ROSEMARY'S BABY

ROSEMARY’S BABY follows a young woman whose pregnancy slowly becomes a site of paranoia, isolation, and loss of autonomy. What begins as a hopeful move into a new apartment turns into a claustrophobic experience shaped by neighbours, doctors, and social expectations. Roman Polanski builds tension by grounding the story in everyday settings, allowing fear to grow from familiar routines rather than spectacle.

The film sits at a crucial point in Polanski’s career. It follows REPULSION and CUL-DE-SAC, both studies of confinement and psychological breakdown, and precedes THE TENANT, where paranoia turns inward completely. Together, these films form an informal trilogy about isolation and social pressure.

Mia Farrow delivers the defining performance of her career. Ruth Gordon’s Oscar-winning turn adds an unsettling warmth, making intrusion feel like care. On release, the film provoked controversy for its treatment of pregnancy, religion, and female autonomy, while also achieving major success. Today, it is understood as a social nightmare where control is hidden behind acts that seemingly appear as everyday kindness.