MANON, ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AN DESIRED Screening
This evening, UCLA’s James Bridges Theater will be screening Henri-Georges Clouzot’s (right) modernized version of Manon (1949) at 5 p.m., and, at 7:30 p.m., Marina Zenovich’s now much-discussed documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008), about the circus surrounding the legal (and at times apparently illegal) maneuverings throughout Roman Polanski’s trial for having sex with a minor in the late 1970s. Admission is free.
I’m assuming that Wanted and Desired will be packed. So, be ready to stand in line. Also, it should be noted that one of the prosecutors in the case, David Wells, has just recently recanted the story he told Zenovich, which revealed unethical behavior on the part of the judge assigned to Polanski’s case. Wells now says that he lied.
I’m also assuming that Manon will not be packed. That’s too bad, as it’s supposed to be a solid crime drama. It was on TV 5 a few weeks ago, but unfortunately I missed it. Serge Reggiani (the hero in Jacques Becker’s beautiful Casque d’or) and Cécile Aubry (Tyrone Power’s leading lady in The Black Rose) star as, respectively, a French Resistance activist and a former Nazi collaborator about to be lynched by angry mob. They hook up, and as a result all sorts of romantic, sexual, and psychological problems ensue. Michel Auclair is also in the cast.
The James Bridges will be screening the UCLA Film and Television Archive’s rare 35mm print of Manon.
The Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired info below is from the James Bridges Theater’s website:
What happens when one of the world’s most famous directors gets trapped inside one of his own movies?
Thirty years ago, Roman Polanski was convicted of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. After serving 42 days in prison, he fled the US and has never returned.
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired reopens this complex and controversial case and challenges many of the myths which have built up around it. Drawing on interviews with many of the key players, the film raises major questions about the workings of the US legal system and the media. It also examines the role of the judge, Judge Laurence Rittenband — a man who was determined to cut Polanski down to size.
In the film, many of the main participants admit that the Polanski case was disastrously mishandled. Roger Gunson, the Assistant DA who led the original prosecution reveals his personal doubts about Judge Rittenband’s conduct. Gunson admits he is not surprised that Polanski fled under "those circumstances."
Polanski’s attorney Douglas Dalton breaks his 30 year silence to reveal the extraordinary backstage manoeuvres during the case which eventually led Polanski to flee. We also hear from the woman at the center of the case, Samantha Geimer, who now wishes her mother had never called the police in the first place. Thirty years on, the Polanski case still stirs strong emotions. Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired is the untold story of what really happened.
Directions and parking (be aware that parking at UCLA ain’t cheap):
- From Hilgard Ave. enter the east side of campus at Wyton Dr.
- Make and immediate right turn onto Charles E. Young Dr. East and signs will direct you to Parking Structure 3.
- From the ground level of Structure 3, enter the underpass (or from the street level cross Charles E. Young Dr. North and proceed down steps) and walk straight alongside Melnitz and Macgowan Halls.
- Turn left at the plaza and proceed to the courtyard of theaters.
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Tags: Cécile Aubry, Classic Movies, Documentaries, Henri-Georges Clouzot, James Bridges Theater, Los Angeles Screenings, Manon, Marina Zenovich, Roman Polanski, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, Samantha Geimer, Serge Reggiani
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