Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Rosemary’s Baby (1968) is a slow-burning psychological horror and drama directed by Roman Polanski. It follows young Catholic housewife Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her actor husband Guy (John Cassavetes) after they move into the ornate but ominous Bramford apartment building in Manhattan. Welcomed by an eccentric elderly couple, Roman and Minnie Castevet, the couple’s hopes for a family soon turn into a tightening web of secrecy and odd, unsettling events as Rosemary becomes pregnant. Watching the film is an exercise in mounting dread rather than loud shocks. Polanski builds tension through claustrophobic sets, small eerie details, disturbing dreams, and a creeping sense of isolation: friends, neighbors, even her husband slowly distance Rosemary as mysterious people and rituals seem to orbit her pregnancy. The film favors suggestion and implication, so the unease comes from what’s hinted at and what the characters won’t — or can’t — tell her. Viewers can expect a masterful combination of performance and atmosphere: Farrow’s fragile, haunted portrayal anchors the story, while Ruth Gordon’s unnervingly cheerful neighbor and the film’s methodical pacing amplify paranoia. Themes of control, bodily autonomy, faith, and betrayal run through the movie, making it as much a character study of terror and mistrust as it is a horror story. Overall, Rosemary’s Baby is a classic that delivers sustained psychological suspense, lingering discomfort, and an ending that leaves you thinking long after the credits roll.

Actors: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon

Director: Roman Polanski

Runtime: 137 min

Genres: Drama, Horror

7.7 /10 96 /100 8.0 /10 8.4 /10