Product: Rosemary's Baby (El Bebe de Rosemary) [ NON-USA FORMAT, NTSC, Reg.4 Import - Latin America ] (1968)
Rating: 5.0
Robert Redford & Tuesday Weld
"Rosemary's Baby" was a love-hate experience for me when it first came out. The Satanic aspect of the film still creeps me out. When all the geezers at the end of the film start shouting "Hail Sa*an!," it makes my skin crawl. As a suspense builder, the film works extremely well. Director Roman Polanski received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. He says in the DVD extras that it was his first adaptation. Polanski also states that he wanted to cast Tuesday Weld in the title role, which made me contemplate how different a film it might have been. However, it was Mia Farrow who was cast and did an outstanding job in the film. She was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress for her performance, although she's never been nominated for an Oscar in her entire career. Polanski also says that Robert Redford was considered for Guy Woodhouse. What a different film it would have been with Redford & Weld! John Cassavetes had an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor the year before for "The Dirty Dozen." He also received Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay for "Faces" in 1968 and as Best Director for "A Woman Under the Influence" in 1974. I found him to be self-absorbed as Woodhouse, just the sort of distance from his wife that would allow him to make a deal with the devil on her behalf. When Rosemary spits in Guy's face at the end, it is the perfect moment. Sidney Blackmer was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. I'm less familiar with his work as an actor, although his credits are extensive. As Roman Castevet, he seems like a brainy, likeable old guy. Ruth Gordan won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress over her competition of Estelle Parsons (Rachel Rachel), Kay Medford (Funny Girl), Lynn Carlin (Faces), Sondra Locke (The Heart is a Lonely Hunter). She had been nominated in the same category the year before for "Inside Daisy Clover." She also had three nominations as a screenwriter for "A Double Life" (1947), "Adam's Rib" (1950), & "Pat & Mike" (1952). Because ofHarold and Maudewhich remains probably my all-time favorite film, Ruth Gordon was a delightful original. I saw her onstage once in Chicago. Her performance as the nosy neighbor Minnie is hilarious comic relief, all the more ominous as a result. Maurice Evans, who would later play a warlock as Samantha's father on TV's "Bewitched" series, plays Rosemary's friend Hutch who knows the history of the Bradford and later becomes suspicious about the foul-smelling herb Rosemary is given to wear for good luck. The Bradford was filmed at the Dakota, the building where John Lennon was shot. Rosemary goes to Dr. Sapirstein who is played by Ralph Bellamy. Bellamy was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for "The Awful Truth" in 1937 and given an honorary Oscar in 1986. He seems superficially friendly. Polanski cites the moment he slips the pills back into his pocket in Dr. Hill's office as the director's favorite moment in the film. Patsy Kelly as the loudmouth Laura-Louise is great in her small role. She was in "Freaky Friday" in 1976 & peers through those garishly thick glasses throughout "Rosemary's Baby." Elisha Cook does a great comic cameo as Mr. Nicklas who shows the apartment. Charles Grodin in one of his first films does a good job as Dr. Hill who sends Rosemary back into the hands of her husband. Hope Summers who was on TV's "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Inherit the Wind" in 1960 brings the tray as Rosemary recovers from birth. The producer William Castle has a cameo as the man outside the phone booth. I found the DVD extras to be very interesting. There's one scene that was apparently not included in the film where John Cassavetes lounges in his underwear, apparently discussing a scene. We get a glimpse of Polanski kissing his wife Sharon Tate. Polanski says he mostly looked for physical attributes for his characters rather than considering their acting ability. "Rosemary's Baby" is a long film that builds tension and is excellent because of the many details that attain significance. Even the images on the wallpaper as Rosemary bursts through the hidden closet become significant. The cast, the screenplay and the direction make this a classic film. Enjoy!