美国国家公共电台 NPR 'A Very English Scandal' Stars Who Else But A Very English Hugh Grant

 

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Jeremy Thorpe was savvy¹, stylish², progressive and marked to make history as the leader of Britain's Liberal Party. But in 1976, one of the most popular men in British politics was accused of having a homosexual relationship and later hiring a hitman to murder his accuser, a former groom³ and aspiring⁴ model named Norman Scott. Jeremy Thorpe was acquitted⁵ but unconvincingly. The story of his closeted life and the plot to keep it so it was portrayed⁶ in a posh and pointed⁷ three-part miniseries of the kind only British people seem to make. "A Very English Scandal," directed by Stephen Frears, debuts⁸ in the U.S. on Amazon next week. It stars Ben Wishaw as the wronged and nearly snuffed lover, and as Jeremy Thorpe - Hugh Grant, who's personified droll⁹ British charm in so many roles. Hugh Grant joins us from London. Thanks so much for being with us.

HUGH GRANT: Oh, well, thanks for having me, Scott.

SIMON: I did the math. I think you were at Oxford¹⁰ when the scandal broke about Jeremy Thorpe, another Oxford man.

GRANT: I was just finishing school. And yes, I remember it pretty well. It was a source of much amusement and sort of schoolboy giggling¹¹ at the time.

SIMON: Well, what did it mean to Britain in the 1970s?

GRANT: Well, I think we were just coming out of sort of - you know, it was the very last remnants of empire and of having a great British establishment and everyone expecting an Englishman to behave. You know, we'd had the '60s. We'd had "Monty Python." And frankly¹², I think we all expected members of the establishment, such as Jeremy Thorpe, to probably have some secret in their closet. And sure enough, you know, his was spectacular because he not only had hid the fact that he was gay all those years, but he'd also, it appeared, tried to have his ex-lover murdered to save his reputation and his career and what he thought was the reputation of the Liberal Party at the time.

SIMON: There's not much you can say to defend someone who plots a murder, but it's sad to see in this series the fear that Jeremy Thorpe lived with that he would be exposed.

GRANT: Well, yeah, it's one of the things that the TV show sort of explores is how difficult it was for men in Britain in the early '60s if they were gay. You know, it was a criminal offense¹³ and just how extraordinary - what an extraordinary state of affairs that was, how difficult it was to legalize homosexuality. And - but even after it was legalized, social mores¹⁴ were still such that, you know - I mean, at one stage, my character, Jeremy Thorpe, says to Peter Bessell, his best friend - he says, I don't care if they, you know, legalize homosexuality. If anyone finds out about me, I'll put a gun to my head and shoot myself. And a lot of people felt that way, and a lot of men killed themselves when exposed.

SIMON: Do we also in this story observe, at least towards the end, a generational difference between Jeremy Thorpe, who was closeted, and Norman Scott, who increasingly is not?

GRANT: Yeah, that's exactly right. So the series culminates¹⁵ in this great trial at which Jeremy Thorpe's accuser, this self-confessed homosexual Norman Scott, you know, who was sort of camp and outrageous¹⁶, someone that the establishment would expect to be sneered¹⁷ at and laughed at in court, actually captures the court's attention and admiration¹⁸ and is sort of admired and wins over my extremely clever barrister. And it's a moment at which you sort of finally see the last flicker¹⁹ of the establishment die. It's - the future for Britain is men like him, and the past is men like me.

SIMON: Critics pointed out you and Ben Wishaw are reunited in this series after you both played major roles in "Paddington 2."

GRANT: Yes.

SIMON: Different kind of film - so is that just the actor's life, or did you two joke about that, too?

GRANT: Well, I mean, it is weird²⁰ that I have in effect spent the last three years trying to either kill or have sex with Ben Wishaw in one way or another.

SIMON: (Laughter).

GRANT: But, of course, on "Paddington," I barely saw him because he was the voice of Paddington and I - we didn't really encounter each other much. But we were in a film called "Cloud Atlas²¹" together a few years ago with him as my wife lying in bed. So we have some history, Ben and I. But life - yeah, life's - the life of an actor is a very strange thing. You know, I like Ben, but, you know, I don't know him that well. And there I am at half past 7 in the morning, you know, licking his nipples and that is - that's my job. It's what I get paid for - quite odd.

SIMON: Excuse me (laughter). I need a moment to recover. Oh, mercy. A question I think will occur to a number of people, Mr. Grant, when they see Jeremy Thorpe having to pick his way out through a scrum of shouting reporters and photographers - you know that feeling too, don't you?

GRANT: Oh, yes. I've been there. And he was undergoing unimaginable stress. You know, there he was, the leader of the Liberal Party. They were doing well for probably the only time in their history. They had a real chance of having a say in government. And permanently²² nagging²³ at him was this - the possibility of exposure and then having tried to have Norman Scott killed and the (laughter) - having had the murder attempt appallingly²⁴ bungled²⁵ in a very English, amateurish²⁶ kind of way, then to feel the net of the law closing in on him slowly, the stress must be - must have been absolutely unendurable. And I was able to use some of my own experience there for sure. But the bit that was hardest is getting to the point of actually wanting to kill someone. That's pretty heavy.

SIMON: We should point out, of course, we need to say allegedly in this country, and he was acquitted.

GRANT: That's right. He was acquitted. We don't have to say it so much in this country because you can't libel the dead.

SIMON: The first time I think I saw you on screen, you played a boy in the stable yourself in "Maurice," the film. "Maurice" we sometimes say in this country.

GRANT: Yes, yes.

SIMON: Now just this year in your late 50s, you have earned raves²⁷ from (laughter) my favorite comic performance in a long time in "Paddington 2."

GRANT: Oh, thank you.

SIMON: And now this drama. Are you enjoying this stage of your career?

GRANT: Well, yeah (laughter). I mean, everyone likes a bit of success. I'm only human. And maybe the parts actually suit me better now that I'm older and uglier. I don't know.

SIMON: Hugh Grant - he stars with Ben Wishaw in the three-part series "A Very English Scandal" from the BBC on Amazon. Thanks so much for being with us, Mr. Grant.

GRANT: Thanks very much, Scott.

1 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？

2 stylish   

adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的

参考例句：

• He's a stylish dresser.他是个穿着很有格调的人。
• What stylish women are wearing in Paris will be worn by women all over the world.巴黎女性时装往往会引导世界时装潮流。

3 groom   

vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁

参考例句：

• His father was a groom.他父亲曾是个马夫。
• George was already being groomed for the top job.为承担这份高级工作，乔治已在接受专门的培训。

4 aspiring   

adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求

参考例句：

• Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
• He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句

5 acquitted   

宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现

参考例句：

• The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。
• Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

6 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

8 debuts   

演员首次演出( debut的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He never really debuts the idea of taking money from his parents any longer. 他从此就再也没有认真起过向父母要钱的念头。
• This young soprano debuts next month at the metropolitan opera. 这位年轻的女高音歌唱家下个月将在纽约大都会歌剧院举行首演。

9 droll   

adj.古怪的，好笑的

参考例句：

• The band have a droll sense of humour.这个乐队有一种滑稽古怪的幽默感。
• He looked at her with a droll sort of awakening.他用一种古怪的如梦方醒的神情看着她.

10 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

11 giggling   

v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• We just sat there giggling like naughty schoolchildren. 我们只是坐在那儿像调皮的小学生一样的咯咯地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I can't stand her giggling, she's so silly. 她吃吃地笑，叫我真受不了，那样子傻透了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

13 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

14 mores   

n.风俗，习惯，民德，道德观念

参考例句：

• The mores of that village are hard to believe.那村子的习俗让人难以置信。
• We advocate a harmonious society where corruption is swept away,and social mores are cleared.我们提倡弊绝风清，建设一个和谐社会。

15 culminates   

v.达到极点( culminate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Each civilization is born, it culminates, and it decay. 各种文明都要历经诞生，鼎盛和衰落。 来自《用法词典》
• The tower culminates in a 40-foot spire. 这塔的顶端是一个40英尺高的塔尖。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

16 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

17 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

18 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

19 flicker   

vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现

参考例句：

• There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。
• At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时，光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现，几乎并不灿烂。

20 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

21 atlas   

n.地图册，图表集

参考例句：

• He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。
• The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图，其中包括3幅英国地图。

22 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

23 nagging   

adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责

参考例句：

• Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。
• I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 appallingly   

毛骨悚然地

参考例句：

• His tradecraft was appallingly reckless. 他的经营轻率得令人吃惊。
• Another damning statistic for South Africa is its appallingly high murder rate. 南非还有一项糟糕的统计，表明它还有着令人毛骨悚然的高谋杀率。

25 bungled   

v.搞糟，完不成( bungle的过去式和过去分词 )；笨手笨脚地做；失败；完不成

参考例句：

• They bungled the job. 他们把活儿搞糟了。
• John bungled the job. 约翰把事情搞糟了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

26 amateurish   

n.业余爱好的，不熟练的

参考例句：

• The concert was rather an amateurish affair.这场音乐会颇有些外行客串的味道。
• The paintings looked amateurish.这些画作看起来只具备业余水准。

27 raves   

n.狂欢晚会( rave的名词复数 )v.胡言乱语( rave的第三人称单数 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说

参考例句：

• She raves about that singer. 她醉心地谈论那位歌手。 来自辞典例句
• His new play received raves in the paper. 他的新剧本在报纸上受到赞扬。 来自辞典例句