The events of 1977 and 1978 permanently marred director Roman Polanski's life. Accused of unlawful sexual assault on minor Samantha Geimer during his stay at actor Jack Nicholson's house in March of 1977, Polanski wound up in the midst of controversial judicial proceedings that many read as supremely unfair. After being temporarily sprung on 2,500 dollars bail, Polanski then fled the United States for Europe in 1978, with the threat of incarceration hanging over him should he ever return. With
her documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, filmmaker Marina Zenovich revisits this difficult case via extensive interviews with Geimer, defense attorney Douglas Dalton, Assistant DA Roger Gunson, and others. In the process, she raises pivotal questions about the U.S. legal system and the fairness of the judge, Laurence J. Rittenband (who was reportedly extremely vocal about his desire to topple Polanski) and encounters many recollections of judicial malfeasance from those who were involved. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
Though Marina Zenovich's film deals with the notorious case of the film director who pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old, the film's real subject is the California legal system turned upside down by celebrity and media pressure.
With a subject like Roman Polanski, you don't really need to do much to capture audience interest. But maybe that's the reason Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired doesn't live up to its promise.
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, a documentary by Marina Zenovich that is also a first-rate work of reportage, makes a forceful case that the whole truth of the matter was never heard in court and Polanski was more sinned against than sinning.
She has achieved extraordinary access to the other still-living players in the case, and they all seem to be in agreement: Polanski is correct in saying the judge played with him as a cat might play with a mouse.
This is a superb picture, sharp, open-minded, wised-up and cinematically accomplished. I wonder if any man could've handled the Polanski enigma with the same ironic intelligence [Marina] Zenovich has.
Some might confuse Zenovich's indictment on the judge as a cop-out in judging Polanski. But the facts remain. There's no further insight into the heinous crime. Nor is there a new judgment to be passed on the man who committed it. Anyone looking for new r
"Zenovich's film is a fair and skillful chronicling of the Roman Polanski case, and a study of how the circumstances of celebrity influence the carrying out of justice in the U.S. It's not an in-depth study of the filmmaker's psychology nor of how his lif
The film's verdict is that Polanski is too distinguished to persecute by placing him in a prison among, well, criminals. Wanted And Desired: A premeditated act of propaganda in the service of exoneration with a creative genius defense, instead of remorse.
The film's verdict is that Polanski is far too distinguished to persecute by placing him in a prison among, well, criminals. Wanted And Desired: A premeditated act of propaganda in the service of exoneration rather than remorse.
Mesmo tendo criado uma narrativa envolvente, coesa e impecável a ponto de servir como base para os advogados de Polanski solicitarem o arquivamento do caso, este documentário foi ignorado pela Academia. Arre.
What makes Wanted and Desired riveting is that Zenovich balances this immorality play by interviewing nearly everyone involved and mixes it with perfectly culled archival footage.
Meticulously crafted and keenly thought out, the film also serves as a useful historical document. It illuminates its time period, delves into moral hypocrisy and shows the evolution of muck-raking celebrity journalism.
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.
"The truth couldn't fit in the headlines."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. REVIEWFilm 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.
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