NBC’s ‘Rosemary’s Baby’: One hell of a good miniseries

By Jacqueline Cutler © Zap2it

A mist falls over Paris as Zoe Saldana settles into the hair and makeup trailer on a narrow, cobblestone street. Two women fuss over her for very little reason.

Saldana, star of NBC’s “Rosemary’s Baby,” considers the obvious question:

Why?Why remake a movie haunting enough that people remain dis-turbed 45 years later? Saldana so believed in this concept, she also signed on as a producer of the fourhour miniseries that premieres Sunday, May 11, and concludes Thursday, May 15.

“The Rosemary of Roman Polanski’s film was a woman of a different time,” Saldana says. “She was very respectful and obedient of her husband. It does not exist in my nature to try to want to do that.

”The actors, director and producers tell the only reporter granted an extended visit to the Paris sets that though the miniseries is different from the film, it’s true to Ira Levin’s 1967 best-seller.

“I would forget the other film was ever made,” says Jason Isaacs, who plays Roman Casavet. “There’s a book. There’s no reason someone couldn’t tell it every year.

”In this, Rosemary left her career as a dancer because she was pregnant. She was plunged into despair when the fetus died at four months. Rosemary and husband Guy Woodhouse (Patrick J. Adams), a struggling writer, have the chance to start over.

When someone offers a fresh take on life in Paris, it doesn’t take long to say yes.

“Paris is such a Gothic city and very ancient,” Adams says. “That fish out of water takes on a whole new element here.”

“In the original and the novel, it is about the walls closing in, in the apartment,” says David A. Stern, an executive producer. “We needed to put her as a stranger in a strange land. Paris can be so beautiful and welcoming, but it can also be Gothic, and those dark alleys, and suck you in.

”Rosemary does not speak French, so she is alienated. Guy teaches English literature at the Sorbonne, and they live in a garret for faculty housing.

On her first day exploring Paris, Rosemary’s purse is snatched. She takes off after the thief, who’s hit by a car. Another wallet is recovered, which Rosemary returns to its owner, Margaux Castevet (Carole Bouquet), Roman’s elegant wife.

In the first of many coincidences, Roman is on the board of the Sorbonne.

“She feels the people are very generous, too generous, and my husband thinks I am getting a little paranoid,” Saldana says. “As the story keeps going, things happen that are too important for her to ignore.

”Rosemary has every reason to be suspicious of this urbane couple. A rough cut of the film shows Roman and Margaux giv- ing Guy and Rosemary a black cat, which soon saves their lives from a mysterious fire.

Down

1. James Spader series (2)

2. Jed Clampett’s discovery

3. Mayberry’s state: abbr.

4. Actor Malik __

5. Role on “Home Improvement”

6. Film alien

7. Actor Barrett

8. “America’s __ __ Videos”

9. Grouch

Across

1. James Gandolfini’s role on “The Sopranos”

5. Beau Bridges’ brother

9. “__ and the Man” (1974-78)

10. “We Can Work __ __”; Beatles song

12. Cath. or Episc.

13. Role on “Still Standing”

16. “I’d like to buy __ __, Pat”

17. Blood type

18. Series for Stana Katic

20. “CSI: __”

21. Boring

23. Teri Hatcher’s 1993-97 role

25. Tavern order

26. Feasted

27. File drawer, perhaps

28. “__ a Wonderful Life”

29. Butter toffee candy bar

30. Short letter

32. “__ Cantante”; 2006 film for Jennifer Lopez

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38. Howie’s initials

39. Actress Lucy

41. “Star Trek: Deep Space __” (1993-99)

43. Actor on “The Addams Family”

45. “__ of the State”; 1998 Will Smith film

47. Turner and Knight

11. 1992 Robin Williams film

14. “My Name __ Earl”

15. Columbo’s title: abbr.

18. 1983 best comedy series Emmy winner

19. Role on “Seinfeld”

22. Gravelly-voiced actor __ Ray

24. Director Preminger

29. Ward, for one

31. TV actor’s statuette

34. Curry and Cusack

35. “Star Wars __: Return of the Jedi”

36. “Touched by __ Angel”

37. Actor on “The Waltons”

40. Western Indian

42. “__, Dear”

44. “__ Do Anything”; ESPN 2002-05 reality series

42. Start of a Jewish holiday

48. “The Golden Girls” role

46. “__ Time for Sergeants” ad

33. Fred or Ben Classifieds