Review of Rosemary's Baby (1968) by David B — 22 Mar 2014

Polanski's film remains a chilling study of witchcraft and devil-worship. Farrow and Cassevetes move into an old New York City apartment block despite having an inkling that it has been the scene of some ghoulish activities.

Farrow is an interior designer of sorts and Cassevetes is a struggling actor. They decide to have a child but the circumstances of the impregnation are clouded by strange visions that Farrow experiences.

The elderly neighbours become very friendly and eventually tension starts to ratchet up as the pregnancy progresses. Will an amazingly fluid style Polanski, in his first American film, masterfully and carefully pulls out the stops which leads to a very satisfactory conclusion.

The film was produced by horror film maestro William Castle. A solid cast adds gravitas to the proceedings, Sidney Blackmer and Ruth Gordon are well cast and a surprisingly affecting performance by Mia Farrow showing the right balance of maternal instincts and vulnerability along with Cassavetes easily influenced husband.

Made prior to The Exorcist and The Omen this film opened up the genre at least 5 years prior to their production. Polanski's pregnant wife Sharon Tate was brutally murdered by the Manson gang the year after this was released and 30 or so years earlier Polanski had narrowly escaped imprisonment in the Nazi concentration camps although family members were not so lucky.

The paranoia generated in this film, and his other masterpieces The Tenant and Chinatown certainly appear to come from a place deep in his psyche. He finally had the opportunity to exorcise these demons in his highly acclaimed The Pianist.