Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• familiar s

  
  A mediocre doc designed mainly for Polanski. It goes on to depict how Polanski couldn't get a fair trial that he deserved more than any other human due to a judge craving for media popularity.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"The truth couldn't fit in the headlines."</i> Marina Zenovich's new documentary examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary director Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States. <center><font… More
  <i>"The truth couldn't fit in the headlines."</i> Marina Zenovich's new documentary examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary director Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Film director Roman Polanski is (still) "wanted" by US authorities and "desired" (and respected) in France. This smart, exceptionally well made documentary explains why. When his wife was murdered by Charles Manson, some elements of the press accused Polanski of the crime. The media attention was ugly and enough to make the Polish survivor of German death camps leave the country. He didn't leave. He stayed to make classics like "Chinatown". Several years later, the director had sex with a thirteen-year-old girl. The legal conflagration this created is the center of this documentary. Polanski admitted to the sex act, but he did not plead guilty to the commission of a crime. After being sentenced to a ninety day period of psychological assessment, he was released early. The media outrage at this "reduction" of his sentence forced the sentencing judge to rethink a deal he'd struck with both the defense and prosecution. Meanwhile, having lost all faith in a system corrupted by personal ego and inappropriate grandstanding, Polanski fled to France where he has avoided extradition back to the US ever since. This move put an end to his Hollywood career, but it did not put an end to his film-making. Polanski himself is not interviewed specifically for this film, but he does appear on screen in an interview with UK talkshow maven Clive James. A solid piece of journalism.

• Luke B

  
  A wonderful look at corruption and justice, even if it's justice we don't agree with. Putting Polanski's crimes to one side, there is no denying he is an exceptional filmmaker. He is able to address a darkness many hope never to experience. It's very easy to see… More
  A wonderful look at corruption and justice, even if it's justice we don't agree with. Putting Polanski's crimes to one side, there is no denying he is an exceptional filmmaker. He is able to address a darkness many hope never to experience. It's very easy to see Polanski as a coward that ran from sentencing, but we also have a fascinating story of a judge hungry for fame. That cares more about peoples opinion of him, than he does keeping his word. It's a fascinating battle where everyone appears to be in the wrong, and the two lawyers seem to be the most honest of the bunch. It's a great watch, just for all of the different reactions it can evoke, with Polanski's troubled and harrowing life as a backdrop for greater tragedies to come.

• Michael G

  
  Wanted and Desired isn't a particularly entertaining or dynamic documentary (I fell asleep twice during it, but in the film's defense it was Thanksgiving Day), but if nothing else it gives you a more clear understanding of what happened behind the scenes of Roman… More
  Wanted and Desired isn't a particularly entertaining or dynamic documentary (I fell asleep twice during it, but in the film's defense it was Thanksgiving Day), but if nothing else it gives you a more clear understanding of what happened behind the scenes of Roman Polanski's controversial trial from the mid-70s. If you're a fan of archival footage intercut with movie scenes and interviews you're in luck. Filmmaker Marina Zenovich seems to be in Polanski's corner and I kind of took the same stance. As far as Polanski's concerned, the guy survived the Holocaust and his wife and friends were slaughtered by the Mansons. I'm not saying that should give someone carte blanche to dope and cornhole a teenager, but when even the family of said teenager is calling bullshit on the case, something's seriously wrong. And as far this documentary getting made just when you thought all the dust was settled? All I've got to say is never trust lifetime awards from Swiss film festivals...

• jay n

  
  Revealing doc about a flawed talented man. Life has hit him hard and although there is no question that what he did was wrong it seems apparent that he was ill treated by the US justice system.

• Red L

  
  I didn't like this documentary very much. It was hard to determine what the actual point of the movie is. Polanski pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13 year old. America thought this was pretty revolting, Europe wasn't so worried and was happy to have Polanski direct… More
  I didn't like this documentary very much. It was hard to determine what the actual point of the movie is. Polanski pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13 year old. America thought this was pretty revolting, Europe wasn't so worried and was happy to have Polanski direct another movie. This movie suggests that the judge mishandled the case and that should be the most significant plot line in the movie. I guess I'm old fashioned, but movie star or not - sex with children should not be allowed and I feel Polanski should have served more than 42 days of "analysis" behind bars.

• Stephen M

  
  Unlike other reviewers, I didn't find this especially illuminating. I don't suppose we'll ever know exactly what happened on March 10 1977, to what extent, if any, Polanski was entrapped, or just what was going on in his head to make him do something so unforgivably… More
  Unlike other reviewers, I didn't find this especially illuminating. I don't suppose we'll ever know exactly what happened on March 10 1977, to what extent, if any, Polanski was entrapped, or just what was going on in his head to make him do something so unforgivably vile, but I did expect Samantha Geimer, Polanski's victim, to set the story straighter than she does here. Combining archive news footage and old Polanski interviews with the recollections of some of the characters directly or indirectly involved in the case (Geimer, Assistant D.A.s, attorneys, retired L.A.P.D. officers, journalists, Polanski's cronies, etc) the film is more or less just a record of the media circus that ensued after the director's arrest. An entertaining but disappointingly superficial piece of muckraking, the documentary only really fascinates on the subject of the trial, as retold by the prosecution and defence attorneys, where Polanski became the plaything of judge more obsessed with his own celebrity than justice.

• Wu C

  
  Interesting look into Polanski's trial in 1977.

• Richard F

  
  A deeply thorough and in-depth investigation about not only the incident that involved Polanski with a 13-year old girl, but the judicial circus and media frenzy that followed. This documentary is an exercise in examining the relationships between our predatory, yet ignorant media and… More
  A deeply thorough and in-depth investigation about not only the incident that involved Polanski with a 13-year old girl, but the judicial circus and media frenzy that followed. This documentary is an exercise in examining the relationships between our predatory, yet ignorant media and the flaws of our judicial system. Of course public opinion is the medium that ties the two together here. Marina Zenovich poses the question: "Which is the bigger crime: Polanski's actions or the injustices incurred against him by the judge presiding over his case?" Zenovich objectively presents all perspectives of the fiasco and gives equal consideration to Polanski both as a perpetrator and as a victim. Most of all, she gives us insight as to the trauma, confusion, and loneliness experienced by the man who ended up bringing more of this upon himself as a result of his actions.

• MJS M

  
  A documentary that premiered at Sundance and was picked up by HBO and sent directly to television in the network's desperate attempt to fill up time with original programing other than then their normal summer series, which were delayed because of the strike. I had a pretty good… More
  A documentary that premiered at Sundance and was picked up by HBO and sent directly to television in the network's desperate attempt to fill up time with original programing other than then their normal summer series, which were delayed because of the strike. I had a pretty good knowledge of what happened to Polanski during this era and expected to hear mostly what I already knew repackaged. But as it turned out there was an element I hadn't heard before, namely the behind the scenes, off the recored going-ons of the trial. It sounds like the Judge that presided over his case was an irresponsible asshole who drove him out of the country. What's more, all the facts about the injustices of the case are backed up by the prosecuter. The film is very well put together, the filmmaker had a particularly artful skill at using clips from Polanski's films in order to help tell the story. Still, it's probably for the best that this ended up on tv, because at the end of the day I don't think I would have gotten my $6.25 worth if I went to see it in theaters, if only because this isn't really as deep a story to tell that I would have demanded from a theatrical doc. It's crazy that Roman Polanski is still living in exile, while R. Kelly is now walking free.

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