entire movie, which he didn't?

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He wore the disguises so that Susy's neighbour Gloria wouldn't recognise him.

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Still doesn't explain why he isn't wearing a disguise during his first visit to apartment or later, right before the ending. He had no way of knowing kid (or anyone else) wouldn't see him.

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He specifically tells Mike and Carlino in the opening that there is a little kid (Gloriw) running around the building. Mike and Carlino are only playing one role apiece, Roat is playing several and so needs the disguises in case he runs into Gloria while in the building.

"OOOOH - I NEEDS AN ERASER!!"
Mike Pipper, the Grizzled Old Prospector

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We disscussed that after watching the movie in my Language Arts class and someone said that maybe if she touched him and felt the same fabric and clothes on him as on one of his other characters then she would figure out that they are the same person.

"Straighties don’t know how to fix the divas"
~ Christan Siriano

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[deleted]

To confuse any busybody neighbors who _weren't_ blind! Especially, agoraphobic ones.

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I think he was wearing a disguise throughout the movie. The sunglasses and what seems to be a wig. His name was probably an alias also

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I felt that Roat's true persona may had been a disguise as Arkin was balding at an early age and that looked like a toupee he had on.

Its that man again!!

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That's my impression, as well.



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Roat was apparently a "Star Trek" fan. He copied his haircut from Mr. Spock.

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