阮一峰的网络日志

电影《It's a wonderful life》

《美好人生》（It's a wonderful life）是一部很老的电影，1947年拍摄的黑白片。电影史上的经典，每年圣诞节都会重播。我大概看过三四遍了，它属于我最喜欢的电影之一。

它的故事很温暖，也很鼓舞人心。

主人公乔治在圣诞夜丧失了对生活的信心，准备自杀。于是，上帝派了一个天使，来帮他渡过这个危机。在天使的指引下，乔治看到了如果自己没有来到这个世界，很多人的人生会变得不幸和痛苦。他由此明白了自己生命的价值何在，重新鼓起了生活的勇气。

下面是其中两段台词。

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乔治和玛丽参加高中毕业舞会，因为跳舞掉入了游泳池，全身都湿了。

深夜，他们两人一边说笑，一边回家。玛丽披着浴袍，乔治只穿着篮球背心，四周一片寂静。

乔治一回头，突然发现玛丽不见了，地上只剩下玛丽的浴袍。原来他一不小心，把玛丽的浴袍踩掉了。

乔治：玛丽，你在哪儿？好了，我认输，别跟我捉迷藏……

玛丽（声音从路边的树丛里传出）：我在这里。

乔治（准备把浴袍扔给玛丽）：给你，接着……等一等，我在干什么？这种情况很有意思啊。

玛丽（严厉的）：请把我的衣服给我。

乔治（得意的）：一个男人可不是每天都能遇到这种事的。

玛丽（央求道）：我要我的衣服。

乔治：这个时候可不行。

玛丽（打了个喷嚏）：啊……嚏……

乔治（乐呵呵的）：祝你健康（Gesundheit）。

玛丽（生气的）：乔治.巴利！你要想清楚这样的后果。把衣服给我！

乔治：我在小说上见过这种事，可是从来没有……

玛丽：你真可耻！我要到你妈那里告发你！

乔治：哦，要找我妈得先走过那个街角。

玛丽：我要叫警察了！

乔治：他们现在都在镇子中心呢。就算他们来，也是站在我这边的。

玛丽：你，你……我要尖叫了！

乔治：那我要考虑是不是出售门票。……

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乔治的父亲经营着一家住房贷款合作社。当他去世后，董事会开会决定合作社的未来。

Potter是小镇上的银行家，最富的人。他视合作社为他的眼中钉，欲除之而后快。他对乔治的父亲大肆攻击，乔治针锋相对进行了回击。

There are about twelve directors seated around a long table.
They are the substantial citizens of Bedford Falls: Dr.
Campbell, a lawyer, an insurance agent, a real estate
salesman, etc. Prominently seated among them is Henry F.
Potter, his goon beside his wheelchair. Uncle Billy and George
are seated among the directors. The Chairman of the Board is
Dr. Campbell. They have folders and papers before them, on
which they have been reporting. Before each of the directors
there are individual reports for them to study.

DR. CAMPBELL
I think that's all we'll need you
for, George. I know you're anxious
to make a train.

GEORGE
(rising)
I have a taxi waiting downstairs.

DR. CAMPBELL
I want the Board to know that George
gave up his trip to Europe to help
straighten things out here these
past few months. Good luck to you
at school, George.

GEORGE
Thanks.

DR. CAMPBELL
Now we come to the real purpose of
this meeting – to appoint a successor
to our dear friend, Peter Bailey.

POTTER
Mr. Chairman, I'd like to get to my
real purpose.

MAN
Wait just a minute now.

POTTER
Wait for what? I claim this
institution is not necessary to this
town. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I
make a motion to dissolve this
institution and turn its assets and
liabilities over to the receiver.

UNCLE BILLY
(angrily)
George, you hear what that buzzard...

LAWYER
Mr. Chairman, it's too soon after
Peter Bailey's death to discuss
chloroforming the Building and Loan.

MAN
Peter Bailey died three months ago.
I second Mr. Potter's motion.

DR. CAMPBELL
Very well. In that case I'll ask the
two executive officers to withdraw.

Dr. Campbell rises from his seat. George and Uncle Billy
start to collect their papers and leave the table.

DR. CAMPBELL
But before you go, I'm sure the whole
board wishes to express its deep
sorrow at the passing of Peter Bailey.

GEORGE
Thank you very much.

DR. CAMPBELL
It was his faith and devotion that
are responsible for this organization.

POTTER
I'll go further than that. I'll say
that to the public Peter Bailey was
the Building and Loan.

Everyone looks at him surprised.

UNCLE BILLY
(trying to control
himself)
Oh, that's fine, Potter, coming from
you, considering that you probably
drove him to his grave.

POTTER
Peter Bailey was not a business man.
That's what killed him. Oh, I don't
mean any disrespect to him, God rest
his soul. He was a man of high
ideals, so-called, but ideals without
common sense can ruin this town.
(picking up papers
from table)
Now, you take this loan here to Ernie
Bishop... You know, that fellow that
sits around all day on his brains in
his taxi. You know... I happen to
know the bank turned down this loan,
but he comes here and we're building
him a house worth five thousand
dollars. Why?

George is at the door of the office, holding his coat and
papers, ready to leave.

GEORGE
Well, I handled that, Mr. Potter.
You have all the papers there. His
salary, insurance. I can personally
vouch for his character.

POTTER
(sarcastically)
A friend of yours?

GEORGE
Yes, sir.

POTTER
You see, if you shoot pool with some
employee here, you can come and borrow
money. What does that get us? A
discontented, lazy rabble instead of
a thrifty working class. And all
because a few starry-eyed dreamers
like Peter Bailey stir them up and
fill their heads with a lot of
impossible ideas. Now, I say...

George puts down his coat and comes around to the table,
incensed by what Potter is saying about his father.

GEORGE
Just a minute – just a minute. Now,
hold on, Mr. Potter. You're right
when you say my father was no business
man. I know that. Why he ever started
this cheap, penny-ante Building and
Loan, I'll never know. But neither
you nor anybody else can say anything
against his character, because his
whole life was... Why, in the twenty-
five years since he and Uncle Billy
started this thing, he never once
thought of himself. Isn't that right,
Uncle Billy? He didn't save enough
money to send Harry to school, let
alone me. But he did help a few people
get out of your slums, Mr. Potter.
And what's wrong with that? Why...
Here, you're all businessmen here.
Doesn't it make them better citizens?
Doesn't it make them better customers?
You... you said... What'd you say
just a minute ago?... They had to
wait and save their money before
they even ought to think of a decent
home. Wait! Wait for what? Until
their children grow up and leave
them? Until they're so old and broken-
down that they... Do you know how
long it takes a working man to save
five thousand dollars? Just remember
this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble
you're talking about... they do most
of the working and paying and living
and dying in this community. Well,
is it too much to have them work and
pay and live and die in a couple of
decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my
father didn't think so. People were
human beings to him, but to you, a
warped, frustrated old man, they're
cattle. Well, in my book he died a
much richer man than you'll ever be!

POTTER
I'm not interested in your book. I'm
talking about the Building and Loan.

GEORGE
I know very well what you're talking
about. You're talking about something
you can't get your fingers on, and
it's galling you. That's what you're
talking about, I know.
(to the Board)
Well, I've said too much. I... You're
the Board here. You do what you want
with this thing. Just one thing more,
though. This town needs this measly
one-horse institution if only to
have some place where people can
come without crawling to Potter.
Come on, Uncle Billy!

George leaves the room, followed by the jubilant Uncle Billy.
Potter's face is grim with hatred. The "frustrated old man"
remark was gall in his veins.

Posted by Ruan YiFeng at January 15, 2006 10:00 PM | 返回首页