Thirty one years ago Roman Polanski, then forty four, pled guilty to drugging and then raping a thirteen year old girl. He then fled to France, continued to work as a director with considerable success (an Academy Award in 2003 for The Pianist), and lived a life of high regard and respect. This week, on a trip to Switzerland to receive another award, he was arrested on the outstanding warrant from the United States and extradition procedures were begun.
A number of curiosities provide some cosmetics and jewelry to this ugly thing. The child was said to be "sexually experienced". The judge behaved terribly and last year a motion to overturn the conviction on the judge's misbehavior was initiated. The victim herself does not want to pursue this case, publicly forgave Polanski and earlier this year formally asked the case to be dismissed. (I do not know of any financial settlements that may be in play here.) For these reasons and others (the case is too old, too expensive to pursue, the state had many other opportunities to arrest him so this is capricious) many have demanded the case be dropped. France and Poland (he was born in France of Polish parents) have both objected.
One wonders how anyone could defend this guy. There are no extenuating circumstances here that makes this crime any less than it is. For that matter, how could anyone hire him, or have him to dinner? What possible mental and moral gymnastics would one have to perform to treat this man as just another guy? Or honor him with an award? How can anyone look at him and not be reminded of this terrible crime and the personal corruption it implies? Is this man beyond our reproach, an elite among his injudicable peers, above our simple opinions? Are these entertainers just fantasies to us? Do we weigh aspects of our lives separately, rape in the negative bin, Academy Award, horribly injured husband of Sharon Tate, paparazzi target in the positive bin so the scales tip away from the crime and cancel it out, numerator and denominator? Or has tolerance trumped judgement? Are we beyond character? Do personal defects become less of an essence and more of an affliction; there but for the grace of God....?
This year's award for innovative twin studies goes to.....(aside) this is so exciting my hands are shaking....to....Josef Mengela! (cheers)
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