With the news of confessed rapist Roman Polanski being arrested for his drugging and raping a 13 year-old - let me say that again so all of you Polanski defenders can get that through your amoral, thick skulls, DRUGGING AND RAPING A 13 YEAR-OLD - again, 13, not even old enough to go see one of his movies in the theater by herself.

I'm already off subject...let's start this again.

With the news of confessed rapist Roman Polanski being arrested for his drugging and raping a 13 year-old...

You know what? If you are defending this guy you really, really, need to reconsider the moral framework by which you run your life. Don't give me this nonsense about the judge or this crap about how it was so long ago, the woman has forgiven him - He was a forty year old man. He knew she was 13 - she wasn't a teenager for more than a few months. He intentionally offered her a part of a barbiturate and some alcohol. He intentionally forced himself sexually on her. Tell you what, if you're still not sure check out the Polanski plea agreement.

That done, let's start this again.

This is a riveting documentary about the rape of an underage dancing girl in 1930's Hollywood. Back in the studio era, it was commonplace to have teenage girls brought in to dance for various productions. In one case, the production was actually a party for the MGM sales force on Hal Roach's secluded lot. At said party one of the girls, Patricia Douglas, was raped by one of the salesmen. The story initially received huge press but was then squashed by the studio. Over the decades, the horrific story was forgotten.

David Stenn has done a great job of reviving this scandal in a thoughtful manner. He doesn't exploit the lurid details and handles the subject with care. He gets Douglas to come out of hiding to discuss the crime and cover-up that appears to have ruined her life. To hear her discuss the awful events is heart wrenching, yet compelling.

This may seem to be just another cheap true-crime documentary made to tickle the interest of the audience and move on. Stenn offers something more however, particularly in light of recent national scandals. The studio setting up the circumstances for the rape to occur and the rape itself aren't the whole story. It is the cover up, the way the studio was able to make this "problem" disappear so completely is what really makes this film notable. Douglas' rape is horrible, and I do not mean to diminish her pain. But it is her second rape, the publicity raping she receives that is the broader crime shown here. The film also does a fantastic job of explaining how society viewed women and female sexuality at the time and how those social mores were employed to put this story to rest.

The powerful influence of those who control media, who therefore control the message, is on display in this film and make this required viewing if you have any compulsion to believe the defenders of Polanski. When you hear people defending something in the media, it is important to stop and take a serious look at what they are actually defending, and why.


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