劫后英雄传

好莱坞拍摄于1952年的【劫后英雄传】，属于好莱坞黄金时代史诗片热潮中的一员，内容改编自司科特爵士的中世纪传奇小说“艾凡赫”，小说古早以前看过，至于内容全忘了。 大概是—— 故事发生在十二世纪末英王狮心理查一世发起十字军东征，因参加远征的基督教国家内部分崩离析，不久就被迫班师。在归途中遇风暴，被奥地利公爵所俘，囚禁在多瑙河上城堡中一年余，效忠约翰王子的诺曼人与效忠狮心王的萨克逊人互相对抗。萨克逊英雄艾凡赫卖力地筹集赎金，希望将被俘的国王从诺曼人手上赎回，因而跟恶棍吉尔波特发生了连场恶斗。期间，艾凡赫也跟路文娜公主及犹太姑娘丽贝嘉发生了三角恋爱的冲突，构成了一个热闹动人的故事。 不过我看这个老电影完全是冲着那一堆大牌明星去的： Joan Fontaine（片中饰演Lady Rowena） 一个极富传奇色彩的好莱坞女星，出名的的那部【蝴蝶梦】，当时她21岁初出茅庐，饰演了一个自卑内向胆小的女主人公，因此获得了奥斯卡最佳女主角的奖项，也是希区克柯片子里唯一获这个奖项的女演员，她演得太好，以至于我猜她在生活中是否也是这样的战战兢兢胆小害羞，不过完全不是这样 ——生活中的Joan Fontaine脾气倔强，与任何人都合不来，自传里她直白地告诉读者她恨Laurence Olivier、恨Vivien Leigh（因为这夫妻两在试镜时拼命想挤掉这个新人，可惜老希早就定下女主角了，反而加以利用煽动气氛……我注意到老希的女主角绝对都是金发碧眼的，所以黑发美人没戏）恨Judith Anderson（她拍戏时经常迟到）、恨XXX、恨XX……很多不记得了，与姐姐Olivia de Havilland的关系恶劣，小时候就互相掐架恶语相向，打斗中还踩断了肋骨（谁踩谁不记得了），就连奥斯卡领奖时也互不理睬互翻白眼，当然光是脾气不好不能吸引我，重要的是她多才多艺、兴趣广泛、意志坚强，从骑马、驾驶飞机、烹饪、园艺无所不能～ 晚年时姐姐Olivia de Havilland生活陷入窘境，Joan毅然伸出援助之手，老姐妹重修旧好，现在这俩姐妹依旧健在，健康长寿啊！！从黄金时代过来的人能与我等共存于一个世界真是件美妙的事情～ Elizabeth Taylor（片中饰演犹太姑娘Rebecca） 与Joan Fontaine 第二次合作（好像也是最后一次），第一次是1944年版的“简爱”，没啥对手戏，Taylor演的是早殇的小海伦，1952年拍Ivanhoe时Taylor刚19岁，非常年轻非常漂亮！！片中就是三角关系，估计实际情况中Fontaine也不会喜欢她… 那时Taylor正感情低潮，米高梅公司为了拆散Taylor的一场不伦恋情强迫她到英国参加拍摄，有趣的是到英国后这个感情丰富的小姑娘立刻陷入另一场不伦之恋，并且修成正果，在1952年与英国演员Michael Wilding 结婚，这是她的第2次婚姻。 Taylor经历了的8次婚姻，一般人听到估计都觉得不可思议～其中第一次婚姻才8个月就和那个小气冷漠的希尔顿财团继承人分手了，与Michael Todd的火热甜蜜生活由于他的意外死亡而中止， 另两次是和一生的至爱“永远的马克安东尼”Richard Burton。 不过这在当时的好莱坞不算太特别，演员们结婚在4次左右很普遍，比如参与此片拍摄的其他演员Fontaine、George Sanders 、Robert Douglas等。 回想了看过Taylor的一系列电影（郎心似铁、巨人、热铁皮屋顶上的猫、魂断巴黎、埃及艳后等等），突然发现她在电影里从来不笑，90％的镜头都是略带忧郁的面无表情…剩下10％的笑也是淡淡的微笑、冷笑、嘲笑＝。。＝ Robert Taylor（片中饰演Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe） 对于这位英俊男演员的八卦没有深入挖掘，30年代是典型的奶油小生，到了40年代留起了胡子更有种老派绅士风度～ George Sanders （片中饰演Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert） 这位出生于俄国的演员引起我注意的是在【蝴蝶梦】里饰演Jack Favell——Rebecca的表哥，浮夸的花花公子（和Joan Fontaine也是第二次合作），大概长得不太象好人所以饰演的角色都是类似的，比如之后在【曼哈顿的故事Tales of Manhattan】（关于一件被诅咒的燕尾服的故事）里面他演的一个小角色。 在【Ivanhoe】里就是最大的反派“圣殿骑士吉尔波特”，最有劲的是和Elizabeth Taylor的对手戏！老谋深算的诺曼贵族爱上了纯洁虔诚的犹太姑娘～多么让人心花怒放啊～～～ imdb的评论上关于Sanders的最后结局有些让我意外： “He continued to play mostly villains and charming heels until his suicide in 1972.” 此片是米高梅公司的野心之作，“他们想通过英国典雅、大器的异域空间，富丽堂皇的仿古布景，中世纪的名贵服装，空前庞大的明星阵容，把司科特爵士的经典著作再现为一部好莱坞彩色片。”可惜，结果并不尽如人意，故事情节平淡无奇，不如小说精彩，从场景、服装、建筑的华美精致程度来看中世纪题材显然比不上同时期的古罗马题材，知名度则不如拖跨福克斯公司的【埃及艳后】，只能说是一部不温不火的平平之作。 以上多数剧照来自：http://www.jamd.com/entertainment/

To appreciate the films of Richard Thorpe is to grasp the unromantic, pragmatic work ethic of the Golden Age of Hollywood. He is not the type of director to be celebrated on the covers of film magazines or debated in the hallowed halls of academia. He is, to put it simply, a craftsman - a master builder in a town of star architects. While others seek to imprint their personal vision, Thorpe is the grand architect of the studio spectacle, a man who can be handed a project of immense scale and delivers it with such polished professionalism that the artistry of his work becomes almost invisible, absorbed into the sheer lavishness of the production itself. His filmography, stretching from B-movie quickies to Technicolor extravaganzas, is a testament to an ethos that celebrates not the creator, but the creation. And perhaps nowhere is this ethos more brilliantly and entertainingly displayed than in his trio of early 1950s MGM epics: THE GREAT CARUSO, IVANHOE, and THE PRISONER OF ZENDA.On the surface, it seems a random assortment of films. A musical biopic, a medieval adventure, and a swashbuckling romance. Yet, they are bound by a common thread: each is a genre piece executed with a singular commitment to fulfill its promise on the most spectacular terms possible. In a Thorpe film, the audience gets exactly what it comes for, and then some.Consider THE GREAT CARUSO. This is not a movie about the inner torment of a brilliant artist, the shadows behind his fame, or the psychological complexity of his vocation. This is a film that understands its core appeal lies in one thing and one thing only: the voice. It is a monument to Mario Lanza’s magnificent pipes, and Thorpe’s direction takes a sleekness in getting out of the way. He doesn't try to infuse the narrative with much personal insight. Instead, he treats the film as a cinematic concert, a meticulously staged event designed to showcase Lanza’s vocal power in glorious Technicolor. The plot is a familiar, almost saccharine, rags-to-riches tale, riddled with artistic license towards accuracy: a young, unrefined singer from Naples rises to global fame, facing snobbish critics and disapproving future in-laws along the way. The dramatic arcs are as simple and direct as a musical scale. But who cares about dramatic complexity when the screen is swelling with a full-throated aria from a packed opera house? Thorpe’s direction serves as a most dutiful hand on the tiller, guiding the audience from one performance to the next. The camera lovingly captures the opulent sets, the flowing gowns, and the sheer spectacle of the Met, all in service of creating a scenographic space for Lanza’s arias. Therefore, the end result is a spectacle of sound and color, a grand cinematic echo of the opera house itself. Thorpe manifests an elegant and steadfast refusal to let anything distract from the main event (although the ending seems rushed and the film is an unapologetic hagiography).The performances in THE GREAT CARUSO are attuned to the film’s purpose. Lanza, the true star, embodies the role of Enrico Caruso with a buoyant charm that makes his vocal brilliance seem almost effortless. He projects a down-to-earth persona that wins over both opera aficionados and the movie theater audience. His charisma, however, is a mere prelude to the real deal: his singing. Lanza's voice is the film's undeniable protagonist. The soundtrack is not just a backdrop; it is the film's raison d'être. It is a stunning collection of some of the most famous arias in opera, including excerpts from Rigoletto, Aida, and Tosca, all presented with pristine clarity. Each piece is a showstopper, and the film is structured around them. While Ann Blyth as his love interest provides a lovely, grounding presence, she and the rest of the cast are there to set the stage for Lanza’s monumental talent.This same principle of undivided focus on spectacle applies to the medieval landscape of IVANHOE. While some historical epics strive for authenticity or intellectual depth, Thorpe's propensity is for untarnished pageantry and battle thrills. It is a fairy tale for adults, a harlequin tableau of chivalry and valor. Glaringly, IVANHOE is a celebration of the bold and the beautiful, where heroes are noble, wearing shining armor, villains are dastardly, wearing sneers and having a penchant for peroration, and the costumes are a sight to behold. The central conflict - the battle for the throne between the kidnapped King Richard (Wooland) and his treacherous brother Prince John (Rolfe, a gaunt beanpole, convincingly bristled with antipathy and vileness) - is simplified into a classic good-versus-evil narrative. What follows is a series of assiduously choreographed set pieces: a breathtaking jousting tournament that crackles with tension, a climactic castle siege that is all heroic posturing and disarrayed stunts, and a final duel where the stunt doubles are too obvious to ignore.That said, the production value of IVANHOE is staggering, even by MGM's high standards. The film's grandeur is built on a foundation of lush, vibrant Technicolor cinematography that makes every banner, crest, and suit of armor pop off the screen. The sets and locations, filmed on a grand scale in the UK, create a convincingly majestic and expansive world, from the tournament grounds to the imposing castle. Rózsa's score is a high-octane, soaring orchestral piece that seamlessly tallies with the film's epic scope, providing a sense of gravitas and heroism that elevates every scene. Appertaining to performances, Robert Taylor's Ivanhoe is a swarthy and upright hero, he looks unequivocally on the wrong side of a youthful King Richard's devout. Sanders is in his default mode as the sneering villain Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert, radiating a sophisticated malice that makes him the perfect foil. Elizabeth Taylor (a 19-year-old knockabout born to dazzle the Technicolor screen) and Fontaine (who can only compete in graciousness), as the objects of Ivanhoe's affections, both bring a commendable presence to their roles, adding a mutually sororal respect to the usual romantic narrative, they are rivals sans a morsel of malice.Finally, we arrive at THE PRISONER OF ZENDA, arguably the purest expression of Thorpe’s philosophy. Rehashing the same script of John Cromwell's 1937 black-and-white version, Thorpe does not seek to add a new layer of meaning or subvert the story (it is a nearly shot-for-shot remake), he simply sets out to make it the most gorgeous-looking adventure. The film becomes the pursuit of perfection within a known structure and its story is a familiar one of mistaken identity and daring impersonation, but in Thorpe’s hands, it becomes a showcase for multicolored refinement.The film's visual splendor is a key element of its success. Chromatic vibrancy is a feast for the eyes, presenting the fictional kingdom of Ruritania in all its regal glory. The period costumes are magnificent and the plot is lead by a goofy joyfulness, all contributing to a feeling of grand escapism. But while the production design is impeccable, it is the electric performances that define this film. Granger, in the dual role of the commoner and the king, possesses a youthful athleticism and a charming swagger that is distinct from his predecessor. His performance is a confident display of a leading man in his prime. And most eminently, Mason as the villainous Rupert of Hentzau is an electrifying counterpoint, a suave and menacing embodiment of undiluted evil. Kerr, reuniting with Granger after the victory of KING SOLOMON’S MINES (1950), although in a supporting role, doesn't hold back from exuding a majestic resplendence whenever her Princess Flavia graces the screen in astounding regalia. The final sword fight between the two men is a beautifully choreographed pas de deux (although Mason's double becomes a prominent diversion), a ballet of steel and cunning that is both thrilling and hazardous. The soundtrack, a re-use of Alfred Newman's Oscar-nominated score from the 1937 film, is a bold and effective choice. It provides a familiar, sweeping musical backdrop that enhances the film's romantic and suspenseful elements without distracting from the central conflict. In this film, Thorpe’s direction is at its most efficient and effectual, triumphantly transforms a familiar tale into a fanciful escapade.By and by, Thorpe’s legacy is a less recognized one. He is equipped with neither staggering showmanship nor a rebellious disposition. Yet, he fathoms that the art of cinema is not just about personal expression but about giving the ticket buyers a sensation they cannot get anywhere else: the feeling of being transported to a world more grand, more colorful, and more exciting than their own. And most crucially, Thorpe is well up on how to build them from the ground up.referential entries: Thorpe's NIGHT MUST FALL (1937, 7.1/10); Compton Bennett and Andrew Marton's KING SOLOMON’S MINES (1950, 6.8/10); Michael Curtiz, William Keighley's THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938, 7.2/10). Title: The Great CarusoYear: 1951Genre: Musical, Biography, RomanceCountry: USALanguage: English, ItalianDirector: Richard Thorpe Screenwriters: Sonia Levien, William LudwigComposer: Johnny Green Cinematographer: Joseph RuttenbergEditor: Gene Ruggiero Cast:Mario LanzaAnn BlythDorothy KirstenJarmila NovotnaRichard HagemanCarl Benton RaidEduardo FranzLudwig DonathAlan NapierPál JávorCarl MilletaireShepard Menken Vincent RennoNester PaivaIan WolfeAngela ClarkeMario SilettiYvette Duguay Rating: 7.7/10

2023.10.24