電影女人香, Scent of a Woman (1992) @ 台灣向右轉部落格

導演(Director): Martin Brest

寫作劇本(Writers): Giovanni Arpino (小說novel), Bo Goldman (劇本screenplay)

演員Actors: Al Pacino, as Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade

Chris O'Donnell, as Charles/Charlie Simms

James Rebhorn, as Mr. Trask, the Headmaster of Baird School

Philip Seymour Hoffman, as George Willis, Jr.

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根據Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scent_of_a_Woman_(1992_film), 故事情節大概如下:

Charlie Simms is a student at an exclusive New England prep school. Unlike most of his peers, Charlie was not born to a wealthy family. To pay for a flight home for Christmas, Charlie accepts a temporary job over Thanksgiving weekend looking after retired Army Ranger Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, who Charlie discovers to be a cantankerous blind alcoholic.

Charlie and George Willis, Jr., another student at the preparatory school, witness several students setting up a prank for the school's headmaster Trask. Following the prank, Trask presses Charlie and George to divulge the names of the perpetrators. Trask offers a bribe, a letter of recommendation that would virtually guarantee his acceptance to Harvard. Charlie continues to remain silent but appears conflicted.

Shortly after Charlie arrives, Slade unexpectedly whisks Charlie off on a trip to New York City. Slade reserves a room at the Waldorf-Astoria. During dinner at an upscale restaurant, Slade glibly states the goals of the trip, which involve enjoying luxurious accommodations in New York before committing suicide. Charlie is taken aback and does not know if Slade is serious.

They pay an uninvited surprise visit to Slade's brother's home for Thanksgiving dinner. Slade is an unpleasant surprise for the family, as he deliberately provokes everyone and the night ends in acrimony. During this time the reason behind Slade's blindness is also revealed.

As they return to New York, Charlie tells Slade about his complications at school. Slade advises Charlie to inform on his classmates and go to Harvard, warning him that George will probably be pressured into not maintaining silence. Later at a restaurant, Charlie and Slade observe Donna, a beautiful young woman waiting for her date. Although blind, Slade leads Donna in a spectacular tango on the dance floor. That night, he hires an escort.

Deeply despondent the next morning, Slade responds to Charlie's suggestion that they test drive a Ferrari. Charlie lets Slade drive the car and Slade begins speeding, attracting the attention of a police officer (Ron Eldard), whom Slade manages to appease without giving away his blindness.

When they return to the hotel, Slade sends Charlie out on a list of errands. Charlie initially leaves the room but quickly becomes suspicious. Charlie returns to find Slade in his military uniform, preparing to commit suicide with a gun from which Charlie had made Slade promise to remove the bullets earlier, regarding which Slade states "I lied". Charlie intervenes and attempts to grab Slade's gun. Slade, however, easily overpowers him, threatening to shoot Charlie before himself. They enter a tense argument, with both struggling for the gun; however, after Charlie bravely calms Slade, he backs down.

The two return to New England. At school, Charlie and George are subjected to a formal inquiry in front of the student body and the student/faculty disciplinary committee. As headmaster Trask is opening the proceedings, Slade unexpectedly returns to the school, joining Charlie on the auditorium stage for support. For his defense, George has enlisted the help of his wealthy father, and divulges the names of the perpetrators, qualifying that his vision wasn't clear. When pressed for more details, George passes the burden to Charlie. Although struggling with his decision, Charlie gives no information, so Trask recommends Charlie's expulsion.

At this, Slade cannot contain himself and launches into a passionate speech defending Charlie and questioning the integrity of a system that rewards informing on classmates. He tells them that Charlie has shown integrity in his actions and for the committee to not expel him because this is what great leaders are made of and he will make them proud in the future. The disciplinary committee decides to place on probation the students named by George, and to give George neither recognition nor commendation for his testimony. They excuse Charlie from any punishment and allow him to have no further say in the inquiries, to loud applause from the student body.

As Charlie escorts Slade to his limo, a female political science teacher, Christine Downes, who was part of the disciplinary committee approaches Slade, commending him for his speech. Seeing a spark between them, Charlie tells the teacher that Slade served on President Lyndon Johnson's staff. A romantic prospect is hinted between Slade and the teacher as they part ways.

Charlie takes Slade home, where they go their separate ways. The colonel walks towards his house and greets his niece's young children happily as Charlie watches by the limo.

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中文維基百科 [http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A5%B3%E4%BA%BA%E9%A6%99_(1992%E5%B9%B4%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1)]:

家境貧窮的查理在私人貴族學校博頓中學讀書，為了掙聖誕節回家的錢，他找了一份在感恩節照顧退役中校的工作。學校名聲悠久，以正直高尚為校訓，然而最近出了大丑聞：有幾個富家子弟惡意作弄了校長，碰巧目睹現場的查理和另外一名學生喬治（菲利浦·西摩·霍夫曼）於是被校長請去威逼利誘要求供出罪犯。查理出於義氣堅決不願出賣朋友，校長於是悻悻令其在感恩節期間做出最終決定，如果其堅持不作證，不僅會取消獎學金，更可能直接作開除處理，令查理陷入極大的苦惱中。

雙目幾乎失明的退役中校則對人生心灰意冷，目前唯一的計劃是去紐約徹底享受一番然後自殺了結一切，他帶著查理來到紐約，極盡奢侈的享受生活。其間，他幾次感覺再無遺憾而準備自殺，查理都拚命勸止，兩個身份天壤之別的人，在這段生死之間的路程中拉近了心靈的距離。在與查理的交流中，中校逐漸彷彿重新找到了自己的存在價值，感受到自己優秀的天賦和生活的樂趣，而查理在同情和極力挽救對方的同時也得到了戰勝自我的勇氣，堅定了自己的信念。中校的自殺計劃一再被拖延，直到最後一天，他徹底下定決心支開查理，但卻被察覺，在最後的交鋒中，終於兩人站在一起戰勝了心靈的陰暗，中校被感動而改變了念頭，兩人乘車返回。

回到學校的查理，坦然地決定捨身取義，寧可拋棄前途也不會違背自己的良心，而喬治卻準備利用自己父親的關係矇混過關。校長召開師生大會審判醜聞事件，會上喬治狡猾地推託說自己視力不好以逃避責任，其父也不斷包庇為其遮掩，而孤身一人的查理大義凜然堅守立場準備接受處分。關鍵時刻中校趕到會議現場以查理監護人身份出席，並發表了一篇極富激情和說服力的演講。中校指出學生答應替同學保密的誠信人格比說出搗蛋者來換取校長推薦信更重要，這發言贏得滿堂喝彩，學校風紀會也被其打動，最後查理終於因此得到了寬大不罰的處理，和中校一樣，兩人將重新開始享受充滿光明的未來。=======================================================

*** 上文中"答應替同學保密的誠信," 其實並不正確. 西畝司查理(Charles Simms)並沒有對惡作劇的同學做出任何承諾. 他只是認為告密(抓耙仔)是一種不可取的行為, 不道德的行為. 他說: "I just can't do (that)." 故堅決不透露! =======================================================

其實, 我真正有興趣的, 是Slade中校在Baird學校的紀律委員與全校大會上的一席"演說." 如下: (我只翻譯後半部)

Lt. Col. Frank Slade Addresses Baird School Disciplinary Hearing

Trask: Mr. Sims, you are a cover-up artist and you are a liar.

Slade: But not a snitch.

Trask: Excuse me?

Slade: No, I don't think I will.

Trask: Mr. Slade.

Slade: This is such a crock of shit.

Trask: Please watch your language, Mr. Slade. You are in the Baird School not a barracks. Mr. Sims, I will give you one final opportunity to speak up.

Slade: Mr. Sims doesn't want it. He doesn't need to labeled: "Still worthy of being a 'Baird Man.'" What the hell is that? What is your motto here? "Boys, inform on your classmates, save your hide" -- anything short of that we're gonna burn you at the stake? Well, gentlemen, when the shit hits the fan some guys run and some guys stay. Here's Charlie facing the fire; and there's George hidin' in big Daddy's pocket. And what are you doin'? You're gonna reward George and destroy Charlie.

Trask: Are you finished, Mr. Slade.

Slade: No, I'm just gettin' warmed up. I don't know who went to this place, William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryan, William Tell -- whoever. Their spirit is dead -- if they ever had one -- it's gone. You're building a rat ship here. A vessel for sea goin' snitches. And if you think your preparing these minnows for manhood you better think again. Because I say you are killing the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills! What a sham. What kind of a show are you guys puttin' on here today. I mean, the only class in this act is sittin' next to me. And I'm here to tell ya this boy's soul is intact. It's non-negotiable. You know how I know? Someone here -- and I'm not gonna say who -- offered to buy it. Only Charlie here wasn't sellin'.

Trask: Sir, you are out of order.
戳阿司克: 長官, 你太過份了(不得體, 不符合程序).

Slade: Outta order? I'll show you outta order! You don't know what outta order is, Mr. Trask! I'd show you but I'm too old; I'm too tired; I'm too fuckin' blind. If I were the man I was five years ago I'd take a FLAME-THROWER to this place! Outta order. Who the hell you think you're talkin' to? I've been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there isn't nothin' like the sight of an amputated spirit; there is no prosthetic for that. You think you're merely sendin' this splendid foot-soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say you are executin' his SOUL!! And why?! Because he's not a Baird man! Baird men, ya hurt this boy, you're going to be Baird Bums, the lot of ya. And Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are out there, FUCK YOU, too!

司類德中校: 太過份? 我很想告訴你什麼是太過份, 戳阿司克先生, 你根本就不知道. 我想要告訴你, 可是, 我太老了, 已經沒氣力了, 我也太(他x的)瞎了眼了! 如果是五年前的我, 我就把噴火器帶來這裡, 讓你看看, 什麼才叫做太過份! 你以為你是在跟誰講話! 你知道嗎, 我曾經走遍各地? 我曾經看得見過, 我見過這種年齡的男孩, 甚至更年輕的, 他們的手被拉斷, 他們的腳被扯掉. 可是這些慘狀, 都無法比擬被撕裂的靈魂, 因為靈魂是無法接義肢的. 你以為你只是把這優秀的小兵, 像兩隻腳夾著尾巴似地, 趕回奧勒岡老家嗎! 可是, 我說你正在處決他的靈魂! 為什麼? 就因為他不像個"貝爾德人!" "貝爾德人"們, 如果你們傷害了這孩子, 你們全都要變成"貝爾德白吃(癡)." 還有, 哈瑞, 吉米, 萃恩特, 不管你們在那裡, ... (下略)

Mr. Trask: Stand down, Mr. Slade!

戳阿司克: 司類德先生, 請你下去!

Slade: I'm not finished! As I came in here, I heard those words, "cradle of leadership." Well, when the bow breaks, the cradle will fall. And it has fallen here; it has fallen. Makers of men; creators of leaders; be careful what kind of leaders you're producin' here. I don't know if Charlie's silence here today is right or wrong.

司類德中校: 我還沒說完. 當我走進來時, 聽到有人說到"培養領導人的搖籃." 不過, 當繩子斷掉的時候, 搖籃是會掉落的. 而且, 這裡的搖籃就要掉下來了. 號稱要培育人才, 要培養領導人的學校當局, 要小心一點, 到底你們所培養出的, 是怎樣的一種人才, 是怎樣的一種領導人! 我不知道查理今天的沉默, 是對還是錯.

I'm not a judge or jury. But I can tell you this: he won't sell anybody out to buy his future!! And that, my friends, is called integrity! That's called courage! Now that's the stuff leaders should be made of. Now I have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here's Charlie. He's come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path. It's the right path. It's a path made of principle -- that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey.

我也不是法官或陪審團成員. 不過, 我可以告訴你們: 他絕不會為了自己的將來去出賣任何人! 朋友們, 這就是正直, 這就是勇氣; 這就是一個領導人所應具有的特質. 每當我走到人生的十字路口時, 毫無疑問地, 我永遠知道那一條是正確的道路. 可是, 從來不曾選那條(正確的)道路, 因為, 那條路實在太難走了! 今天, 查理也走到了他自己的十字路口; 他要選擇的是一條正確的道路, 一條堅守原則, 具有(領袖)特質的道路. 就讓他繼續完成他的旅程吧.

You hold this boy's future in your hands, committee. It's a valuable future. Believe me. Don't destroy it! Protect it. Embrace it. It's gonna make ya proud one day -- I promise you.
委員們, 這孩子的未來掌握在各位的手中. 這將是一個有價值的未來. 相信我, 不要摧毀他, 保護他, 包容他. 我保證, 有一天你們會為今天這樣的決定感到無比的驕傲!

來源: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/specialengagements/moviespeechscentofawoman.html