Rosemary's Baby (1968)

   
Directed by: Roman Polanski

Written by: Ira Levin & Roma Polanski

Starring:

Mia Farrow .... Rosemary Woodhouse
John Cassavetes .... Guy Woodhouse
Ruth Gordon .... Minnie Castevet
Sidney Blackmer .... Roman Castevet
Maurice Evans .... Edward 'Hutch' Hutchins
Ralph Bellamy .... Dr. Abraham Sapirstein
Victoria Vetri .... Terry Gionoffrio
Patsy Kelly .... Laura-Louise McBirney
Elisha Cook Jr. .... Mr. Nicklas
Emmaline Henry .... Elisa Dunstan
Charles Grodin .... Dr. C.C. Hill

Release Date: Theatrical: June 12, 1968

 
Rating:

 

A young couple named Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavates) move into a new apartment which is supposed to be their dream home for their new unborn child but however they have many nosey neighbors mainly an elderly couple named Roman (Sidney Blackmer) and Minnie (Ruth Gordon) in which Guy seems to spend alot of time with them and Minnie always offers them her secret recipe on chocolate mousse.
She seems to have strange dreams after eating some mousse as the whole house is involved as a satanic cult and have plans for her unborn child. To top it all off she meets one of the neighbors while doing her laundry who dies a mysterious death by jumping off the building.
When Rosemary gets more pregnant she doesn't feel herself at all and is getting more sick. She also fears for her unborn child since her residents as well as her husband isn't who she thinks they are.

 

There's a nice scene with a landlord of the building Mr. Nicklas showing both Rosemary and Guy around as their conversations seemed believably full of life with one another.
We have a funny moment between Guy and Rosmemary by taking off their clothes lying on their room floor.
A good setting with some locals outside after experiencing a suicide that happened which gives the film a nice effect that this is definetely a supernatural horror flick.
We have a nice moment with Minnie nagging at her husband Roman during a dinner visit with Rosemary and Guy which looked like a realistic neighbor friendly get together.
There's a good shot on Rosemary falling asleep on a bed along with a good shot on Guy looking over and grinning devilishly.
We also spot some nice fantasy moments with Rosemary near an ocean as well as residents of the building watching over her naked doing a cult ceremony which is extremely effective. Alot of this was well focused and made the movie truly twisted by all that was going on.
During this moment there's nice shots on a demons hand touching Rosemary as well as a good evil face shot along with her looking paranoid and freaking out.
Nice moments with her looking sick at times and being depressed about her pregnancy.
An effective moment when Rosemary argues with Guy about reading a book on witchcraft fearing for her baby and where they're living demanding that they leave with him acting stubborn about it all. This was a nice moment in the story which makes it more entertaining that these friendly neighbors aren't who they seem to be living in the building.
There's a perfect moment with Rosemary showing her emotions in a psychiatrist office with the shrink listening and showing no expression.
There's a good intimidating moment with Dr. Abraham Sapirstein standing over Rosemary and demanding her to return to her suite with her husband.
A nice suspenseful moment with Rosemary running away from everyone in her building and locking her door which makes you wonder if she will be safe.
Nice shots on some of the supporting characters including Abraham creeping up to Rosemary trying to act friendly towards her. Intense moment with Rosemary when she is grabbed and held down to a bed along with a nice shot on Abraham preparing a needle to sedate her.
A perfect shot on Rosemary waking up in bed again along with Guy looking over her as well as her freaking out again after the news that she lost her baby.
The near ending looked genuinely twisted when Rosemary enters a room and people are celebrating the life of Satan as well as going towards the cradle to look at her son plus good one liners coming from Roman Castevet shouting that God is dead. All of this offered great horror timing on who these residents really were.
Bottom line is that this is a perfect supernatural horror flick that well liked by the same viewers who enjoyed The Exorcist and the Omen. It seems like a straight mysterious dark drama but the horror is in there for sure. I mean imagine all these descent looking elderly and middle aged people that seem harmless but they're all devil worshippers. That is true horror my friends. The story is very solid and well performed with some good fantasy moments and shocks too.
However, some might not find too much of the horror in it so it may disappoint you but if you like the mystery behind all these deceiving residents like me then you'll love it. This film inspired another flick that was made in 1976 titled The Sentinel which was based after a novel too and nowhere near as effective or well known.

The acting is terrifically performed by everyone including Mia Farrow (Rosemary Woodhouse) with her sensitivity and emotions showing every ounce of energy to her part in the film. She really stood out terrifically well to her part in it. Does well acting drugged after eating some chocolate mousse by tripping over and falling down. Does well arguing with her onscreen husband about reading a book on witchcraft fearing for her baby and where they're living demanding that they leave. Does a good job acting nervous talking on a pay phone to a doctor scared that someone will evesdrop outside. She is great screaming intensely when she is grabbed and held down to a bed during another part of the story. Does well when she is holding a knife and entering a guest room. She was terrific with her wide eyed expressions after seeing what her baby looks like and freaking out.
John Cassavates
(Guy Woodhouse) is also good playing a stage actor and a deceivingly caring husband in the film but he pulls it off well that there's something about him that is a little not right.
Ruth Gordon
(Minnie Castevet) was a true character actress as a nosey neighbor with a great bubbly attitude nagging attitude too. She really seemed harmless in the film which is shocking till you find out her beliefs during the end of the film along with everyone else. She was a natural ham within all that she did here.
Ralph Bellamy
(Dr. Abraham Sapirstein) really came across perfectly as an intimidating doctor and had the perfect scary looks too.
Supporting actress Patsy Kelly (Laura-Louise McBirney) really got on my nerves as she portrayed a perfect bitchy resident at the suite.
Elisha Cook Jr.
(Mr. Nicklas) had the perfect attitude as a landlord of the suite portraying a niceness to his role as well.

Mia Farrow exposes her breasts and butt during a cult ceremony sequence where she thinks that she's dreaming.

A bloodied head while someone committed suicide on some cement.

Terrific classical music composed by Krzysztof Komeda with some unique harp type playing when we hear the theme song with the la la la singing during the opening and end of the film. There's also bizarre sounding music too for the film which suits many spots in the film.