I'll admit "Frantic" was sub-par but I think "Bitter Moon" was one of the boldest films, not only in terms of content but in its attutude (in essence, Polanski is saying "Fuck you" to detractors of both his films and personal morals), that I can recall. He really doesn't care what we think of him. While this doesn't excuse his conduct (he should be prosecuted if he's guilty, no question), it keeps our holier-than-thou attitudes in check.

To paraphrase Dave Kehr on Stanley Kubrick when I think either "The Shining" or "Full Metal Jacket" came out: "It's his world and he's welcome to it."