Roman Polanski survived the
Holocaust in Poland, became an international sensation with his offbeat
suspense films, and lost his pregnant wife in an attack by the Manson Family,
but Marina Zenovich's documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted And Desired is primarily concerned with the
details of Polanski's 1977 rape conviction and subsequent self-imposed exile
from the U.S. The movie never denies or excuses the facts of the case. Zenovich
includes lengthy excerpts from depositions, describing how Polanski gave champagne
and Quaaludes to a 13-year-old girl before having sex with her. But Zenovich
tries to fit the incident into Polanski's bizarre life story. Polanski was
constantly scrutinized by the American and European press in the wake of the
Manson murders, as reporters gauged the appropriateness of his mourning.
Painted as a bad boy by many, Polanski started to live down to his reputation.
