Woody Allen

[G B Young]

Curious behaviour from Spike Lee:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53048617

Why the retraction?

Anyone on here an Allen fan? I used to love a lot of his movies, though he's turned out a fair number of duds too (maybe not surprising bearing in mind he makes one a year). As for the accusations against him, I'd never really been too clued up on the whole story, but having read his interview with Hadley Freeman in the Guardian a coupe of weeks ago I'd suggest there's a lot of scope for doubt that he's guilty of any such abuse and to bracket him along with the Weinsteins of the world seems wrong:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/may/29/do-i-really-care-woody-allen-comes-out-fighting

Based on that, the (understandable) furore over his relationship with Farrow's adopted daughter seems to be the real 'scandal' here and one that Farrow's never been able to move on from. The abuse allegations just don't seem to add up.

[CropleyWasGod]

Call me a cynic, but Spike Lee has a film to promote.

I've seen it. It's *****. Move on. :greengrin

[speedy_gonzales]

Call me a cynic, but Spike Lee has a film to promote.

I've seen it. It's *****. Move on. :greengrin

Was going to post something similar earlier on, but then I only managed half an hour of the movie so thought I'd better keep quiet in case it actually turned out all right,,,, I'm assuming it didn't?

[CropleyWasGod]

Was going to post something similar earlier on, but then I only managed half an hour of the movie so thought I'd better keep quiet in case it actually turned out all right,,,, I'm assuming it didn't?

I nearly turned off after the initial scene with the daughter, but held on.

It may be that we have both missed something here, and I'm happy to get an alternative view. I've been banging on about it all weekend.... such is my lockdown life 😂

[CropleyWasGod]

Curious behaviour from Spike Lee:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53048617

Why the retraction?

Anyone on here an Allen fan? I used to love a lot of his movies, though he's turned out a fair number of duds too (maybe not surprising bearing in mind he makes one a year). As for the accusations against him, I'd never really been too clued up on the whole story, but having read his interview with Hadley Freeman in the Guardian a coupe of weeks ago I'd suggest there's a lot of scope for doubt that he's guilty of any such abuse and to bracket him along with the Weinsteins of the world seems wrong:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/may/29/do-i-really-care-woody-allen-comes-out-fighting

Based on that, the (understandable) furore over his relationship with Farrow's adopted daughter seems to be the real 'scandal' here and one that Farrow's never been able to move on from. The abuse allegations just don't seem to add up.

Sorry for the hijack.

Ahem.... there was a piece about Allen in the Times a month or so back which took an alternative view of his character. Perhaps stopping short of confirming any abuse, he certainly came out of it as having an unsettling attitude towards women. There are many who will not work with him because of that.

The Times is now back behind its paywall, unfortunately.

[G B Young]

Sorry for the hijack.

Ahem.... there was a piece about Allen in the Times a month or so back which took an alternative view of his character. Perhaps stopping short of confirming any abuse, he certainly came out of it as having an unsettling attitude towards women. There are many who will not work with him because of that.

The Times is now back behind its paywall, unfortunately.

I'll see if I can find that Times piece, thanks.

With the exception of his ongoing issues related to Mia Farrow, I just don't recall him being a guy who has attracted anything significant in the way of such 'Me Too' type allegations during his long career. I could be wrong there though.

[Keith_M]

Curious behaviour from Spike Lee:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53048617

Why the retraction?
.

It's quite common behaviour..... Get a bad reaction, have to make a retraction.

Spike Lee likes to be known as a man of principle, and maybe he under-estimated the reaction to his comments and the effect it might have on his image.

[CropleyWasGod]

I'll see if I can find that Times piece, thanks.

With the exception of his ongoing issues related to Mia Farrow, I just don't recall him being a guy who has attracted anything significant in the way of such 'Me Too' type allegations during his long career. I could be wrong there though.

He has a bit of a history with women who are much younger than him. Of itself, that's not necessarily a condemnation, but you can understand how a reputation can grow. Check out Mariel Hemingway, who was in Annie Hall, and her account of how he tried to seduce her.

Seduce. That's such a 50s word, eh no?

[Betty Boop]

He has a bit of a history with women who are much younger than him. Of itself, that's not necessarily a condemnation, but you can understand how a reputation can grow. Check out Mariel Hemingway, who was in Annie Hall, and her account of how he tried to seduce her.

Seduce. That's such a 50s word, eh no?

Did Roman Polanski not allegedly rape a 13 year old, which he never went to court for either. Im sure he fled the country.

[CropleyWasGod]

Did Roman Polanski not allegedly rape a 13 year old, which he never went to court for either. Im sure he fled the country.

He went to Court. There was a plea-bargain, in which he pled guilty to statutory rape.

He fled before sentencing, as he'd heard that he was going to get 50 years.

[Keith_M]

Did Roman Polanski not allegedly rape a 13 year old, which he never went to court for either. Im sure he fled the country.


He's not just accused, he's guilty. He admitted it and has evaded justice ever since. He's a paedophile.

His chums in the industry should feel ashamed of themselves for having anything to do with him. He should have been deported back to the US to serve his sentence and I've no idea how he hasn't so far.

[Betty Boop]

He went to Court. There was a plea-bargain, in which he pled guilty to statutory rape.

He fled before sentencing, as he'd heard that he was going to get 50 years.


He's not just accused, he's guilty. He admitted it and has evaded justice ever since. He's a paedophile.

His chums in the industry should feel ashamed of themselves for having anything to do with him. He should have been deported back to the US to serve his sentence and I've no idea how he hasn't so far.


Oh thanks both I didn't know he went to court. I wonder why he wasn't extradited ?

[CropleyWasGod]

Oh thanks both I didn't know he went to court. I wonder why he wasn't extradited ?

As a French citizen, living in France, he was protected from extradition.

There was something some years ago about his being arrested in Switzerland, but ultimately he was freed. IIRC, the only countries he can go to are France, Switzerland and Poland.

[Keith_M]

Oh thanks both I didn't know he went to court. I wonder why he wasn't extradited ?


'WARSAW — The Polish Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a government request to extradite Roman Polanski, the Oscar-winning filmmaker, to the United States over a decades-old conviction for having sex with a 13-year-old girl.'

The decision almost certainly ends the legal battle in Poland over how to deal with Mr. Polanski, although as a practical matter, even a ruling in favor of the government would have had little effect. Mr. Polanski, a dual citizen of France and Poland, lives in France, which does not extradite its citizens.'

....

'Mr. Ziobro said in an interview with Polish state radio in May that Mr. Polanski had received preferential treatment because of his fame.'

“If he was just a regular guy, a teacher, doctor, plumber, decorator, then I’m confident that he’d have been deported from any country to the U.S. a long time ago,” he said.'

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/06/world/europe/roman-polanski-extradition-poland.html

[HappyAsHellas]

Woody Allen has made some brilliant films and Mia Farrow is a scary bitch.

[Hibbyradge]

Woody Allen has made some brilliant films and Mia Farrow is a scary bitch.

Why a bitch?

[HappyAsHellas]

The constant lies and turning the kids round with drip fed propaganda is pretty vile. The swear filter wouldn't allow what I really think.