After spending the last 30 years of his life in France to avoid extradition to the United States for a rape charge, director Roman Polanski has been arrested in Switzerland on an arrest request for that same crime. Polanski was set to be honored at the Zurich Film Festival over the weekend, and was met at the airport by Swiss police, who have placed him in "provisional detention for extradition."
Polanski, who directed films like Chinatown and Rosemary's Baby and won an Oscar for The Pianist, was the subject of a documentary this year titled Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, which chronicled the 1978 rape trial and the belief of many that, regardless of whether Polanski was guilty, justice was not served. The woman whom Polanski was accused of raping, Samantha Geimer, has since publicly forgiven Polanski and expressed a wish that he be able to return to the United States.
Variety has a lot more information on the case, including that Polanski will not be extradited to the United States until "all proceedings are completed." Especially given the critical success of the recent Polanski documentary, it seems bizarre to see the 76-year-old director taken into custody, many years after those damaged by his crime have moved on. The United States is obligated to pursue all outstanding arrests, of course, but any forthcoming Polanski trial would be more of a media circus than any righting of old wrongs.
We'll keep you posted on the story as it develops. If you're as troubled as I am to think of Polanski sitting in a Swiss prison cell, just rent Rosemary's Baby and remember the good times.
