Fall of the Roman Empire

The Hollywood Reporter got the scoop on the cover of Roman Polanski's 13-year-old rape victim's upcoming book.

"The Girl," Samantha Geimer's memoir about being raped by Roman Polanski in 1977 at age 13, features a picture the director took of her days before his assault.

After nearly 35 years of silence, the 13-year-old girl Roman Polanski raped in 1977 is finally telling her full story in "The Girl: A Life in the Shadow of Roman Polanski."  The Hollywood Reporter's exclusive first look at the cover of the book reveals Samantha Geimer's determination to reclaim her own story.

The cover is a haunting close-up shot of the teenage Geimer (then known by her maiden name, Samantha Gailey), taken on Feb. 20, 1977, less than three weeks before Polanski drugged and raped her at Jack Nicholson's Mulholland Drive home during a modeling shoot when he also gave her alcohol and a quaalude.

But the photo comes with a surprising twist: It was taken by Polanski himself. 

I think I'm going to read this one. I admire the way Greimer has put this assault behind her, even asking U.S. authorities to leave Polanski alone after all these years. My recollection of this incident is that it was in no way consensual -- some drugs and alcohol were used, too -- and immediately made me thinik of the obituary of modeling guru John Casablanca, which so matter-of-factly (and disturbingly) discussed his "affair" around the same time with 15-year-old Stephanie Seymour ... when he was 41. Inapprorpriate relationships are definitely still going on in the world. But it does seem society -- at least here in the U.S. -- is less tolerant of them than they were were then, no?

Keep reading HERE.

Pre-order the book HERE.