“The Ghost Writer”, a Roman Polanski movie, opens in the U.S. this week bringing the turbulent life of the director back into the public eye. Polanski is currently under house arrest in a Swiss chalet.
The director had to flee the United States 32 years ago after he pleaded guilty to the horrific charges of sexual intercourse with a minor. Last year in September, Polanski was arrested in Switzerland and is currently awaiting a decision from the Swiss on whether he should be extradited. In January, an L.A. judge ruled that the 76 year old director must appear in court in order for the case to be resolved.
It is with this background that Polanski’s new movie comes to the public. The movie is based on a novel written by Robert Harris. Pierce Brosnan plays en embattled ex-Prime Minister of Britain who hires Ewan McGregor as a ghost writer. Brosnan’s character is remarkable in that it echoes the lives of Tony Blair and Polanski.
The ex-Prime Minister has to flee the island nation because he is hounded by the public on how he handled the war on terror and also because he fears possible legal action against him in his home country. Eventually he ends up in a New England-Martha’s Vineyard type of island away from his country.
While Polanski is a genius when it comes to directing, it must be remembered that he is a man accused of giving champagne and drugs to a 13 year old girl before he raped her – charges he has pleaded guilty to. Unfortunately, this is something that most people have chosen to overlook in their calls to set him free.