美国国家公共电台 NPR--Underage stars of the 1968 version of 'Romeo & Juliet' sue over nude scene

Underage stars of the 1968 version of 'Romeo & Juliet' sue over nude¹ scene

Transcript²

The stars of the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet have accused Paramount³ Pictures of child sexual abuse — just days before California's three-year grace period for reviving past lawsuits⁵ expired.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

The stars of the 1968 blockbuster "Romeo And Juliet" are suing Paramount Pictures for child sexual abuse over a nude scene filmed when they were teens. Now in their 70s, their complaint was among the last ones filed under a California law that temporarily suspended the statute⁶ of limitations for child sexual abuse claims. Here's NPR's Neda Ulaby.

NEDA ULABY, BYLINE⁷: Actor Leonard Whiting was only 16 years old when he played Romeo. His Juliet, Olivia Hussey, was 15.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "ROMEO AND JULIET")

OLIVIA HUSSEY: (As Juliet) If that thy bent⁸ of love be honorable...

LEONARD WHITING: (As Romeo) Yes.

HUSSEY: (As Juliet) ...Thy purpose marriage...

ULABY: The movie, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, was a box office smash, the "Titanic⁹" of its day. It saved Paramount Pictures from financial ruin. But school kids for generations have been impressed by more than the beauty and splendor¹⁰ of the Shakespeare adaptation.

TONY MARINOZZI: I remember being in school, I had to get a permission slip to watch that movie from my mother.

ULABY: Tony Marinozzi knows he remembers how scandalous it was to see Hussey topless and Whiting's rear end. Now he's a business manager representing both actors. The movie was not a moneymaker for them as it was for Paramount, and neither went on to A-list careers, which they blame in part on the film. Their lawsuit⁴ alleges¹¹ negligence¹², appropriation¹³ of name and likeness¹⁴ and unfair business practices, as well as child sexual abuse.

MARINOZZI: The evidence is in the film.

ULABY: Marinozzi is talking about the nude scene, which Hussey has defended over the years. But according to the lawsuit, both actors now say they were coerced¹⁵ into the nudity and tricked about camera placement.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Do you think the scene is improved by it being played in the nude?

HUSSEY: Yes.

ULABY: Even in 1967, when teenaged Hussey and Whiting were promoting the film, you can hear their uncertainty¹⁶ in an interview on the British Film Institute website.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

WHITING: Yeah, I think - because it was always played on the balcony anyway, the whole scene, and I think - was it Franco that decided¹⁷ first to do it in the bedroom? I think so. Yeah.

ULABY: Director Franco Zeffirelli died in 2019. He also never responded to accusations¹⁸ of sexual assault decades ago by the young actor who played Benvolio. And it's hard to imagine 16-year-olds being filmed this way at a major studio today. But Tony Marinozzi says this lawsuit, which seeks millions of dollars in damages, is not about making deep changes. It is, he says, about closure.

Neda Ulaby, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MART?NEZ: Paramount Pictures has not responded to NPR's request for comment.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 nude   

adj.裸体的；n.裸体者，裸体艺术品

参考例句：

• It's a painting of the Duchess of Alba in the nude.这是一幅阿尔巴公爵夫人的裸体肖像画。
• She doesn't like nude swimming.她不喜欢裸泳。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 paramount   

a.最重要的，最高权力的

参考例句：

• My paramount object is to save the Union and destroy slavery.我的最高目标是拯救美国，摧毁奴隶制度。
• Nitrogen is of paramount importance to life on earth.氮对地球上的生命至关重要。

4 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

5 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

6 statute   

n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例

参考例句：

• Protection for the consumer is laid down by statute.保障消费者利益已在法令里作了规定。
• The next section will consider this environmental statute in detail.下一部分将详细论述环境法令的问题。

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

9 titanic   

adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的

参考例句：

• We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。
• The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

10 splendor   

n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌

参考例句：

• Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor.他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。
• All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend.人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。

11 alleges   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The newspaper article alleges that the mayor is corrupt. 报纸上断言该市长腐败。
• Steven was tardy this morning and alleges that his bus was late. 史提芬今天早上迟到的说词是公车误点了。

12 negligence   

n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意

参考例句：

• They charged him with negligence of duty.他们指责他玩忽职守。
• The traffic accident was allegedly due to negligence.这次车祸据说是由于疏忽造成的。

13 appropriation   

n.拨款，批准支出

参考例句：

• Our government made an appropriation for the project.我们的政府为那个工程拨出一笔款项。
• The council could note an annual appropriation for this service.议会可以为这项服务表决给他一笔常年经费。

14 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。

15 coerced   

v.迫使做( coerce的过去式和过去分词 )；强迫；（以武力、惩罚、威胁等手段）控制；支配

参考例句：

• They were coerced into negotiating a settlement. 他们被迫通过谈判解决。
• He was coerced into making a confession. 他被迫招供。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

17 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

18 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。