VOA慢速英语--‘The Harder They Fall’ Updates the Western Movie

These. People. Existed.

Those three words appear at the beginning of the new movie The Harder They Fall, directed by Briton Jeymes Samuel.

The story is fictional¹, or imaginary². But, the three words let watchers know that it is based on real people --- Black cowboys and Black families that populated the Old West. Hollywood has not made many movies about such people in the film genre³ known as Westerns.

Samuel is also a musician known as The Bullitts. He is a fan of the western genre. But, his movie adds unpredictable elements. The songs and music, or soundtrack, for the film has a modern edge. International music star Jay-Z led that effort as one of the producers of the film.

The Harder They Fall has received praise for its cinematography. And supporters of the movie say the actors, or cast, tell a story underrepresented in cinema.

The gun violence is the only part of the film that is usual. Westerns make shootings, bodies and blood a big part of the story. Some moviegoers might wish there were more discussion⁴ and less violence in this updated version⁵ of a western. But westerns are called "shoot-em-ups" for a reason.

Actor Jonathan Majors stars in The Harder They Fall. He plays Nat Love, an outlaw⁶ seeking justice for a terrible wrong he suffered as a child. Idris Elba plays Love's greatest enemy, Rufus Buck⁷. Oscar-winning actor Regina King performs as "Treacherous⁸ Trudy" Smith, another outlaw.

The story begins with a scene of a clergyman and his family sharing a meal. A knock comes at the door, and Buck enters, his face hidden under a cloth. Soon the parents are shot dead and their young son is cut on the face. The wound is in the shape of a cross.

Years later, that boy — Love — is a known outlaw, part of a criminal group that robs other criminal groups. Rufus Buck is in prison, but Love learns he soon will be freed.

One scene shows a bank robbery⁹ in Maysville. It is a white town. But the whiteness goes beyond the population. The whole town is white: the people, the buildings, even its rocks and horses. The message seems clear: traditional westerns were white.

But, in The Harder They Fall, the Black towns are full of color.

The story leads to a final clash¹⁰ between hero and antihero, as would be expected in a western. But there is also a suggestion at the movie's end that these characters may have a future in film. Could a series be in the making?

Words in This Story

genre –n. a kind or group of literature or art that has similar qualities

cinematography –n. the art, process, or job of filming movies : motion-picture photography

cast –n. the actors in a play, film, or television show

cinema –n. the film industry; the art or method of making movie

scene –n. a part of a play, movie, story, in which an action or activity takes place

character –n. a person or being who appears in a story, book, play, movie or television show

1 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

2 imaginary   

adj.想象中的，假想的，虚构的，幻想的；虚数的

参考例句：

• All the characters in this book are imaginary.此书中的所有人物都是虚构的。
• The boy's fears were only imaginary.这小孩的恐惧只是一种想象。

3 genre   

n.(文学、艺术等的)类型，体裁，风格

参考例句：

• My favorite music genre is blues.我最喜欢的音乐种类是布鲁斯音乐。
• Superficially,this Shakespeare's work seems to fit into the same genre.从表面上看， 莎士比亚的这个剧本似乎属于同一类型。

4 discussion   

n.讨论，谈论；论述

参考例句：

• It is certain he will come to the discussion.他肯定会来参加讨论。
• After months of discussion,a peace agreement is gradually taking shape.经过几个月的商讨，和平协议渐渐有了眉目。

5 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？

6 outlaw   

n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法

参考例句：

• The outlaw hid out in the hills for several months.逃犯在山里隐藏了几个月。
• The outlaw has been caught.歹徒已被抓住了。

7 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

8 treacherous   

adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的

参考例句：

• The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
• The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。

9 robbery   

n.抢劫；抢劫案

参考例句：

• A man is being questioned in connection with the robbery.一名男子就那起抢劫案接受查问。
• The police are offering a big reward for information about the robbery.警方出大笔赏金要求提供那起抢劫案的破案线索。

10 clash   

vi.冲突，不协调，砰地相撞；n.冲突，不协调

参考例句：

• There is a clash between two classes at 2 p.m. on Thursday.星期四下午两点有两堂课是冲突的。
• The pot came down on the stone floor with a clash.锅“当”地一声掉到石地上。