The Devil's Child
Encyclopedia
The Devil's Child is a 1997
dramatic
horror
television movie
. Written by Pablo F. Fenjves and Laurence Minkoff, and directed by Bobby Roth
, the movie first aired on Lifetime Television
in October 1997. It has had release in different countries under different titles, with a DVD commercial re-release in 2005.
) makes a pact with Satan
to save her daughter's life after she has fallen from a building and nearly died. While a priest is performing the last rites, Lucifer appears, and says that he will spare her daughter's life if she promises that one day Nikki will bear his son, the Antichrist
. Her mother agrees and the Devil saves Nikki. Years later, Nikki, now a successful photographer, is in a hospital watching over her mother who is now on her deathbed. Her mother tries to warn her of the impending evil, and dies. When Nikki touches her mother's crucifix her hand is burned. Nikki moves into a new apartment, not knowing that the room she is currently living in was the scene of a brutal murder years before. Nikki is skeptical of faith and religion and has become more and more isolated from spiritual ways of life.
One night as she's leaving a bar after an argument with a coworker, Nikki storms off with the co-worker following her. He dies after being hit by a car and she is saved by a mysterious, handsome stranger. The next day she finds out that the stranger, Alexander Rotha (Thomas Gibson
), lives across the hall from her. He is a theology professor at a prominent university. He and Nikki grow close and eventually become lovers. Meanwhile, the priest tries to warn Nikki of the evil that is after her, but is thrown from a room high above the church chapel by a gust of wind. Nikki witnesses this and is shocked. She then speaks with a priest named Father Domenico who knows something strange is going on. Nikki then visits Rotha's class in the university where he humiliates a female student by revealing her affair with a professor. No one knew about the affair, yet Rotha did. After seeing this other side of Rotha, Nikki decides she wants nothing to do with him.
Rotha begins stalking Nikki. Nikki reads a journal that once belonged to the dead priest. She realizes that Alex Rotha is really Satan. She then discovers that she is pregnant with Rotha's child, even though she was told that she could not bear children because of the accident years before. Doctors tell her it is a medical miracle. She tries to get an abortion
, but a mysterious explosion kills everyone in the hospital. During her pregnancy, Nikki returns to her Catholic faith and tries to find a way to save herself and her child. Eventually she goes into labor in her own apartment, and sees a vision of her mother making the fatal pact with Satan. She gives birth, and is at first happy, but then sees the Devil thanking her for bearing his son. When she awakens the next day, Nikki is in the apartment with her friend, who also has made a deal with the Devil, and has no choice but to knock her out with a pan to escape with the child. She then runs to the safety of a church, knowing that baptism
is a form of exorcism
. The Devil tries to stop this by causing so much wind to enter the church that it causes an earthquake. The priest nevertheless baptizes the child and the wind stops. Nikki leaves the church with her child in her arms, smiling sarcastically at the Devil, who simply looks at her with an emotionless face and then walks away.
in 1997, as La malédiction de Nikki in France
in 1998 and again as recently as 2008, Netherlands
in 1999, and Sweden
in 2001. It has also been released as O Filho do Demônio (Brazil
), Pahan lapsi (Finland
) and as To moro tou Satana (Greece
). The Devils Child had a commercial DVD release in 2005.
called the film "utterly predictable" and a "shameless rip-off of Rosemary's Baby
". The Chicago Sun Times concurred, writing that Kim Delaney
and Thomas Gibson
were wasting "their acting talent and sex appeal in a trashy variation of "Rosemary's Baby."" The Washington Post also agreed with this assessment, adding "...with a bit of "The Omen" thrown in". Conversely, San Diego Union Tribune called it "an entertaining Halloween flick."
1997 in film
-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
dramatic
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
. Written by Pablo F. Fenjves and Laurence Minkoff, and directed by Bobby Roth
Bobby Roth
Robert Jay "Bobby" Roth is a television and film director, screenwriter and producer.Roth began his tertiary education at the University of California, Berkeley studying philosophy and creative writing before earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinema at the University of Southern California in...
, the movie first aired on Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
in October 1997. It has had release in different countries under different titles, with a DVD commercial re-release in 2005.
Plot
The mother of Nikki DeMarco (Kim DelaneyKim Delaney
Kim Delaney is an American actress best known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series, NYPD Blue. Early in her career, she played the role of Jenny Gardner in the hugely popular ABC daytime television drama, All My Children...
) makes a pact with Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
to save her daughter's life after she has fallen from a building and nearly died. While a priest is performing the last rites, Lucifer appears, and says that he will spare her daughter's life if she promises that one day Nikki will bear his son, the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
. Her mother agrees and the Devil saves Nikki. Years later, Nikki, now a successful photographer, is in a hospital watching over her mother who is now on her deathbed. Her mother tries to warn her of the impending evil, and dies. When Nikki touches her mother's crucifix her hand is burned. Nikki moves into a new apartment, not knowing that the room she is currently living in was the scene of a brutal murder years before. Nikki is skeptical of faith and religion and has become more and more isolated from spiritual ways of life.
One night as she's leaving a bar after an argument with a coworker, Nikki storms off with the co-worker following her. He dies after being hit by a car and she is saved by a mysterious, handsome stranger. The next day she finds out that the stranger, Alexander Rotha (Thomas Gibson
Thomas Gibson
Thomas Ellis Gibson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Daniel Nyland in the Medical drama series Chicago Hope, as Greg Montgomery in the comedy series Dharma & Greg, and as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner in the highly-popular CBS drama, Criminal...
), lives across the hall from her. He is a theology professor at a prominent university. He and Nikki grow close and eventually become lovers. Meanwhile, the priest tries to warn Nikki of the evil that is after her, but is thrown from a room high above the church chapel by a gust of wind. Nikki witnesses this and is shocked. She then speaks with a priest named Father Domenico who knows something strange is going on. Nikki then visits Rotha's class in the university where he humiliates a female student by revealing her affair with a professor. No one knew about the affair, yet Rotha did. After seeing this other side of Rotha, Nikki decides she wants nothing to do with him.
Rotha begins stalking Nikki. Nikki reads a journal that once belonged to the dead priest. She realizes that Alex Rotha is really Satan. She then discovers that she is pregnant with Rotha's child, even though she was told that she could not bear children because of the accident years before. Doctors tell her it is a medical miracle. She tries to get an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, but a mysterious explosion kills everyone in the hospital. During her pregnancy, Nikki returns to her Catholic faith and tries to find a way to save herself and her child. Eventually she goes into labor in her own apartment, and sees a vision of her mother making the fatal pact with Satan. She gives birth, and is at first happy, but then sees the Devil thanking her for bearing his son. When she awakens the next day, Nikki is in the apartment with her friend, who also has made a deal with the Devil, and has no choice but to knock her out with a pan to escape with the child. She then runs to the safety of a church, knowing that baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
is a form of exorcism
Exorcism
Exorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
. The Devil tries to stop this by causing so much wind to enter the church that it causes an earthquake. The priest nevertheless baptizes the child and the wind stops. Nikki leaves the church with her child in her arms, smiling sarcastically at the Devil, who simply looks at her with an emotionless face and then walks away.
Cast
- Kim DelaneyKim DelaneyKim Delaney is an American actress best known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series, NYPD Blue. Early in her career, she played the role of Jenny Gardner in the hugely popular ABC daytime television drama, All My Children...
as Nikki DeMarco - Gia CaridesGia CaridesGia Carides is an Australian actress. She is best known for her portrayals of Liz Holt in Strictly Ballroom, Susy Connor in Brilliant Lies, and Cousin Nikki in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.-Early life:...
as Eva - Ivana MilicevicIvana Milicevic-Early life:Miličević was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina to a Croatian family, the daughter of Tonka, a homemaker, and Damir Miličević, a slaughterhouse worker and entrepreneur. She emigrated to the United States at the age of five and was raised in Michigan...
as Ivana Milavich - Grace ZabriskieGrace ZabriskieGrace Zabriskie is an American actress. She has appeared in many popular American films but, she is best known for her work in television. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the television series Twin Peaks, Seinfeld, and Big Love.-Early life:Zabriskie was born in New Orleans, Louisiana...
as Rose DeMarco - Thomas GibsonThomas GibsonThomas Ellis Gibson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Daniel Nyland in the Medical drama series Chicago Hope, as Greg Montgomery in the comedy series Dharma & Greg, and as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner in the highly-popular CBS drama, Criminal...
as Alexander Rotha - Rachael BellaRachael BellaRachael Bella Kneeland known professionally as Rachael Bella, is an American former actress known for her role as Becca Kotler in the movie The Ring.-Career:...
as Young Nikki - Paul BartelPaul BartelPaul Bartel was an American actor, writer and director. Bartel was perhaps most known for his 1982 hit black comedy Eating Raoul, which he wrote, starred in and directed.-Life and career:...
as Dr. Zimmerman - Martin DavidsonMartin DavidsonMartin Davidson is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. After attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he spent five years as an actor in Off Broadway shows and regional theater. His directorial debut was The Lords of Flatbush starring Sylvester Stallone and Henry...
as Max - Maya RudolphMaya RudolphMaya Khabira Rudolph is an American actress, comedienne and singer known for her comedic roles as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2000 to 2007, and for appearing in films such as Away We Go, Bridesmaids, Grown Ups, A Prairie Home Companion and MacGruber...
as Holly - Colleen Flynn as Ruby Martin
- Matthew LillardMatthew LillardMatthew Lyn Lillard is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his roles as Stu Macher in Scream, Stevo in SLC Punk , and Shaggy Rogers in the Scooby-Doo film series and the Animated reboot series.-Early life:Lillard was born in Lansing, Michigan, and grew up in Tustin, California...
as Tim - Christopher John Fields as Father Domenico
- Larry HoldenLarry HoldenLarry Holden was an Irish actor best known for his roles in several of Christopher Nolan's films, including Batman Begins as Finch, Memento as Jimmy and Insomnia as Farrell. Holden was born in Belfast and began his career in 1991's The Arc. He appeared in episodes of Cracker and Charmed...
as Todd Gilman - Henry G. Sanders as Detective Repp
- Nick Roth as Sam
Release
The film had initial release in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1997, as La malédiction de Nikki in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1998 and again as recently as 2008, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1999, and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in 2001. It has also been released as O Filho do Demônio (Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
), Pahan lapsi (Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
) and as To moro tou Satana (Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
). The Devils Child had a commercial DVD release in 2005.
Reception
New York Daily NewsNew York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
called the film "utterly predictable" and a "shameless rip-off of Rosemary's Baby
Rosemary's Baby
Rosemary's Baby is a 1967 best-selling horror novel by Ira Levin, his second published book. Major elements of the story were inspired by the publicity surrounding the Church of Satan of Anton LaVey which had been founded in 1966.-Plot summary:...
". The Chicago Sun Times concurred, writing that Kim Delaney
Kim Delaney
Kim Delaney is an American actress best known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series, NYPD Blue. Early in her career, she played the role of Jenny Gardner in the hugely popular ABC daytime television drama, All My Children...
and Thomas Gibson
Thomas Gibson
Thomas Ellis Gibson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Daniel Nyland in the Medical drama series Chicago Hope, as Greg Montgomery in the comedy series Dharma & Greg, and as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner in the highly-popular CBS drama, Criminal...
were wasting "their acting talent and sex appeal in a trashy variation of "Rosemary's Baby."" The Washington Post also agreed with this assessment, adding "...with a bit of "The Omen" thrown in". Conversely, San Diego Union Tribune called it "an entertaining Halloween flick."