Rosemary's Baby, a 1968 psychological horror film directed by Roman Polanski, has remained a seminal piece of cinema that continues to intrigue and disturb audiences. The movie tells the story of Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), a newly-wed young woman who moves into an old apartment building with her husband Guy (John Cassavetes). After they are approached and befriended by the Castevets, an odd couple living nearby, Rosemary begins to suspect of their intentions. As she becomes increasingly paranoid of everyone around her being involved with occultism, she fears for the safety of herself and the baby in her womb.
After discovering she's being manipulated, Rosemary flees not only her neighbors but also her husband, as she fears he has become their ally. However, it seems the Castevets have eyes and ears everywhere, and Rosemary is powerless about her own fate. She is dragged back home and, in a climactic scene, gives birth and falls unconscious. She wakes up and is told by Guy that the baby was stillborn. In a final act of rebellion, Rosemary finally confronts the truth about her neighbors, who are revealed to be members of a satanic cult. As she enters their apartment, she discovers a black mass ritual taking place, with her baby at the center. Roman Castevet yells out that the baby is the child of Satan, and the Coven are celebrating the new "day zero" of humanity. Rather than reacting with horror or revulsion, Rosemary, in a chilling moment, embraces her maternal instinct and accepts her role as a mother to the child. The film concludes with Rosemary rocking her baby, surrounded by cult members who appear satisfied. Apartment 7A: Will A Prequel to Rosemary's Baby Come Out After 55 Years?
The ending of Rosemary's Baby is shrouded in ambiguity, leaving viewers with lingering questions and unsettling thoughts. Even though Rosemary never really submits to the forces of evil, her love for her child transcends societal norms, blurring the line between good and evil. Rosemary's resilience through all she suffered while trying to protect her baby symbolizes the manipulation and suppression of women in a male-centric society, where Rosemary's autonomy and agency are compromised by the patriarchal influences of the cult and her husband.
What Did Rosemary's Husband Do To Her?
At the beginning of the film, Rosemary's husband, Guy Woodhouse, is a small-time commercial actor trying to make ends meet. In one of the earlier scenes, Guy and Roman have a private "man talk" while Rosemary and Minnie Castevet (Ruth Gordon) wash the dishes. Yet another time in which the themes of gender roles and suppression of women pop up in the film. The audience never has access to this private talk between the two men, which was very likely the moment in which Roman first began Guy's conversion into satanism.
In a pivotal moment of the film, Guy gets the opportunity of a lifetime to grow as an actor. He reacts strangely to this event and begins acting weird around Rosemary. Viewers might realize on a rewatch that this was the exact moment in which Guy realized that the Castevet coven actually had supernatural powers. Suddenly amazed by the new possibilities that an alliance with the Castevets would offer, Guy willingly sacrifices Rosemary for personal gain. After she finally confirms her suspicions in the end, Guy tries to make her see his selfish act as an investment for their future. Rosemary's reaction of spitting in his face might make it seem that she's done with him and his manipulation.
However, even though Rosemary denies Guy forgiveness, she shows love for her son Adrian - the Antichrist itself. This subversion of maternal instincts presented through Rosemary's unconditional love for her son is juxtaposed with the sinister origins of Adrian's conception. By challenging conventional notions of motherhood and the instinctual bond between a mother and her child, the film raises questions about the lengths a mother might go to protect her offspring, even in the face of a sinister legacy.
What Does Rosemary's Baby Look Like?
One of the most haunting and mysterious aspects of Rosemary's Baby is the question of what the baby actually looks like. In the ending, the audience is denied a clear glimpse of the child's appearance, adding to the suspense and unease. This intentional choice by the director serves to heighten the sense of horror and the unknown. All viewers get to see is Rosemary's gape-mouthed reaction to seeing the infernal child, and her nerve-racking inquiry of what is wrong with his eyes.
Although the baby's visual remains unseen, viewers do get a glimpse of the child's father during the intense, surreal dream sequence of the baby's conception. In this scene, after being drugged by her husband, Rosemary is taken to a dark room where members of the coven chant and watch her be violated by a masculine figure with beast-like hands and reptile eyes. As Roman chillingly reveals in the film's ending, that entity is none other than Satan himself, and the baby has "his father's eyes".
While the film does not explicitly show the baby's face, it is certain that the child is physically abnormal or even monstrous. This logically aligns with the notion that Rosemary's baby is the product of supernatural or demonic forces. By leaving the child's appearance open to interpretation, the film allows viewers to imagine the unimaginable, creating a lasting impression of terror and unease. This choice is very in line with the movie's approach to the horror genre. The true terror of Rosemary's Baby does not rely on jump scares or gory fiestas, but on the dread that builds up as Rosemary is oppressed, used, and controlled.
Rosemary's Baby's enigmatic ending continues to captivate audiences and spark debates decades after its release. By exploring the film's interpretation, analyzing its themes, and addressing the mystery of the baby's appearance, audiences gain a deeper understanding of its enduring power. Not only does it challenge societal norms, the film also examines the loss of control, and raises questions about the complexities of motherhood. Through its masterful storytelling, Rosemary's Baby remains a timeless horror classic.