Wes Anderson Plays 'My Favorite Scene,' Stands by Polanski
The Scene: Great Missenden, about an hour outside of London -- the Platonic ideal of the English countryside village, lined with perfectly tended row houses and gardens. It's home to Roald Dahl's estate and the Roald Dahl Museum, which today is overrun by international press who've gathered to interview the cast and crew of Fantastic Mr. Fox -- Wes Anderson's stop-motion adaptation of the Dahl classic. At The Nags Head Pub, Bill Murray pours pints for starstruck onlookers from behind the bar, as a small group of journalists sit around a table grilling Anderson on his animated opus. It seemed as good a moment as any to play My Favorite Scene with the director -- though I must admit we never saw his answer coming.
"The first that jumps into my mind," he responded, without a moment's hesitation, "is there's a scene from Rosemary's Baby where -- let's see -- they've had a dinner together. And she's been complaining about these pains that she had and she wants to switch to a new doctor and they have this argument.
"And in the middle of the argument, these pains stop. And he's kind of freaked out, and she kind of has this look on her face, and we don't know what's happening. And it's one shot and the way it's staged, it's the most perfectly staged scene. That's the scene that comes into my mind."
Polanski's Satanic maternity masterpiece may seem an odd choice for a filmmaker promoting a charmingly precocious family film, but as always in My Favorite Scene, there are no wrong answers. But would he still stand by the statement of support he added his name to shortly after the director's Swiss ambush?
"You recently signed the petition in support of Roman Polanski," I asked. "Do you still support that decision?"
"Yeah," he replied, with confidence.
Here's Anderson's favorite film scene:
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Comments
Wes, dearest, please run face first (in slow motion and to the Kinks, of course) into a ditch.
wes anderson? tilda swinton? or jack mcbrayer in an uncharacteristically dramatic turn?
Ugh. I am really having a tough time getting excited for a twee film about a fox in a corduroy suit, when the director supports a guy who raped a 13 year old and fled the country.
I thought that had to be Tilda Swinton, the only thing that threw me off was the seersucker.
I doubt Max Fischer and Dirk Calloway would approve.
GIven his frequent collaboration w/ Anjelica Huston, I'd be curious if she has swayed him on the Polanski incident. (She was been quoted in the probation report as saying, "[The victim] appeared to be one of those kind of little chicks between — could be any age up to 25. She did not look like a 13-year-old scared little thing.")
Damnit Seth,
You missed the important follow up question: 'Why?'
As for Wes Anderson? Methinks his brand has been irreparably damaged.
Sure, he'll still make movies and people will still see them. But that idiotic petition will follow him around for a long time.
Rape, Wes. Child rape. Think about it.
I do not know anything for sure - just as anybody else, except for Polanski and that girl - but haven't ANY of you considered, that the girl might've told him she was older and that she was was WILLING to have sex with him?! Jeez, some of you don't know SHIT what they're talking about. I'm not stating he didn't rape her, but the chance that he raped her is, like, 50/50. - Men are fucked (no pun intended) in those situations as they NEVER win trials like this. But underage girls do not always look underage and they're sure as hell not always telling the truth for all sorts of reasons.
Just try to open your mind a bit, you all.
The amount of support Polanksi gets does not surprise me, least of all by the likes of Terry. The Polanksi age was a time when children were given as offerings to big studios to do as they please. These films for children make the big and powerful money so they can use this power to indulge in anything they want. Terry, Polanki knew how old this girl was because he sought girls of that age. He conived to get a contract with a French Vogue to photograph young girls. Mothers gave their daughters willingly hoping for the big time. The mother of Samantha was vilified because she told the police instead of allowing her daughter to be used as toilet paper. Polanski has said on record all men want to f&&k little girls in an interview with Amis. For him to have that thought pattern he must hang around people who believe the same. Soon after he famously seduced his friends ruse since 10 Kinski and made her a star (Wim is also on the petition). Ofcourse with that kind of demonisation and press intrusion one is unlikely to get any more victims coming forward. Hollywood helped that happen because this is common place in Hollywood.
Terry - Polanski was CONVICTED. The matter has already been decided, and the only issue now is that rather than face his sentencing and punishment, he fled, fearing that the plea bargain he'd crafted with the prosecution was going to fall through.
So he's a fugitive from justice, making him no different from an escaped convict in the eyes of the law.
Big fan of Wes Anderson's films.
Great artists are still subject to the law, and it's disappointing to hear someone argue the contrary, even in support of a friend.
His sycophant-ness and lack of soul is revolting. I don't think I'll ever need to watch another Wes Anderson movie.
On second thought, I'm completely sure I don't need to watch another Wes Anderson movie.
Terry Craig, you are misguided. If Pederast Polanski thought she was of age, why did he call his victim's mom to let her know they'd be back late? Last time I was on a date, I didn't feel the need to tell her mom we'd be out late BECAUSE I'M NOT A CHILD RAPIST AND I DATE ADULTS. Regardless of her age, he plied her with alcohol and drugs and then raped her "thoroughly" (to avoid being too graphic), despite her protestations. Read the trial transcript. The girl is not lying. I've prosecuted sex crimes before, including those against children. Her testimony is not that of someone who is making things up or trying to fill in gaps in her memory. The chance he raped her is not 50/50. It's 100%. He admitted he had sex with her. She was 13 years old, thus legally unable to consent. Here's an equation that maybe you can grasp (feel free to share with Whoopi): No consent + penetration = rape. Try to open YOUR mind to the facts. He knew she was young. Whatever happened to discretion is the better part of valor? If in doubt, find out how old she is. AND IF SHE SAYS NO, STOP. DON'T PUSH MORE DRUGS/BOOZE TO ELIMINATE HER RESISTANCE. Everyone wants us to feel sorry for Polanski for the admittedly horrible things that happened to his family. What about the violence HE committed?
Your rather simpletons in what is moral, correct, and rape. Do you think she was alone with him in hopes of receiving a lollipop? Wake the hell up & face the human condition. Honestly it sounds like most of you are small minded and most probably Americans unsurprisingly. It is ok for your people to die from lack of health care but not accept sexuality begins as early as 11? Wtf peopl SD.Reality, heard of it. Most 13 year olds have sex and get high. Have any of you traveled, are you familier with the fact 13 is adulthood in many cultures?