Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir is a rare opportunity to hear a master filmmaker speak about his life. Both his haters and fans will agree, it is a highly watchable documentary. But don't expect either group to feel they have heard the whole story.

There's no doubt Polanski is a major artist, and his fans will probably get a lot out of his recollections, but don't expect any rigorous attention to the ethics of documentary-making. This is a personal exercise in public atonement.

What rises to the surface and sparkles are Polanski's gifts as a raconteur, his fierce intelligence and his guile.