The Omen (1976)
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A diplomat and his wife must confront the terrifying reality of their son's identity as the prophesied Antichrist.
The story
American diplomat Robert Thorn and his wife Katherine live in Rome where Katherine gives birth to a boy. After a tragic event at the hospital, Robert is persuaded to secretly adopt another baby, whom they name Damien. Years later, while living in London, the family is plagued by a series of mysterious events and violent occurrences. As these incidents escalate, the couple begins to suspect that their son is not a normal child. They seek help from a priest who warns them of Damien's true nature, forcing the parents to confront the terrifying possibility that their son is the Antichrist.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After Robert Thorn secretly adopts a baby named Damien following the death of their biological child, the family moves to London. A series of supernatural occurrences—including a self-harming nanny, a menacing dog, and a priest's warning—lead Robert to realize Damien is the Antichrist. Following a series of deaths, including the photographer Keith Jennings and the nanny Mrs. Baylock, Robert and Keith travel to Rome to investigate the truth. They discover that Robert's original son was murdered to be replaced by Damien. After a final confrontation where Robert stabs Mrs. Baylock, he takes Damien to a cathedral. There, he attempts to kill the boy with daggers on holy ground but is shot and killed by police. The film ends with a double funeral for Robert and Katherine, while Damien stands with the U.S. President and First Lady, smiling at the audience.
- First release year
- 1976
- Runtime (minutes)
- 111
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Richard Donner
- Writers
- David Seltzer · writer
- Cast and characters
- Gregory Peck · Robert Thorn; Lee Remick · Katherine; David Warner · Keith Jennings; Harvey Spencer Stephens · Damien; Billie Whitelaw · Mrs. Baylock
- Genres
- supernatural horror; mystery
- Themes
- Antichrist; religious horror; fate
- Tone and mood
- suspenseful; dread-soaked
- Setting
- Rome, London, and Jerusalem during the 1970s.
- Premise and plot tags
- child villain; supernatural; religious
- Source material / true-story basis
- novelization by David Seltzer
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film initially received mixed reviews but became a commercial success and a cult classic. Retrospective reviews have been more favorable, praising its atmosphere and score.
- Production trivia
- Over 500 boys auditioned for the role of Damien.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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