Hollywood Defends Roman Polanski. Boo hoo.

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Roman Polanski is a famous and award-winning director who has created movies all over the world. He has had tragedy in his life. The 76-year-old experienced Nazi persecution in Poland during World War II. His parents were sent to separate prison camps. The whole experience -- traumatic.

As an adult, Polanski became a director and created movies in Poland, France and the UK in his early career. In 1968, Rosemary's Baby brought him fame in the US. It was also the year of his marriage to actress Sharon Tate. Tate was murdered in 1969 by the Manson family when she was eight and a half months pregnant. Polanski was in London at the time. The whole experience -- unthinkable.

In 1977, Polanski was guest-editor for the French edition of Vogue. He asked the mother of 13-year-old Samantha Gailey (now Geimer) to allow a photo shoot. He asked Samantha to change in front of him. She thought it didn't feel right and didn't want to go to the second shoot, but later agreed. On March 10, 1977, at Jack Nicholson's house, they shot photos of Samantha drinking champagne. Geimer testified that Polanski gave her champagne and Quaaludes and performed sexual acts after repeatedly being asked to stop.

Polanski was charged with rape by use of drugs and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor. He had a plea bargain in which he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. He fled the United States. Geimer sued him in 1988 and settled out of court in 1993. But he was still a fugitive.

Safe from extradition in France, where he has citizenship, he has worked in France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland. He won an Oscar in 2003. It was accepted by Harrison Ford. In September of 2009, his ego allowed him to travel to Switzerland for a lifetime achievement award. United States authorities heard about the award, and he was arrested at the Swiss airport.

Amazingly, he is being defended by some in show business. Whoopi Goldberg said he was not guilty of "rape-rape." Harvey Fierstein said that Roman Polanski has served his time. How, by making movies and getting awards? Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, the virtuous Woody Allen have added their names to a petition in which they demand the immediate release of Roman Polanski. Washington Post columnist Tom Shales might have been the most disgusting when he said that 13-year-old girls in Los Angeles are different. They're not really 13.

The whole experience -- grotesque.

Comments (1):

Mateo Caliente @ 10/09/2009 ( 5:12:14 PM )
I believe Polanski should go to jail but the whole controversy pivots around the LA D.A. at the time., David Wells. Wells enter into a plea bargain with Polanski that he would need to go through a psychiatric evaluation, which he did (He was release 48 days early). After the evaluation he was to get probation. The Judge did a 180 and decided to tell Polanski's lawyers that he intends to send the director to jail. Polanski fled. The D.A. got a guilty plea out of Polanski but had the judge turn over the plea. Wells should have let this gone to trial and Polanski could have defended himself and been sentence accordingly.

Hollywood Defends Roman Polanski? Boo hoo.

Comments (1):