I’m wondering now, if Roman Polanski is extradited back to the USA will he face charges in California, the state he fled thirty years ago?

That would be fascinating to watch. He might appeal to Governor Schwarzenegger to grant clemency. The Arnold is a film guy. He fought allegations during his campaign of a pattern of sexual bullying and a relationship with an underage girl. They called him the Gropinator. But he’s a Republican now–zero tolerance, tough on crime. I imagine he would welcome the arrival of Roman Polanski in his state about as much as he would a shipment of toxic waste.

California has more prisoners than it can feed, and there’s nothing the Governor could do with the Polanski case that wouldn’t offend some constituency. There’s sure to be Total Recall of Schwarzenegger’s own past if he tries to get righteous, and allegations of favoritism if he doesn’t throw the book.

Polanski, on his part, will be arriving on another planet. When he left California women were chicks and men were playboys. It was easy for him to write a script where he was the victim of a conniving nymphet, just doing what any guy would do given the opportunity. Now he’s hearing words not fit to print in the 70’s, such as ‘drug-facilitated rape of a child’.

The film industry, like a priesthood, is rallying behind its own. Dear old Father Macgillicuddy, he was always so good to me. And anyway, he’s old. Too bad for Polanski that this role has already been played by scores of clergy, and juries found it hackneyed and contrived.

If the state of California does show Terminator vs Predator, be prepared for astounding transformations and amazing twists of logic, scandalous exposure of hypocrisy and enough blame to go around.