Yes, I'd go along with all that.
In the case of Polanski, a study of his life also reveals context: His persecution as a child by Nazis, for instance (at one point he was beaten over the head by a German soldier who left him for dead, and he claims to this day he can't stand under a shower without tasting blood). Then there's the horrific Sharon Tate/Manson cult business. None of that excuses statutory rape, but perhaps illustrates a cautionary tale of a traumatised artist who failed to bring his demons under control. I find both Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown revealing in exactly the manner you describe (especially the latter).
As for Cheyenne Autumn and The Searchers, I mention them in this piece on westerns, which argues the genre has always been a mirror for contemporary American concerns (including civil rights). You might find it interesting. :)