I know that the trial of Orenthal James Simpson was considered the trial of the century fir Hollywood for this generation. But while 24-hour news made a mockery and a mess of the Simpson saga, it was the criminal justice system itself the bungled the prosecution of film director Roman Polanski, although the media were unwitting accomplices there too by creating a circus atmosphere. And what a circus it was; a Hollywood drama played out in full colour and full court press, 20 years before Simpson, and nearly 10 years after Polanski found himself at the centre of one of the most notorious killing sprees of all time. But somewhere amongst the notoriety lies the man himself, and there in lies the documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired.

Even in Hollywood, there’s never been a life lived quite like Roman Polanski’s. He survived the Holocaust and made a name for himself as a unique voice in film directing. He came to America and made his mark with the commercial and critical success of Rosemary’s Baby. He married the gorgeous actress Sharon Tate and together they were expecting a child in the summer of ’69. That’s when things went to hell. During a party at their home, Tate along with several, high profile guests were murdered by the Manson family in their attempt to start a racial war. Something like that might have destroyed a man, but Polanski persevered.

Here’s where his story gets interesting, not to mention controversial. The lion’s share of Wanted and Desired deals with Polanski’s 1977 prosecution on charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. I must admit that my own view on the matter was altered somewhat by director Marina Zenovich’s rather thorough examination of the case. I remember back in 1999 when Elia Kazan was given an honorary Oscar for his life’s work, and many people basically sat on their hands because he named names during the McCarthy hearings. Then when Polanski won best director a few years later, he basically got a standing ovation.

It was the double standard that bothered me. Sure, Kazan broke a trust and hung several colleagues out to dry, but I imagine in the post-9/11 paranoid atmosphere we might have a better appreciation for how fear can fly in the face of principle when starring right at you. Polanski meanwhile has lawfully charged, he pleaded guilty, and then ran. What makes what he did so forgivable over Kazan? I don’t know the answer to that, especially now after better understanding the trial and trials of Polanski. That’s the marvel of Wanted & Desired, it makes you question the very foundation of your belief in law.

The villain of the piece isn’t Polanski, it’s the Judge. The suggestion is that the Judge seemed to want to make an example of Polanski and committed repeated acts of judicial misconduct in order to get the director’s head on the proverbial block. Interestingly, the movie also inspired a recent revisiting of the case, and the current Judge on the case, Peter Espinoza, said himself that there was misconduct even though Polanski must return to the U.S. if he wants to appeal. That’s how you know you’ve had impact; when the judge is saying that maybe you have a point.

The film doesn’t quite exonerate Polanski, but it is rather fair-handed about the fact that he was hosed legally, but he was still a guilty man whatever your feelings on the crime. And feelings about the crime are incredibly diverse; the European view is a kind of who cares, but the law and order spirit of America says that he should see the inside of a prison. The filmmaker perfectly captures this division, can convince you of either side, but still stay neutral somehow. It’s an exhaustive documentary without being exhausting and it really takes the complexities of the case and boils it down to the essential understanding. No matter Polanski’s guilt, he’s still an interesting subject; a figure that’s both pariah and inspiration. An interestingly and disparaging mix.