Rosemary's Baby

Rating: 8/10 (28 June 2005)

I obviously didn't pay full attention to this film when it was on, somehow I found most of it boring, now I can appreciate it as a classic, from writer/director Roman Polanski (Repulsion, Chinatown, The Pianist, Carnage). Basically, in New York City, Rosemary Woodhouse (BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Mia Farrow) and actor husband Guy (John Cassavetes) move into the Bramford apartment building. They were warned against it by their friend Edward 'Hutch' Hutchins (Planet of the Apes' Maurice Evans), due to its association with murder and cannibalism. They soon meet friendly but nosey neighbours Roman (Sidney Blackmer) and Minnie Castevet (Oscar winning, and Golden Globe nominated Ruth Gordon), who Rosemary isn't keen to see too often. Strange things start happening, starting with the sudden supposed suicidal death of Terry Gionoffrio (Victoria Vetri, aka Angela Dorian) who Rosemary briefly met in the washroom. Not long after Guy suggests they have a baby together, Rosemary eats some chocolate mousse given by Minnie. She passes out and has a realistic nightmare where she is raped by a demonic creature, in front of Guy, with worshippers around them. Rosemary wakes up with scratches on her body, and Guy says he took advantage while she was unconscious. Dr. C.C. Hill (Charles Grodin), recommended by her friend Elise Dunstan (Emmaline Henr),y confirms Rosemary is pregnant, and she plans to receive further obstetric care from him. However, the Castevets recommend, to save money and for the best care, she go to Dr. Abraham Sapirstein (Ralph Bellamy). He gives her odd advice and the Casavets give her "vitamin drinks". Rosemary develops a strange pain in her stomach that doesn't go away for a long while. Hutch becomes disturbed by Rosemary's appearance and hears that she is being fed tannis root, so he does some research. Before he can show his findings, he falls into a coma. Rosemary tells Guy she plans to go back to Dr. Hill, which angers him. But then suddenly, the abdominal pain stops and she feels the baby move for the first time. Three months later, Hutch dies, but before dying was able to send Rosemary a book about witchcraft. Rosemary deduces that Roman Castevet is really an anagram for Steven Marcato, the son of a former Bramford resident who was accused of being a Satanist. She suspects her elderly neighbors and Dr. Sapirstein are part of a Satanic coven with evil plans for her baby, and that Guy is helping them in exchange for his acting career becoming more successful. Rosemary returns to Dr. Hill and shares her concerns, but he assumes she is delusional, and calls Dr. Sapirstein and Guy. Rosemary tries to get away, but is restrained by the other apartment residents. Rosemary goes into labour and is sedated by Dr. Sapirstein. When she wakes, she is told the baby has died, which she refuses to believe, as she hears crying. In the hall closet (blocked by a cabinet earlier), she finds a secret door leadinginto the Castevets' apartment and hears the baby's cries again. Entering with a knife, she finds a congregation made up of the building's tenants, and Dr. Sapirstein, gathered around her newborn son. Rosemary is terrified by the appearance of the child, it is remarked upon that the baby has "his father's eyes". Roman explains to Rosemary that Guy is not the child's true father. Her newborn child, named Adrian by the coven, is actually the son of the Devil. Roman urges her to become a mother to her son. Guy tries to calm a horrified Rosemary by explaining to her that they will be generously rewarded, and that they can conceive a second child that will truly be theirs, but Rosemary spits in his face. Minnie tells Rosemary that she should be honored to be the woman chosen to bear a child for Satan. Rosemary tells one of the coven members she is rocking the crib too fast, which is why the child is crying. Rosemary, initially relucantant, goes to the cradle and gently rocks him, with a small smile on her face. Also starring Patsy Kelly as Laura-Louise McBirney, Elisha Cook Jr. as Mr. Nicklas and the voice of Tony Curtis (uncredited) as Donald Baumgart. Farrow is perfect as the victim to this devilish conspiracy, and Gordon is a worthy Oscar winner for her gossipy eccentrically menacing character. It has impeccable music by Krzysztof Komeda, especially the creepy "lullaby" (with vocals by Farrow), this is a masterpiece paranoia (with a little dark humour) horror. It won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Ruth Gordon as Minnie Castevet (also won the Golden Globe), and it was nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Original Score for Krzysztof Komeda and Best Screenplay. It was number 51 on The 100 Greatest Scary Moments, and it was number 9 on 100 Years, 100 Thrills. Very good!