#MeToo boogeyman Roman Polanski is now 85 years of age, seems fairly content with his life in France, where he is still heralded, justifiably so, as a cinematic genius for his past works (“Rosemary’s Baby,” “Repulsion,” “Chinatown,” “The Pianist”). Nevertheless, he has decided to sue the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for taking away his membership last May — Polanski believes he had a right to defend himself and that the decision was made without following proper protocol, fair enough. After all, Polanski’s statutory rape victim was Samantha Geimer, she was 13 at the time, Polanski 44, the sex was “consensual” but, given that she was a minor, there should be nothing consensual about this sort of thing. Nevertheless, Geimer has begged the LAPD and D.A. to stop the hunt for Polanski and their attempts to extradite and convict him in the United States, claiming he’s paid his dues and deserves to live a decent phase of whatever’s left in his twilight years.
Polanski’s attorney Harland Braun had this to say to Variety: “We are litigating the fairness of their procedure. They threw him out without warning and without giving him a chance to respond. There was not even any notice of why. After 40 years, on the same day as [Bill] Cosby. Give me a break.”
Academy to Variety: “The procedures taken to expel Mr. Polanski were fair and reasonable. The Academy stands behind its decision as appropriate,” a spokesperson said.