经济学人151:新电影 回到过去

　　Pitched back into the past
新电影，回到过去
A new film about Jackie Robinson is a surprise hit
新版《杰基罗宾逊的故事》强势来袭
BRIAN HELGELAND'S latest film is steeped in nostalgia¹ without ever being sentimental². Its title, “42”, is the number on the back of the jersey³ worn by its hero, Jackie Robinson, a gifted player who broke the colour bar in baseball.
由布莱恩海尔格兰德导演的最新电影充满了怀旧之情，但又不伤感。电影名称《42号》，正是男主角杰基罗宾逊—一个打破种族歧视的天才棒球运动员球衣的号码。
Robinson played himself in “The Jackie Robinson Story”, which was released in 1950 when the violence that led to the civil-rights movement was raging. The fact Mr Helgeland's script sticks closely to the narrative⁴ of that film means audiences are hearing Robinson's story the way he wanted it told, as a manual of non-violent resistance to injustice⁵.
1950年，美国的黑人民权运动日益高涨，由罗宾逊本人主演的《杰基罗宾森的故事》在此时上映。海尔格兰的剧本非常忠于影片（《杰基罗宾森的故事》）的叙述，他希望以自己的方式让观众知道罗宾森的故事，使之成为用非暴力向种族歧视抵抗的典范。
Harrison Ford⁶ plays Branch Rickey, the major-league baseball executive who recruited Robinson to be the first black player in the league. Mr Ford brings authority as well as a touch of celebrity⁷ to the film, and he is rewarded with some of its best lines. “Robinson is a Methodist,” Rickey explains to a worried colleague. “I'm a Methodist. God is a Methodist. So we're going to do just fine.”
哈里森福特饰演布鲁克林道奇队的总经理布兰奇瑞基，他招收了道奇队第一个黑人运动员罗宾逊。福特给影片增添了好名声和权威，他也因为剧中出色的台词而赢得嘉奖。“罗宾逊是卫理公会派教徒，”瑞基向满腹忧虑的同事解释道，“我也是卫理公会派教徒，上帝也是。所以我们这样做很好。”
Mr Helgeland mines the imagery of old sports movies to show the way Robinson faced up to a series of ferocious⁸ pitchers⁹. And he skilfully¹⁰ uses symbolism from 1940s films to create a national mood that harks back to a gentler time. “42” is a tribute to a post-war America in which sports stars had not yet been corporatised and the victory over fascism abroad was a recent memory. The fact that this week's Boston bombs were detonated on what has come to be called “Jackie Robinson Day” makes his film seem more poignant¹¹.
海尔格兰德挖掘出旧版本电影中罗宾森面对一个个实力强大的投球手这些场景的内涵意义，并且他灵活运用了1950年版电影里的经典镜头，营造出回到那个和平年代的民族情绪。《42号》是向体育明星还没被商业化运作的战后美国的致敬，也是对世界反法西斯胜利的一次回忆。 事实上，这周发生波士顿爆炸案的日子，正是“杰基罗宾逊纪念日”，这也使得电影显得更加意味深长。

1 nostalgia   

n.怀乡病，留恋过去，怀旧

参考例句：

• He might be influenced by nostalgia for his happy youth.也许是对年轻时幸福时光的怀恋影响了他。
• I was filled with nostalgia by hearing my favourite old song.我听到这首喜爱的旧歌，心中充满了怀旧之情。

2 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

3 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

4 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

5 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

6 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

7 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

8 ferocious   

adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的

参考例句：

• The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
• The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。

9 pitchers   

大水罐( pitcher的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Over the next five years, he became one of the greatest pitchers in baseball. 在接下来的5年时间里，他成为了最了不起的棒球投手之一。
• Why he probably won't: Pitchers on also-rans can win the award. 为什麽不是他得奖：投手在失败的球队可以赢得赛扬奖。

10 skilfully   

adv. (美skillfully)熟练地

参考例句：

• Hall skilfully weaves the historical research into a gripping narrative. 霍尔巧妙地把历史研究揉进了扣人心弦的故事叙述。
• Enthusiasm alone won't do. You've got to work skilfully. 不能光靠傻劲儿，得找窍门。

11 poignant   

adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的

参考例句：

• His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
• It is especially poignant that he died on the day before his wedding.他在婚礼前一天去世了，这尤其令人悲恸。