Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Timing: 2:18 (138 min)

7.818/10
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All about film

Video 7

Photo 113

Actors and characters

Release date

1968-06-12

Country

United States

Production

William Castle Productions

Genre

Drama, Horror, Thriller

Budget

$3 200 000

Revenue

$33 395 426

Website

Director

Roman Polanski

Actors

Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Victoria Vetri, Patsy Kelly, Elisha Cook Jr., Emmaline Henry
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

William Castle, Robert Evans

Operator

William A. Fraker

Composer

Krzysztof Komeda

Artist

Audition

Editing

Sam O'Steen, Bob Wyman
All team (22)

• The film is based on Ira Levin's novel "Rosemary's Baby" (1967).
• The film was directed by Roman Polanski, whose pregnant wife Sharon Tate was murdered in 1969 by the Charles Manson gang, who named a series of their crimes after The Beatles song "Helter Skelter." Notably, one of the band members, John Lennon, was killed in 1980 near the "Dakota" building where he lived and where "Rosemary's Baby" was once filmed.
• The Dakota apartment building, located in Manhattan, is referred to as "Bramford" in the film.
• During filming, the lead actress Mia Farrow was divorcing her then-husband Frank Sinatra.
• Initially, the film's direction was offered to Alfred Hitchcock.
• The film's editor, Sam O'Steen, later directed its television sequel, "What Happened to Rosemary's Baby" (1976).
• Sharon Tate filmed the party scene that Rosemary hosted for her friends.
• While working on his first adaptation, Polanski tried to meticulously follow all the details described in the novel. He once even asked the book's author, Ira Levin, in what specific issue of "The New Yorker" Guy Woodhouse had seen the shirt he wanted to buy. Levin confessed that it was pure fiction.
• The rights to the adaptation belonged to producer and director William Castle. When the "Paramount" studio was just starting the project, it set one condition for Castle – not to direct the film, as he had a reputation as a director of low-budget horror films. However, Castle was allowed to appear in a cameo role (he played a man standing by a phone booth).
• This film was Polanski's first American production.
• Polanski initially planned Tuesday Weld for the role of Rosemary and Robert Redford for the role of Guy. However, the "Paramount" studio decided that Mia Farrow should play Rosemary, and Redford was busy with another project at the time. Jack Nicholson was also considered for the role of Guy for a while.
• According to Kenneth Anderson, author of a book about the making of "Rosemary's Baby", the famous actress Lauren Bacall, who lived in "The Dakota", often went outside to watch the filming along with the other residents.
• Rosemary is due to give birth on June 28, 1966 (6/66).
• Rosemary says to Terry Ginnofrio (Angela Dorian): "I thought you were actress Victoria Vetri." Terry replies that everyone thinks so, but she herself doesn't see the resemblance. Victoria Vetri is Angela Dorian's real name.
• In one scene, Mia Farrow actually ate raw liver on camera.
• Roman Polanski's heavily pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was killed in 1969 by the Charles Manson gang, who named their series of crimes after the Beatles song "Helter Skelter." John Lennon was killed in 1980 near the Dakota building, where he lived and where filming took place.
• Sharon Tate starred in the party scene that Rosemary organized for her friends.
• The film's production was offered to Alfred Hitchcock.
• While working on his first film adaptation, Polanski tried to adhere strictly to all the details described in the novel. He once even asked the book's author, Ira Levin, in which issue of The New Yorker Guy Woodhouse had seen the shirt he wanted to buy. Levin confessed that it was pure fiction.
• The rights to the film adaptation belonged to producer and director William Castle. When Paramount Studios launched the project, they stipulated that Castle not direct the film, as he had a reputation as a director of low-budget horror films. However, Castle was allowed to appear in a cameo (a man standing by a telephone booth).
• Polanski's first American production.
• Roman Polanski had planned to cast Tuesday Weld as Rosemary Woodhouse and Robert Redford as Guy. However, Paramount Studios decided that Mia Farrow should play Rosemary, and Redford was busy with another project at the time. Jack Nicholson was considered for the role of Guy for some time.
• According to Kenneth Anderson, author of a book about the making of the film, actress Lauren Bacall, who lived in The Dakota, often went outside to watch the filming.
• Roman Polanski’s deeply pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered in 1969 by the Charles Manson gang, who named their series of crimes after the Beatles song “Helter Skelter.” John Lennon was killed in 1980 near the Dakota building, where he lived and where filming took place.