"Rosemary's Baby" and Great Character Actors

ROSEMARY'S BABY must have one of the finest casts of character actors since some of the classic Universal horror films of the '30s and '40s. Made by Paramount in 1968, the film straddles the very tail end of the last vestiges of the old studio system, and the era of New Hollywood. And one of the best aspects of the former is the great roster of character actors who make up much of the supporting cast.

Watching the film again at the Charles Theatre recently, right before Halloween, I raced to count all the familiar names in the opening credits: in addition to the wonderful Ruth Gordon, we have Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Patsy Kelly, and Elisha Cook Jr., among others. Seeing these familiar faces as characters involved in a Satanic cult makes the proceedings all the more unsettling. Polanski likely chose these actors precisely for their strong identification with certain "types", which would have been especially recognizable to moviegoers in 1968. It's an inspired casting decision. 

And I love seeing John Cassavetes do his impression of Elisha Cook!

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Truly creepy supernatural horror film that holds up better than most. Roman Polanski manages to take the familiar New York locations (especially the Dakota on Central Park West) and make them seem genuinely otherworldly. The premise -- about a young mother who begins to suspect that her husband is involved with Satanists that desire her unborn child for a ritual -- could have easily turned ridiculous if not laughable in lesser hands, but Polanski's direction and script, combined with expert acting from a fine cast, make this one a classic of its kind. Mia Farrow brings the perfect combination of vulnerability and strength to her part of the young mother dealing with forces beyond her control, and John Cassavetes does characteristically fine work as her deceptively charming husband. They are ably supported by a superb cast of character actors including Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Patsy Kelly and Elisha Cook Jr.