MovieChat Forums > Wait Until Dark (1967) Discussion > Roat----Would he, or wouldn't he?

Roat----Would he, or wouldn't he?

posted 17 years ago by persephone1961
21 replies | jump to latest

I know this has been discussed before, but, I thought I'd start here with a 'fresh' area for discussion....

I, for one, *do* believe that he indeed was going to rape as well as kill Suzy.

Why do I say this? Well, when Crenna's character goes into the back bedroom and opens the closet door, he discovers Lisa's body and if you all remember, he clothes where coming off her shoulders as well as the front of the dress she was wearing appeared to be slightly undone and the bra, you could tell if you look closely enough, to have been slightly pulled in the front.

Just my humble opnions...

Persephone

[–] mercutio-8 17 years ago

There is also this exchange:
After Roat has gained the upper hand, gotten the doll and heroin, he slaps his hands together, saying, "and now Susy, I want you in the bedroom", and proceeds to start taking her in there.
"You said you wouldn't hurt me", she pleads.
"Did I? Well, I must have had my fingers crossed".
And then, she turns the tables right back on him! YES!!

[–] persephone1961 17 years ago

Sorry for the late reply, I just now got back in here.

YES, she was DEFINITELY a lady who could take care of HERSELF!!!!

[–] shepardjessica-1 17 years ago

Of course he would have.

[–] Lady_Lane 17 years ago

In my opinion, whether he was going to rape her or not, sexual intimidation was definitely a part of his plan to torment her. If a man says "I want you in the bedroom" to a woman, only one thing comes to mind, eh? Roat knew that she would think exactly that and it would terrify her even more.

If he had only wanted to kill her, he could have just done it right there in the living room. Suzy did say that Roat only wanted to do "evil things."

I believe he would. It just goes to show what an amazing actor Alan Arkin is to imply that sort of thing.

Arrr! Math be hard! Let's go shopping!

[–] persephone1961 17 years ago

Even though this movie was made in the 60s, it is truly amazing how this movie is still the BEST at what it does!!!

Yeah, Arkin should have definitely gotten an OSCAR!!!!!

[–] moviemaniac2002 17 years ago

Oh yeh, he definitely would. Pay attention to the opening of the film, where during one of Arkin's long exposition speeches, he absent-mindedly sniffs
Audrey's laundry.

[–] persephone1961 17 years ago

LOL!!! Hey, ya know, I didn't even think of THAT!!!!

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] usersince03 14 years ago

When I first saw this I thought that what he was trying to do.

[–] caprice1221 14 years ago

Roat would have rape Susy before he kills her. He enjoyed being terrorist. The way he waved the scarf over her neck, he had plans to strangle her when he was done playing with her.

Yes I believe Roat rape Lisa before he had killed her. She was supposed to send to the doll to him instead she gives it to Susy's husband at the airport.

[–] AzumangaDaioh 14 years ago

I think it was implied he was trying to, as others mentioned.

How many times do I have to tell you? You don't put a bra in a dryer. IT WARPS!

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] AzumangaDaioh 14 years ago

I hope you're trolling....

Deny me and be doomed.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] AzumangaDaioh 14 years ago

Kidding about raping someone, real funny

Deny me and be doomed.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Senator_Corleone 13 years ago

I don't think you know what hypocrite means. I also think there are many things you don't know.

Anton Chigurh is dead and Spider-Man 3 is superior in every way to Funny Games.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] ElizabethJoestar (946) 4 years ago

(Kind of a late reply, but here's my two cents anyway.)

I always figured he planned on raping her before killing her. I mean, when he gets Susy to the bedroom threshold, he doesn’t start strangling her—if you look closely, he’s pulling her against his body and trying to maneuver her backwards into the room (presumably towards the bed itself) while keeping her in an embrace.

The movie builds Roat up as a predatory figure rather subtly in the first apartment scene: he sniffs Susy’s slip when he realizes just what he’s cleaning his glasses with, and Lisa’s clothes being pulled open like that suggests he did more than just kill her. It’s all pretty subtle by modern standards, but the implication is definitely there and it makes Roat’s behavior towards Susy all the more disturbing. If he wanted to just kill her, he could have just slit her throat in the kitchen, but he wanted to relish her suffering a bit longer before finishing the job.

[–] liscarkat (18429) 3 years ago

If he figured he still had time before he had to get out of there, he would have.