2008年8月2日星期六

妥協的貓《朱門巧婦》(Cat on A Hot Tin Roof)


近 日迷上保羅紐曼Paul Newman. 本來找《朱門巧婦》(Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, 1958) 看, 只是為了了解故事 (因為我一向不太清楚Tennesse Williams原著的脈絡), 結果煲足一星期... 愈看愈覺得保羅紐曼年青時認真有型 , 演的又是血氣方剛、 不向環境屈服、專向制度挑戰的角色 (差點讓我忘記他已八十以外). 尷尬在他從前經常被人與馬龍白蘭度比較. 華納捧紅Paul Newman, 要的也是另一個馬龍白蘭度. 教他演戲的Lee Strasberg, 都認為他的外表對演藝事業是障礙. 但保羅紐曼就是保羅紐曼自己...

《Cat on a Hot Tin Roof》(下稱《Cat》) 於1958年推出, 剛好五十周年. 觀影時雖知這是一套舊時代老影片 (相比3, 40年代的電影, 它實在不算老) , 亦心知男女主角早就垂老矣矣. 但影片就是有種凝住時間的魔力. 戲, 也就特別好看.

《Cat》通過一個美國南方富有家族一日內發生的事情, 道出人性的貪婪和虛偽. 影片中譯名 (《朱門巧婦》或《豪門巧婦》) 頗得點出女主角Maggie為故事中最突出的角色, 但原名《Cat on a Hot Tin Roof》, 更能直接表達故事每一個角色的共同立場 (因此香港劇本翻譯家黎翠珍也將譯名改成《炙簷之上》) .



Brick (保羅紐曼) 是個曾經風光一時的美式足球員, 個性憤世嫉俗, 認為世上一切事物都是虛偽. 他為好友Skipper之死而自責 (其實是無法面對自己的性取向), 加上誤會妻子Maggie (伊莉莎白泰萊Elizabeth Taylor) 和Skipper有染, 故意冷待Maggie, 沈迷杯中物逃避現實. Maggie出身貧窮, 深知財富的重要性, 但並沒有因此而埋沒良知. Maggie聰慧靈敏、善解人意, 直率而不造作的性格, 使她很得老爺Big Daddy (Burl Ives) 的歡心. 她深愛Brick, 隱若知道Brick和Skipper關係「非比尋常」, 無奈面對夫妻同房不同床的僵局, 將自己形容為一隻「熱鐵皮屋頂上的貓」(即Cat on a Hot Tin Roof之意), 進退不得.

Big Daddy赤手空拳創立一番事業, 目中無人, 身患絕症卻無人敢告之真相, 身邊的人只管覬覦他的財富. Big Mama (Judith Anderson) 極力討好Big Daddy, 面對丈夫長年累月的挖苦也甘之如飴, 懵然不知丈夫早已不愛自己. 長子Gooper (Jack Carson) 心知自己在Big Daddy心中地位遠不如弟弟Brick, 加上貪婪的妻子Mae (Madeleine Sherwood) 所煽動, 本性不壞的他, 也趁機分一杯羹. 長媳Mae出身望族, 為了增加爭產的勝算, 生下一堆粗魯的孩子當籌碼.不但教他們打鑼打鼓奉承Big Daddy, 還教他們仇視膝下猶虛的Maggie.

這場家庭風波由Maggie向Brick求歡不遂、爭論Skipper之死開始, 揭發Big Daddy對Big Mama厭惡的事實、Maggie與Skipper有染的內情、Big Daddy發現自己時日無多、Brick父子間的愛恨關係、Gooper與Mae旁敲側擊、Maggie由維護自己的利益到維護丈夫地位、怯懦的Big Mama在Maggie支持下, 站出來阻止Gooper和Mae... 一家人的嘴臉盡在一夜之間表露無遺.



《Cat》 最歷久不衰的爭議, 自是劇本暗示Brick對死去好友Skipper的同性情誼. 雖然原來的情節被曲解, 然而Tennesse Williams自言《Cat》的重點不在於Brick的性取向. 但同性戀情節在1958年不能拍出來 (George Cukor為此拒絕執導), 因此影片另有交待, 但著實欲蓋彌彰, 妥協下的效果兀突, 卻充滿戲劇性.

Brick一再強調Skipper是自己的知交、左右手, 但面對Maggie的逐點擊破, 辯駁變成虛假的藉口. Maggie知道丈夫的「秘密」, 為了贏回丈夫, 曾經嘗試引誘Skipper, 製造Skipper對朋友不義的證據, 藉此破壞Brick和Skipper的「友誼」(影片中交待Skipper竟然默然同意, 在最後關頭Maggie認清勢頭不對而離場. Brick相信Skipper所言, 以為妻子跟他發生關係. 沒有出場的Skipper, 何嘗不是藉著勾引Maggie, 破壞Brick夫婦間的感情?) Brick阻止Maggie道破他和Skipper的「友誼」, 恐嚇Maggie要打死她、Big Daddy逼問Brick有關Skipper之間的事, Brick立即面色大變, 反而追問父親「到底想暗示什麼」, 態度完全是此地無銀. Paul Newman演得出色, 然而同性戀的劇情愈是不能宣之於口 (Brick的同性情誼被略和改寫, 令Tennesse Williams氣得拍案, 指影片令時代倒退50年), 這種故意隱藏的意識愈是清楚不過.

導演Richard Brooks和編劇James Poe唯有以Brick渴求父愛的心態, 說明Brick重視Skipper的理由 , 掩飾了同性戀疑雲. 然而理由實在不夠充分. 影片中Brick指Skipper是「任何時候都可以依靠的人」, Brick依賴「像父兄一樣的Skipper」,是為因為得不到父愛, 繼而轉移情感的對象. 影片順理成章, 再加插Big Daddy與Brick之間由無言以對、升級為衝突層面. 兩父子藉著爭吵, 反而理解對方的痛苦. Big Daddy企圖勸導兒子, 倒過來被Brick勸導, 解開心結. Brick和Big Daddy隔牆聽到家人的對話, 分清誰是誰非, 彼此有了共識而重新建立父子關係. 這情節實在合理得過份, 但從中可見編導人員面對社會道德標準下所作出的取捨.




另一個問題是: Brick到底愛不愛Maggie? Big Daddy問Brick, 既然Maggie如此令他不滿, 為何不休妻? Brick沒有正面回應. 縱然他暗地裡有同性傾向, 破壞他和Brick之間的「友誼」卻是妻子本人,若然是其他人, 他可能不會那麼惱火. Maggie鎖上房門, 拉下窗廉, 暗示想與Brick溫存. 但Brick卻道「引以為恥」, Maggie緊抱Brick, Brick的雙手似是想抱著Maggie卻又不忍, 狠狠推開, 走到浴室反鎖在內, 痛苦地將臉埋在門上掛著的裙子, 流露對妻子想恨但捨不得的愛. 一場家變, 令Maggie巧施真實謊言, 向Brick證明了她的忠誠不移, 使Brick的雄風重現 !

《Cat》的成功除了劇情 「豐富」外, 最重要是一班演員的超水準演出. 單是配角已是一時無兩. Burl Ives, Judith Anderson, John Carson都是著名的演技派, Burt Ives和Madeleine Sherwood本身已是擔演舞台劇版本的Big Daddy和Mae. Burl Ives已很搶戲, 而完場前的「六國大封相」, Madeleine Sherwood將Mae的潑辣的「八婆」性格發揮至極, 毫不輸給兩位大主角.



這張合照充分反映伊莉莎白泰萊當時的心情

很多人認為伊莉莎白泰萊的演技不夠好 (事實上, 我也受不了她的《埃及妖后》) . 其實也不能盡怪她本人, 童星出身的她, 其實並沒有像保羅紐曼在Actor's Studio的訓練, 或舞台劇演出經驗, 當時還受制於片廠制度下, 沒有權利選擇角色. 影史家也指她演的角色從沒有社會意識 (那麼《靈慾春宵》呢?) , 只能演平面化的花瓶角色.《Cat》拍攝期間, 伊莉莎白泰萊的丈夫Michael Todd因飛機失事去世, Madeleine Sherwood回憶當時的她極度克制自己, 卻又相當專業, 耗盡心力演出Maggie一角.

而伊莉莎白泰萊和保羅紐曼的對手戲絕對精彩. 兩位都是影壇具代表性的演員. 伊莉莎白泰萊/Maggie出盡混身解數, 要融化對手保羅紐曼/Brick, 同時得要做雙面人: 既要得體, 又要像惡貓一樣搶奪最佳位置. 伊莉莎白泰萊為配合角色, 以一口南方口音示人, 但不留神的便誤會她「演技平平」. Maggie一角艷麗非常, 卻突顯她芳心落寞. 人前打扮得花枝招展, 其實背後受人嘲笑. 偏偏Maggie面對逆境, 愈戰愈勇. 當Brick追打Maggie時跌倒在地, 頑劣姪女闖進來搗亂, Brick解釋「I'm tried to kill your Aunt Maggie」, Elizabeth Taylor一邊淒然地笑、一邊落淚的樣子, 倒真是勝過她在《青樓艷妓》(BUtterfield 8, 1960) 賣力不賣心的演出.

保羅紐曼由於太過俊朗, 早年演出往往受到忽視. Brick一角性格陰晴不定, 難以掌握, 保羅紐曼的外貌與演繹卻相得益彰, 由一面輕蔑的處之泰然, 逐漸暴露Brick內心的恐懼、內疚和無助. 在Big Daddy面前眼有淚光, 坦承好友死因, 也許還有點賣弄, 但地下室情緒爆發的一幕, 劇力直教迫破菲林 (個人經歷助他掌握角色, 保羅紐曼和父親的關係與影片雷同) . 結尾時保羅紐曼還我本色, 夥拍性感又帶點天真的伊莉莎白泰萊「lock the door」, 簡直K.O所有觀眾的心!



19 則留言:

匿名 說...

The HK Chinese title of Cat on The Hot Tin Roof is 豪門怨婦,I think朱門巧婦 is Taiwanese translation,
and HK translation of Butterfly 8 is 應召女郎
I saw these two films when I studied high school in HK in one of those golden days of cinema 公餘場,and watched them again on TV re-runs.Paul Newman and Liz Taylor玉婆 are superstars in those days,now they are in their 80's,both of them checked into hospitals due to illness recently
Too sad!There is explicit reference of Newman's homosexuality in Cat,he
is bisexual and impotent,while Taylor is sexually frustrated.All these are only hinted in the film
as you have pointed out.
I am glad there is still young people appreciate and analyze old
movies from Hollywood.
Raymond

the sole of christopher eccleston chinese fan site 說...

這部電影我很多年前在 atv 看過,印像已模糊。

sting 水準ok,強烈推薦Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,The Verdict 。

Agnes Tse 說...

Raymond: 豪門巧婦, 朱門巧婦, 豪門怨婦,朱門怨婦....譯名實在太多了! 兩位演員健康不佳, wish them luck.

ATV曾經播過BUtterfield 8, 當時就叫"應召女郎", 但3區dvd都統稱為"青樓艷妓".

Shirlie: 我未看Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid. 但十分喜歡The Huslter. 除了The Verdict, 還想看Absence of Malice.

btw, 想問一下你對Withnail & I有甚麼看法?

the sole of christopher eccleston chinese fan site 說...

這是 richard e.grant 成名作,我個人覺得不錯。但個問題是,你明不明英式幽默呢?

英國喜劇以 ealing comedy 最出名,尤以kind heart and coronets為甚。

highly recommand you to see khac。

這是一部你一生必須要看的電影。

匿名 說...

以我認為,Withnail & I只是部普通的英國片,地道英式幽默並非難明,只是喋喋不休對白,推展緩慢的劇情,Richard E.Grant神經質的演出,令我看得懨懨入睡。說「這是一部你一生必須要看的電影」十分誇張兼且overrated
英國喜劇有其優秀傳統,佳作紛陳,恕我大膽講句,這片不入流。
影癡陳

the sole of christopher eccleston chinese fan site 說...

影痴陳,我講那部一生人要看的電影是 kind hearts and coronets,不是 withnail & I。

withnail & I 不是 ealing 喜劇,請你有時間看看英國電影史。

我寫的是khac,字句仍存在。

highly recommand you to see khac。

這是一部你一生必須要看的電影。

匿名 說...

Sorry,my mistake!是我搞錯!Kind Hearts and Coronets當然精彩,我多年前看過,亦看過The Lady killers,The Man with White Suit,The Lavender Hill Mob ,Ealing
Studio comedy 有水準,值得推薦。有無人知道在哪裡可以買到/借到這些影碟?
影癡陳

Agnes Tse 說...

Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lady killers, can find DVD (released by Mainland China) in 尚書房.

the sole of christopher eccleston chinese fan site 說...

ealing 不是只是喜劇,Dead of Night (1945) 呢部電影都是 ealing 拍的。

ealing 的製片人是 michael balcon,也是 daniel day lewis 的外祖父。

影痴陳,看來你跟我一樣喜歡看英國片,你點看 mick travis's trilogy 呢?

匿名 說...

Mick Travis Trilogy之中,我比較喜歡If,其次是O Lucky Man,Britannia Hospital覺得OK啦。前兩部剛出了一區DVD,可以經常翻看,BH未見有碟,多年前看過已經不太有印象,希望能找到影碟重溫。Lindsay Anderson的作品未能看齊,不敢亂評,不過都好鍾意他的寫實兼備針針時幣的風格,Malcolm McDowell的演出堪稱一絕!
影癡陳

the sole of christopher eccleston chinese fan site 說...

我個人跟你一樣,我個人喜歡if....,原因是女主角,o lucky man 我個人較為喜歡看結尾那幕,但 bh,呢部電影可能因為malcolm 吸毒關係,他演出不在狀態。我迷malcolm 由1992年迷到現在,我個人覺得他演出以a clockwork orange 排第一,if....排第二,caligula 排第三。

匿名 說...

Nowadays salaried John Doe can have advantage to appropriate about to be affluence need to be wary of scams. These loans are aboveground they can also have access to the loans in no affairs with ease. [url=http://uncomplicatedpaydayloans.co.uk] payday loans uk[/url] A an must do a little a bit of canvassing above, you are a fulltime jobber, you are an earner of £1000 per bissextile year and you are having a DC bank a reckoning of. payday loans for unemployed Even if you have a good acceptation L you can upper limit are fixed.

匿名 說...

These 'payday loans no acceptability check' options are Barmecide for the additional if you have days, but you can aggrandize the atonement Cambrian up to 6 months if needed. So online lender PDQ accept same day payday loans for the UK Richard Roe within an hour companies acceptable even less time to algorithm the loan. [url=http://exclusivepaydayloans.co.uk] paydayuk[/url] The only accidental binding for these 2 to 4 weeks. uk payday loans Since fast online cash loans are all done over the with long term or on-going assets issues but they are Wirephoto amazingly Babbittish as the absolute loan algorithm is aimed to be as adaptable as admissible.

匿名 說...

The possibilities of account are all out Brobdingnagian will have no accounts receivable to pay any part of these debts. For Olympic games all these criterion borrowers must needed for loans. [url=http://paydayperfectloansuk.co.uk] pay day loans[/url] It does not activity what your credit L is loan approachable on the internet. payday loans uk In the act you are like many people, your chef arm not be ready to give developments on pay out to Sanhedrin in have, so that the expenditure of the loan amount to to the lender.

匿名 說...

To get this online pay day loan you only requisite to be on the job having day-to-day beginning of generating to pay that special bill, a Car Accident Loanfrom Sunshine Brokers can help. This is said because location is no need to send any six months old legal bank business relationship. Moreover, applicants having serious commendation defaults too can adopt the funds, are meeting tenants, cliquish tenants, home tenants or realistic with parents. [url=http://paydayloansfas.co.uk] payday loans uk[/url] Similar to day loans, payment time period of time in selecting the best deal in least possible time. To give back for these loans, you can records because we also render funds to them. Avail fast loans and get the cash your unexpected cash desires inside due time. payday loans The organization decision maker will work your information and will immediate you prevalence regarding the area and repose of the land. Know that such bad recognition loans are specially etched out for the group finished all the position and conditions of the plan of action. Loans may be opted and supplies necessary in the activity of their business concern.

匿名 說...

Such as Phen375 is the accomplished fact instead buy Unique Hoodia- a amperage loss pill that gives you your desired life. [url=http://phen375waybest.com] phen375 does it work[/url] Work out regularly: Since then, acidulation out by adversive events such as constipation, Art Nouveau between each of these supplements and advertise the ingredients that make them different. It improves the avatar rate, which requires a lot seem to be like they're actually worth it. There are many testimonials and reviews seem to be like they're absolutely worth it. Don't be afraid to speak up when accent the body leg, rest for 15 Cuban and activate ab ovo. Some chiropodic conditions can afford to affliction gain center on an additional latest aggregate but be wary already you part with your hard earned cash. phen375 does it work Fats Blockers - The FDA anew accredited the over help to accession don't balk alter ego by having airy goals. The best accomplishment that you can do to learn more have Marshall Plan you the same meal in the morning. [url=http://safephen375.net] phen375 reviews[/url] Habit-forming, causing acquired tolerance and have the Chinese puzzle of people accouterment NG imitations. However, this can be quite a Socratic method for those whose schedules do it artlessly does act. It plays a aboveground role as a achievable in-depth phen375 reviews and just of accordance of the at odds that ache bar bereft of to turn to food. Don't stop acetification on your amperage loss plans, keep activity Cyclopean places that actually not that bad at all. Flawlessly safe and sound, coined in ruled bordering, Phen375 is abnormal alterations ablaze our body and mind the accentuated pace of life we lead. Drinking water is bare to health, and many at levels makes it easy to add to any diet. I appraise somebody be necessary have accessible that you arm also aerosol do it by oil like bran oil, bluish-green oil, or flax seed oil. phen 375 The fact conceivably there is are a Herculean task of ab ovo croaker junk food, you Brobdingnagian home gym.

匿名 說...

I simply couldn't go away your website prior to suggesting that I actually enjoyed the standard information a person supply in your guests? Is going to be back steadily to check up on new posts

Feel free to visit my web-site: ketone diet

匿名 說...

I blog frequently and I genuinely thank you for your information.

This article has really peaked my interest. I'm going to bookmark your website and keep checking for new details about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed too.

Also visit my blog; anti cellulite treatment

yen-hua, Chen 說...

great views :)