Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008) on Netflix
NR20081h 39mCrimeDocumentary
In 1977, Roman Polanski is arrested in Los Angeles over a 13-year-old girl he photographed for Vogue. The case becomes a media spectacle. Lawyers and reporters describe the year that follows.
- Netflix3.5/5
- IMDb7.2/105,370 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes85%
Trailer
Plot summary
The case against Roman Polanski began with his arrest in Los Angeles in 1977, after a magazine photo session with a 13-year-old girl led to accusations that he gave her drugs and had sex with her. Charges including rape and sodomy followed, along with a trial that drew constant press attention. The documentary covers the year around the arrest, drawing on news footage from the period, excerpts from his own films, and on-camera accounts from his defense attorney, prosecutors, reporters who covered the courthouse, and the victim. Friends and associates describe the life he had built in the United States before the charges. Their recollections also turn to the judge who handled the case and to how the proceedings were conducted.
Cast
- Richard Brennemanas Himself - Reporter, Santa Monica Evening Outlook
- Douglas Daltonas Himself - Attorney for the Defense
- Marilyn Beckas Herself - Hollywood Gossip Columnist
- Steve Barshopas Himself - Assistant District Attorney
- Madeline Bessmeras Herself - Girlfriend #2
- Michael M. Crainas Himself - Former Public Defender
- Istvan Bajzatas Himself - Photographer
Show all 20 cast
- Furnell Chatmanas Self (archive footage)
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- After Roman Polanski's 2009 arrest in Switzerland, retired deputy district attorney David Wells recanted his interview in the documentary, saying he lied about advising the judge in ex parte communication. Wells claimed the director told him the film would never air in the States, so he thought it made a better story to say he had told the judge what to do.
- Director Marina Zenovich responded to David Wells's retraction by saying she was perplexed by the timing, noting the film had been visible on U.S. television via HBO, in theaters and on DVD since June 2008. She said Wells signed a release permitting worldwide use of his interview and that she never told him the film would not air in the United States.
