A Semente do Diabo (1968)

A young couple trying for a baby move into a fancy apartment surrounded by peculiar neighbors.

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Ira Levin (from the novel by), Roman Polanski (written for the screen)

Stars:

Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon

Won 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mia Farrow	...	Rosemary Woodhouse
John Cassavetes	...	Guy Woodhouse
Ruth Gordon	...	Minnie Castevet
Sidney Blackmer	...	Roman Castevet
Maurice Evans	...	Hutch
Ralph Bellamy	...	Dr. Sapirstein
Victoria Vetri	...	Terry (as Angela Dorian)
Patsy Kelly	...	Laura-Louise
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Mr. Nicklas (as Elisha Cook)
Emmaline Henry	...	Elise Dunstan
Charles Grodin	...	Dr. Hill
Hanna Landy	...	Grace Cardiff
Phil Leeds	...	Dr. Shand (as Philip Leeds)
D'Urville Martin	...	Diego
Hope Summers	...	Mrs. Gilmore

Storyline

Desirous of starting a family, the young Catholic housewife, Rosemary Woodhouse, and her struggling actor husband, Guy, move into the Bramford: New York's iconic building that brims with unpleasant stories of obscure dwellers and ghastly occurrences. Before long, the young couple is befriended by their somehow eccentric next-door neighbours, Roman and Minnie Castevet, and, shortly after, Rosemary gets pregnant. However, little by little--as the inexperienced mother becomes systematically cut off from her circle and friends--alarming hints of a sinister and well-planned conspiracy begin to emerge, enfolding timid Rosemary in a shroud of suspicion and mental agony. In the end, why is everyone so conveniently eager to help? Furthermore, why is Guy allowing it?

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Plot Keywords:

satanism | coven | paranoia | incubus | 1960s | 

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Taglines:

It's not what you're expecting.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

M/16

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was one of Stanley Kubrick's favorite films, according to his brother-in-law and assistant Jan Harlan.

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Goofs

When Rosemary begins putting the Scrabble tiles away, the wrong anagram (one Rosemary had already discarded) can be glimpsed to the side.

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Quotes

Rosemary Woodhouse: What's in this drink?
Minnie Castevet: Snips and snails and puppy dog's tails.
Rosemary Woodhouse: Oh? And what if we wanted a girl?
Minnie Castevet: Do you?
Rosemary Woodhouse: Well, it would be nice if the first one was a boy.

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Alternate Versions

The film originally proved problematic for the UK censors and the rape scene was toned down by the BBFC for the cinema release with edits made to remove dialogue and shots of Rosemary's legs being bound. All later UK video releases featured the uncut print.

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Connections

Referenced in Dias Tranquilos em Clichy (1970)

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Soundtracks

Für Elise
by Ludwig van Beethoven

User Reviews

Polanski's Baby

When people talk about perfect films I don't actually know what they mean. Perfect for whom? Perfect compared to what? I think that perfection is in the brain and heart of the beholder. "Rosemary's baby" is a perfect film to me. Scary in a way that makes you breathless. You're thinking and feeling throughout the film. One of the many sides of Polanski's genius is to suggest. And what he suggest is so monstrous that we don't want to believe it, but we do. The characters are so perfectly drawn that there is no cheating involved. John Cassavettes's superb study in selfishness and egomaniacal frustration is so real that comes to no surprise that he could do what he does to advance his career, but we are surprised, we're horrified. The spectacular Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer are not Deborah Kerr and David Niven, are they? So that they turn out to be what they turn out to be is totally believable, but Polanski presents it in such a light of normality that you can't believe it. Mia Farrow's predicament is as classic as the boy who cried wolf tale and yet, as told by Roman Polanski in the wonderful face of Mia Farrow, is as if we're hearing it, seeing it and living it for the first time. Every silence, every voice in the distance, every door opening. Your heart is always in your throat. There is something there that accelerates a constant state of dread. Very few movies have been able to take me to that place, most of them by Roman Polanski, what about "The Tenant" or "Repulsion"? Other movies that come to mind: David Lynch's "Eraserhead" and Martin Donovan's "Apartment Zero" But "Rosemary's baby" stands alone as a terrifying masterpiece.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 February 1969 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

A Semente do Diabo

Filming Locations:

2nd Ave & East 60th Street, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

William Castle Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1