[Polanski seeking to have U.S. charges dropped]

I think that the key here is that the woman, 30 years older, is not seeking retribution. She wants to move on, and that is a lot of what forgiveness involves. Forgiving someone for what they did is not the same as forgetting about it or approving of it. It is simply to abandon the desire to harm that person. So with Polanski, forgiving him is not ignoring the seriousness of what he did. It is more like recognizing that no one is going to come out ahead if he is kept out of the country. And yes, we - you and I - can forgive him. Or we can punish him. I find it rather odd that some people think that we, as a society, cannot forgive wrongdoers but that we can punish them. Also, keep in mind that he was not convicted of any crime; these are charges, not convictions. Again, the key is that the woman now is ready to let it go. Also, the fact that Polanski is one of the greatest cinematographers in the last fifty years doesn't mean that people who do great things should be let off the hook for their wrongdoings. But it does mean that he has shared his gift with the rest of us for quite some time, and in doing so has demonstrated the beauty of his soul.

 

Message was edited by: Earthy

[Polanski seeking to have U.S. charges dropped]

I'm no legal expert, but I take forgiveness seriously. So I think he should be allowed to come back here. He is such a fantastic director, so good with the camera and light. I think The Pianist is wonderful; for people who associate Polanski with Carrie and Chinatown, it makes him seem like a director of the past. But he is very much alive and well. The black and white in The Pianist is reminiscent of Knife in the Water. A story told in shadows.

[Polanski seeking to have U.S. charges dropped]

Well, the 13 year old is now around 43; it would be interesting to know how she feels about this cinematic genius coming back to Hollywood.