Film #8 — 1/3 Cult or Conspiracy Films
Also filed under: A-One
By C. Ramsay
A reverie of dread that’s a much more difficult watch than it first appears. While in no way uninteresting, the first thirty minutes begin slowly, the true degree of escalation only noticeable in retrospect once things have already begun to surge out of control. With the film being highly reliant on visual storytelling, the set design and costumes are well curated, allowing the viewer to quickly assess married couple Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse before getting to know them better through conversation. Since we originally see the apartment that much of the film takes place in when it’s still furnished from the previous tenant—who happens to be one of the cult members—the audience is further able to learn about some of their characterization, as well as some of the cult practices through context clues, without ever meeting the deceased occupant.
Ruth Gordon gives a phenomenal performance as Minnie Castevet, one of the Woodhouse’s neighbours and a key cult member. Her apathy for Rosemary, concealed only through a caricature of temperament that’s barely interested in feigning authenticity, is replicated by Guy in a moment that is such a sudden pivot in behaviour from him that it’s sickening. The tragedy surrounding Rosemary is reinforced through her perpetually heightening fear and lack of ability to do anything about it, though she tries desperately to. At first, she’s trusting and accepts the explanations she’s given, preferring to assume she’s misunderstood something than to advocate for herself at the risk of offending others and realizing she’s wrong in her accusations. Rosemary is not meek, though, and speaks up regularly. The problem is that everyone capable of helping her is either only pretending to or helps with an immediate issue without following up in addressing the larger problem. Any support she does receive stops at being verbal when it needs to also be material.
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