Why You Should Care About the Roman Polanski Culture War
From GI Joe to F-bombs, we've reported from the front lines of more than few cultural skirmishes. But none to date boast the impact of the firestorm surrounding Roman Polanski -- the renowned Oscar-winning filmmaker, idling in a detention cell in Zurich, battling his arrest and potential extradition based on his flight from sentencing in a sex-crime case three decades ago. The creative community has rallied in his support. The media ask why an artist should be above the law (and what the law even means in a case riven with judicial misconduct). The public demands blood, and they may get it: Considering the lengthy appeals process facing the 76-year-old, there is the very real possibility of Polanski dying in jail before justice -- however you define it -- is served. Amid all the disconnections and breakdowns, could this be any more of a disaster?
First, the news: Polanski today appealed against his arrest to the Swiss Federal Penal Court, which said it would announce a judgment in the "next few weeks." That's another "few weeks" that Polanski is locked up, signifying an unconscionable disgrace to those film-industry leaders already distressed that Swiss police (at the request of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office) rained on his Zurich Film Festival parade. Moreover, they write in a petition,
His arrest follows an American arrest warrant dating from 1978 against the filmmaker, in a case of morals. [...] Roman Polanski is a French citizen, a renown and international artist now facing extradition. This extradition, if it takes place, will be heavy in consequences and will take away his freedom. Filmmakers, actors, producers and technicians -- everyone involved in international filmmaking -- want him to know that he has their support and friendship. [...] If only in the name of this friendship between our two countries, we demand the immediate release of Roman Polanski.
The petition's signatories comprise a who's who of contemporary cinema: Martin Scorsese, Wong Kar-wai, Pedro Almodovar, Jonathan Demme, Tilda Swinton, Julian Schnabel, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and nearly 100 more luminaries (and counting). They're supplemented by Harvey Weinstein, who mines Polanski's tragic past in today's Independent: "How do you go from the Holocaust to the Manson family with any sort of dignity? In those circumstances, most people could not contribute to art and make the kind of beautiful movies he continues to make." Weinstein concludes with the Polanski defenders' standard coup de grâce, arguing that the director fled sentencing after his 1978 guilty plea for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old because the judge, Laurence Rittenband, was expected to renege on the deal.
Marina Zenovich's documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired indeed lays out Rittenband's publicity-hungry strategy, which Weinstein and others have invoked as reason to dismiss Polanski's sentencing and the warrant for his arrest. But as Michael Wolff argues, the film instead motivated prosecutors to revenge. "The documentary reminded everybody that the L.A. prosecutor must be turning a blind eye to Polanski, wandering freely in Europe," Wolff adds, "hence the arrest now is the prosecutor covering his ass."
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The man drugged and raped a 13 year old girl. Why should we care if he dies in prison? Also, what do the horrible things that happened to him in the past have to do with his punishment? A lot of criminals have had awful lives. Do we punish them less harshly because of that? The fact that his arrest may be on a "prosecutor's whim" doesn't change the fact that he committed a crime and fled before he could be punished.
I hate to say it, but I would imagine that in the early 70's, when this crime was committed, there were probably thousands of girls and boys being drugged and molested on a daily basis in Hollywood, and New York, and all over America.
He hasn't been in America in thirty years. He's missed out on the Olive Garden, Chuck E Cheese and krispy Kreem....isn't that punishment enough?
Wow...
Serious subject matter on Movieline?
Nice.
Seriously delicate topic.
While the be all, end all seems to be the most obvious (that you don't have sex with a minor) it seems that there are elements associated with this thing that need to be explored.
I wasn't there and have no idea what truly happened and you should (obviously) NEVER have sex with a minor even if they "want" (or seem to) it.
If he Mother brought her there and left them alone in that situation then the Mother should be brought to trial alongside Polanski.
Let's be honest, it was the early 70s and he was a well known film director. Are we saying the mother had no idea what was going on, or COULD happen in that environment?
A foreign guy whose culture doesn't have the same Puritanical restrictions associated with sexual acts?
BACK UP, name callers-
I'm NOT saying it's okay to have sex with kids. That's deplorable. I'm just saying, put some responsibility on the Mom as well.
If I leave my 13 year old daughter in a cave with a hungry bear, should I be surprised if she comes out missing an arm or leg?
He was wrong, but the Mother, it seems was way more wrong for introducing the opportunity.
Remember, we're not talking about leaving her in the care of a Priest back in the 70s (insert your joke here). We're talking about a Mom who left her with a film director who could conceivably (insert second joke) help her career.
That seems more offensive to me.
I'm NOT giving him a pass, but the tree doesn't grow unless you drop the seed, right?
(Oh, the joke potentials.)
Go ahead, call me a "Pedophile Enabler" and "Rape Fan."
Whatever gets the discussion rolling...
I wish these Hollywood types who are defending him had a little more care for the young girls who are hearing that it is okay to drug and rape children as long as you're a famous artiste with a tragic background.
If he died in jail then it would just be life imitating art -- how appropriate. Maybe someone could make a movie?
It is amazing how most "civilians" seem to think this was a crime and punishment should follow, yet many "professional artists" think otherwise.
The job of the "professional artist" is to reflect the will of the common man. How can they when their thought process is so different?
Do these "fellow artists" who are standing up for Polanski realize they are condoning drugging a 13-year-old for vaginal and anal "intercourse"? That they are condoning being a fugitive from the law?
A major issue> one reason to jail someone who has committed Polanski's crime is to keep them from committing the same crime, again. They can be released only after psychiatric evaluation has proven they understand the nature of the crime and won't re-create the incident. Seems a little late for that, BUT when you are speeding in traffic and a cop attempts to pull you over, if you run and the cop has to chase you down that is taken into account when sentencing occurs. People forget, TWO crimes have been committed by Polanski. The initial crime plus the fact he fled the law.
If even ONE other victim was to make a similar accusation towards Polanski, the people defending him would change their tune real fast.
Yeah, I have a hard time mustering up a lot of sympathy for him. He plead guilty to raping a 13 year old girl and then took off when it looked like the plea agreement (a sweetheart deal, from what I understand) might be falling apart. If he would have gone through the sentencing process and served some real time, which would have likely been reversed on appeal anyway given the judge's actions, this would have all been said and done years ago. The awful things that have happened in the past don't mitigate the crime he plead guilty but was never sentenced for, anymore than the would any other man who was guilty of raping a 13 year old girl. And, I also wouldn't categorize trying to make a man who is guilty of raping a 13 year old girl serve his sentence a "politically motivated whim". If they were chasing him down for some old drug conviction I would see it as way out of line, but this was a serious violent crime.
Honestly, this is not an issue I feel particularly strongly about, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth to see all these people rushing to his defense, as if being sentenced to prison time for raping a 13 year old girl is some sort of outrageous punishment. The reason he is now 76 and sitting in prison, vs. 40-whatever and sitting in prison, is because he fled.
He told the mother he was going to take pictures for French Vogue. This was an opportunity for her daughter to be a model. No crime in that. She trusted an upstanding member of the artist community. This wasn't some back-alley producer we are talking about. Should she have supervised? Yes. Is her not doing so a crime? No. How about Jack Nicholson? He let his buddy and an under-age girl use his jacuzzi. Did he commit a crime?
Personally, in 1978 I committed a felony (armed robbery), was arrested, jumped bail and moved on with my life which included three children, one grandchild, beginning doctoral work at a major university, becoming a police officer myself to help work my way through college, and ministry and counseling to senior, teens, terminally ill, homeless and other marginalized individuals in our society. I was arrested on the outstanding warrant for that crime in 2007. Just because I moved on, doesn't mean our legal system is obligated to. And, they are right. When ever there are victims, someone has to stand up for them. For by standing up for one, we stand up for all. That's why they call it justice. If Polanski is so wonderful and such a value added component to our society, let that be determined by the society from which he is receiving such extraordinary benefits. Let's not forget, this is a crime he pled guilty to. He should submmit himself to the American judicial system. Our prisons and jails weren't made for young minority males only. That's not just advice or an opinion, that's what I did in the pursuit of being a moral person.
THis isnt a culture war. This isnt about destabilising a film festival. A 13 year old girl was drugged and raped, and as for Harvey Weinsteins article in this mornings independent- here is what I think of it-
http://deeplyflawedbuttrying.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/guest-post-on-httpdmhatingfemisfromhell-blogspot-com/.
Morally bankrupt and abhorrent. Rape is not a perk of celebrity.
Well said.
He survived the Holocaust. He survived the Manson Family. He fancied himself invincible. He's a tragic figure and tragic figures end badly. Artists should know this.
I do not understand a single defense offered up by these Hollywood sychophants. How does his history somehow mitigate his repugnant crime? I have to wonder how many excuse this because it was common practice among their elite crowds.
So what if he dies in jail, if he had not fled 30 years ago that would not be such an issue today, would it? And the victim's forgiveness - while extremely noble - is compromised by any emotional damage that was wrought on her 13 year old psyche by this predator.
And the vitriol towards the judge and prosecutor does nothing to lessen the crime that was committed, a crime that Polanski confessed to, let us not forget. Exactly how does politicising the motivations of the legal professionals dilute the heinous act that was committed? Factor in the extremely high rate of recidivism found with pedophiles and that amounts to 3 decades of people sheilding this predator while he was free to possibly exact more torment on more victims. Sorry, I cannot muster any sympathy except for the hell that woman has been grappling with all this time.
The victim is, yet again, quoted in CNN today as saying that the judicial system has done significantly more damage to her and her family than Polanski ever did.
Everyone in America always screams about victims' rights, etc, but nobody actually wants to listen to the victim in this case.
astonishing.
Two memes from "Wanted and Desired" have emerged as holy writ by Polanski's defenders, when both are enormously suspect.
The first is that Judge Rittenband engaged in judicial misconduct by discussing the case with David Wells, a deputy district attorney not involved in the case. "Proof" of this comes solely in the form of an interview with Wells, a gasbag blowhard whose stories on the matter are all of the "and then I set him straight" variety that anyone with a gasbag blowhard uncle will recognize as enormously suspect, particularly since Rittenband is dead.
The second is that "publicity-hound" Rittenband was going to renege on a promise that Polanski's 45-day incarceration for a psych evaluation would serve as his entire sentence in order to pander to the outraged public. It's a theory; another is that he played no part in any deal prosecutors were themselves in no position to make, and just happened to agree with the public's not-necessarily-bloodthirsty view that 45 days is a ridiculously light punishment for the crimes to which Polanski pled guilty.
I don't really care if Polanski goes to jail or goes free. Nevertheless, Polanski wouldn't have to be dealing with any of it now (nor would we) if he hadn't exponentially complicated his predicament by panicking and running.
Honey you are giving him a pass. You are using the same "short skirt" defense, you know she was "asking for it", the "I'm not baming the victim and I'm not supporting the rapist but that girl should've known better than to go and get raped."
Do people realize that when they use this excuse they are pretty much saying all men are programmed to rape, and women are the ones who set them off. No woman should have to be so afraid of men that she is extra cautious in the presence of one, fearing that she may be raped. But hey you ladies should know better than be alone with a strange man, you might get raped.
And for the love of God where are all of the women of Hollywood who are always talking about breaking the glass celling in Hollywood, why are they so silent on this issue. Meryl, Jane, Diablo, Susan...any time now and actor or male director would be nice too. Hell, these people are so enthusiastic about No-Pop 8 but rape gets a free pass.
so you seem to have no problem with polanski being the bear at this point. as if there was no other choice that he could've made besides drugging and raping her. the insight to your psyche is disturbing to say the least.
as to every other fool surprised, paraphrasing the great walter sobchak... this is what (should) happen when you fuck a stranger in the ass
when you commit crimes such as murder and rape, you are not only a threat to the victim but to the state. so no, mrs. greimer does not get a say in polanski's future. just because she forgave him at the time (even after he sullied her name. the reason why her mother agreed to the sweetheart deal was because polanski and his goons were going to bring up her sexual past like that even mattered) doesn't mean that his potential next victim would.
with your reasoning, we should allow all rapists who are forgiven by their victims to be set free. needless to say, thank god you are not an officer of the law.
Gawd, if I said how I really feel about this, everyone would hate me. But I want to thank S.T. for the phrase "sex with an adolescent girl." If I see the words "child rapist" one more time, I'm gonna fuck a kid.
If he knew the girl was underage and that sex would be involved, yes.
Bess Marvin! You know this case is not the same in detail to most rape. Roman Polanksi is not going to be going around giving half a Quaalude to the children of France then butt-sexing them. For one, this shit happened a long ass time ago, and they are different people now, he and her. The guy should probably get some kind of punishment, but dying in jail is hardly parallel.
I hate rape as much as the next guy, but this all seems "emotional" rather than "logical".
did you read the transcript? she said no. i don't care if she's 90 years old. he drugged her and then raped her in the ass.
but it's the semantics in S.T.'s article that make you happy. how disturbing.
do you really believe this is the ONLY underage girl he had sex with? can you honestly say that with all your heart?
is rotting in jail going to rehabilitate him? no. but, the man didn't even completed the mandatory psychological evaluation and therapy given by the state because he fled like an asshole.
and by your logic, shall we go to san quentin and release all the criminals who suffer from violent childhoods? since you're being all benevolent and all. what's good for the goose...
Yes, great artists should be above the law to some extent. They contribute something to society way beyond the stunted imaginations of the gossips and prudes who point their delicately tapered fingers at them.
that's nonsense, bess. what do you think victim impact statements are? I guess they should only be allowed if the victim wants the criminal to do more time?
Lock him up and throw away the key. His is the kind of behavior I will only tolerate from republican senators and/or governors.
Two things about this:
“How do you go from the Holocaust to the Manson family with any sort of dignity? In those circumstances, most people could not contribute to art and make the kind of beautiful movies he continues to make.”
1. Yes, because no great works of art have ever come from anything resembling a tortured artist.
2. I have seen The Ninth Gate, and, frankly, it was less artistic than raping a tween.
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