After watching "A Very English Scandal", I felt completely shrouded in darkness, and I still recalled the scene at the end of the play: Norman was sitting on the bus alone, watching Jeremy in his mansion, accepting the crowd beautifully 's praise. At that moment, it was distressing, but it was helpless.
Before watching this drama, I read the introduction and mistakenly thought it was a spoof comedy, trying to express satire on a political figure through the love-hate entanglement between a pair of gays. But when I actually watched it, I realized that this is not a comedy. It was a naked tragedy. There was no smile at all throughout the whole process, but it was full of all kinds of sadness and anger.
Obviously, the writer's purpose doesn't stop there. This drama has a true story as the background, and it is a relatively new subject in itself. If such a script is limited to same-sex love, the pattern is too small, and it does not conform to the British people's character of digging everything. As a result, the bond between the two in the play was taken away in less than 20 minutes. The focus was on Jeremy's various reactions to the matter later, and he also made a fuss on this basis, making a larger dark picture spread out. Let us further feel the chill in it.
The first is political darkness. My first impression of the show is: I can't find anyone who better represents the word "hypocrite" than Jeremy Thorpe. Due to the different forms of foreign elections and domestic elections, many politicians will frantically promote their careers, and it is not surprising that most of the content outweighs the truth. But what Jeremy showed in front of us seemed to be another kind of "high" hypocrisy: first playing with Norman's feelings, then trying to deny his relationship with him, and talking badly about him; for higher approval ratings , against his will, Lightspeed found a partner to marry and have children, and after his wife died unexpectedly, Lightspeed found a second term, during which he staged a "heartbroken" "wonderful" performance; on the surface, he and his good friend Peter Bessell called brothers, but in fact Use him all the time, yelling at him as a traitor when he comes out to testify against himself. The three-episode story is more like a lie carefully woven by Jeremy himself. Seeing him shining brightly in front of the media, his mouth is a lie, which is amazing: Is there any other sentence he said that is believable? Watching him "sincerely" deny his relationship with Norman to his wife makes one shudder: He has to lie to the people closest to him, what else is true about this person?
There are many details in the play, which also show the chaos of politics at that time: Peter and Mike, who were lower than Jeremy officials, accepted his control and manipulation over them in various ways, even when Jeremy proposed to kill the crazy. When they thought about it, they could only swallow their anger; Norman bravely spoke out about Jeremy's abuse and persecution at the police station, but was violently carried out by the police on duty: "Jeremy is the leader of the Liberal Party, I will not allow you bastard to smear his reputation. ." There is also Norman's Insurance Card throughout, which was not fulfilled until Jeremy died. Norman searched for a hiding place and barely maintained his own survival in a corner, while Jeremy took his "great future" again and again. He was cornered.
I vaguely remember the beginning of the first episode, when Jeremy swore to Peter, "If anything goes wrong, I'd rather kill myself with a gun and let my brain go to hell." However, at the end, when all is said and done, he has a triumphant look on his face. Standing up, celebrating with his wife in the air, completely ignoring the angry accusations of the masses who knew the truth, celebrating in front of the media and supporters, and his vows have long been thrown into the air. He is desperate for it, sacrificing his own life and happiness, and even the secret that his life must keep, in fact, it is just to protect his own future and face. In this show, politics is a game of powerful careerists who walk away with a dignified victory, leaving the ordinary people trapped in it devastated.
At the end of the play, Jeremy's mother said to him: "You are ruined." It is the last resistance of people who were not kept in the dark against this inhuman game. As the person who knew her son best, she probably saw through the relationship between Jeremy and Norman long ago, and saw through his delicate lies one after another. It's as if the people saw through the dirty hands behind the politicians. They choose to expose, oppose, and accuse, but all these efforts are so insignificant, just like Jeremy in the play, in the end, he was not "pointed by thousands of people", but he took the initiative to end the game of power. , retreat all over. It's not a satisfying ending, but a mapping of the real world. It may be difficult for our country to feel this feeling, but in Western countries, this kind of political darkness is real, and everyone should be vigilant.
The second, of course, is the darkness on same-sex issues. As a same-sex drama, discussion on this issue is of course indispensable, but this drama obviously has its own ideas, and it is not as ordinary as defining the same-sex issue as a simple petty joke.
Watching the third episode, I thought it was a bit boring for the director to take so long to describe an ugly statement of innocence. But when Norman finally got rid of his inner entanglement, he said the sentence aloud: "I want to speak for all homosexuals." I couldn't sit still: this is where Jeremy is being tried, it is clearly the "Declaration of Independence" belonging to homosexuals "!
Don’t look at the fact that the UK passed the legal regulations on same-sex marriage very early. Before the 1960s, the attitude of British people towards homosexuality was the worst in the world: same-sex marriage is not only illegal, but if it is found to have a relationship with the same sex, it is necessary to Arrested and punished as a crime against morality (the so-called "sodomy crime"). In the eyes of the public, liking the same sex is also a morbid manifestation. Under the pressure, the survival of British gays and lesbians is struggling.
So, Norman in the play, as a pure-blooded homosexual, when he broke with Jeremy, the last sentence he said was: "It's you who passed on that damn gay virus to me!" This is his childhood The education received at the university also reflected the dilemma faced by homosexuals at that time: many people denied their own existence, and even held a contemptuous attitude towards their sexual orientation.
At the end of the third episode, when Jeremy finally revealed his true feelings about Norman at the repeated request of his defense lawyer, he recalled that he had tried to find love but was repeatedly frustrated, and even was abused and cursed in bed. . Even those homosexuals who have to sell themselves to seek so-called "prostitutes" in order to survive despise and even act recklessly, can be said to be at the real bottom of society. Jeremy is such a powerful political figure outside, but at that moment, when he said: "Norman Scott is the best.", he was so pitiful, humble and helpless: under the pressure of the world, as a public figure , such "forbidden love" seems like a luxury to him, such feelings may only exist in lies.
Back to Norman. In this play, Norman represents definitely not just a special character, but the general gay community. His experience in the play is also the epitome of the predicament faced by homosexuals at the time: difficult to find a job, difficult to position his image (see the first episode of Norman's commercial), displaced, many unhappy marriages against his will, suffering from elders cast aside, ridicule and mistrust of others, and other persecutions and even life threats because of their own identity. In the play, although Jeremy himself is a disgusting villain, from the perspective of the first two episodes, Norman, who suffers for love, is not a character that makes people feel good. His pattern is too small: he does not identify with himself After breaking up, he went to the police station to accuse Jeremy of destroying his reputation. After that, he chose to swallow his words in the face of all kinds of oppression by Jeremy; Crying is also commonplace. These problems all stem from the enormous pressure that his identity brings to him and the inevitable scrutiny and doubt about himself under the strange eyes of everyone. It can be said that in those days, homosexuals not only lived without dignity, but also had no confidence. Surviving in the cracks would only make the situation worse.
In fact, it is not difficult to see Norman's kindness in the play: he loves animals, is kind and kind to people, and is grateful to every employer he has. Although he hated Jeremy at first, he actually loved him all the time in his heart, and later agreed Accepting the Insurance Card is a peace of mind. At the most difficult time, even if he did something wrong and blackmailed Jeremy's mother, what he asked for was only a small sum of 30 pounds: he didn't want Jeremy to go bankrupt, he just needed to survive. In fact, homosexuals are also human beings, and there is no difference between them and heterosexuals. They do not seek great wealth, but only to have the right to live a good life. However, due to the prejudice of others and the prejudice of society, even such a humble desire can There is no way to achieve it, just like Norman in the play, did not wait for his Insurance Card, but waited for the killer who wanted to murder him. In this way, it is not surprising that Norman, who has the temperament of the common people, can finally stand up like a hero, "for all the homosexuals": if there is no way to retreat, he can only bravely rush forward to resist .
Therefore, the half-hour-long trial in the third episode is not actually the verdict of homicide. It is more like a struggle launched by homosexuals for their own rights: we hope that we can no longer remain silent and endure all kinds of injustice. We hope that we will no longer suffer from all kinds of persecution and be free to live the life we want. That's what this Drama is really about: it's a great attempt, a "Paris Commune" built by gays themselves.
However, the reality is not so good. As the first person to eat crabs, Norman received great obstacles in court. First, he was accused by the lawyer, and finally he was scolded by the judge in court: Yes, I thought I heard it wrong at first. But in retrospect, this may be the image of homosexuals in the eyes of others at that time: full of all kinds of "dirty" and "unbearable". And these words uttered from the mouth of the judge also proved how serious the discrimination at that time was: even the most just people in the world, in the most just places in the world, could not get rid of their prejudice against them.
At the end of the story, Norman did not win the battle, as expected: Britain was just decriminalizing homosexuality at the time, and it seemed unrealistic to accept another "blockbuster" all at once. The same is true. At that time, homosexual discrimination in the UK still existed, and the shadow of the same-sex issue still lingered.
In this way, the three-episode film, three hours long, has a sense of powerlessness after watching it: a love that could never last is over (Jeremy can never have love and a career at the same time, and he can never sacrifice himself.) career.), lost a lawsuit that had little chance of winning, and after struggling for many years, no one was the winner: Jeremy lost his future (although he gave up voluntarily, which I am bitter about), Norman still Live a miserable life. When I was looking forward to all kinds of reversals, I didn't even let go of the ending song, and I still couldn't see a satisfactory result, so I couldn't help but shout to the sky: "Is this world so cruel? Can't we really see a little bit of it? Hope?"
I was unwilling to read the ending again, and finally found the answer I wanted in a few details.
It was after the results were announced, and when Norman heard the results, he wanted to cry a little, but in the end he held back. After checking out at the counter, he got on a bus. It was a sunny day, and a beam of sunlight shone through the window. His face showed a different brilliance to his whole person. The gleam of light that leaked out of the endless darkness illuminated Norman and his life, as well as me.
Life is not easy, how is it that I have suffered setbacks, at least I have taken this step bravely. Although Norman's struggle was unsuccessful, in the process, he has swept away the haze and grievances of the past, dared to face his identity, and bravely spoke up for himself. In the process, he has turned himself into a better and stronger person, no longer the "soft girl" who cries whenever he encounters a problem, just like the one who walked out of court and stood in front of reporters, No longer cowering, but standing proudly with a triumphant smile. In fact, the issue of homosexuality must be the same. Although a protest is unlikely to be successful, if everyone does not have the courage to stand up and face all kinds of doubts and blows, they will just settle down. I am afraid that this problem will still exist today. pending. Norman didn't get a complete victory in the end, but he completed a gorgeous turn from a small role to a big hero. Now Britain should have such a huge change because of the dedication of heroes like Norman at that time.
Looking back at the trial, Norman was a little terrified at first, but when he saw Arran cast a firm, encouraging look at him, he relaxed and said everything bravely. In fact, along the way, Norman met many good people: Arran, the kind hotel owner, and the Allpass couple who accompanied him throughout the trial. They did not discriminate against Norman because of his identity, but helped him through the difficulties. Another bright spot: More and more people are breaking their stereotypes, re-accepting gays and giving them a helping hand. It is with the help of these kind-hearted people that there will be a brighter and brighter path for homosexuals in the future.
Finally, let's talk about the relationship between Jeremy and Norman. Although they have loved and killed each other for many years, in my opinion, their relationship is beyond doubt. This can not only be confirmed by Jeremy's final confession, but also buried in every bit of the show: from the eyes they looked at each other when they met at the beginning, to every detail in the process of getting along. A black-bellied uncle who is a powerful and powerful man in the political arena, a black-bellied uncle who gives his face casually, speaks so softly with his little lover at home, is so close to him, and looks at him with doting eyes, willing to risk being taken by others Risk of Discovery and him kissing by the Thames (they both look so wary and cute), and using such a shameful and cute nickname for him - Bunny, the one that gets both ridiculed throughout the series The nickname, when Jeremy whispered to Norman softly, was so proud—the pride of having a good lover, like having the perfect pet, and so loving that he could not wait to hold him in the palm of his hand. And Norman's reaction when he heard this sentence was as good as a rabbit. When they were together, Jeremy was the rarest and most authentic time, and he was willing to tell Norman anything, his own experiences, his true views of those political figures, and his true anger behind it. This relationship has already killed too many happy days when he was with his two wives, what more could he ask for? As for Norman, he loved it even more deeply, no matter how ruthless Jeremy was later, driving him to the end again and again, he never really hated Jeremy, "I don't hate Jeremy, if you see him , please tell him that I still love him, and I miss him very much." Such infatuation is really like the famous saying: "You abuse me a thousand times, and I treat you like your first love." Such two people, like this Do you still need to question your feelings? In this world of lies, there is nothing more true than this. Maybe the situation at that time was destined to sentence their love to death, but at least they could say firmly: "I have loved." Loved, this is an answer that many people sneer at, but it is also the best answer: no We know where we will go in the future, but at least we have been sincere to each other, at least we have had that kind of beauty, this may be one of the few solace we can find in this uncertain world.
I always feel that the dramas made by foreigners have a feeling of mourning: life is always troubled one after another, sadness is so great, happiness is so little, and the protagonist's life is rarely happy ending. But after reading a lot, I discovered the true meaning of this: there are nine out of ten things in life that are unsatisfactory, and we don’t have to hide it in order to escape. We should learn to accept these hardships happily, and pay more attention to those small details that make life beautiful . We may always be wrapped in darkness, but there will always be some light that leaks out of it, as long as we grasp it, our life will no longer have no direction, and we will not be afraid of those moments of failure. Maybe that's what this show is trying to tell me, and why I'm giving it five stars with great sadness: it shows me an imperfect world, but it tells me: it's going to get better of.
Finally, I really want to praise Ben Whishaw wildly. The teacher's acting skills are too strong, and the interpretation of such a character that is so entangled and difficult to perform is so perfect, which is touching. The Golden Globe Award is well deserved, and I look forward to Ben's wonderful performance in "Frozen" this year.
View more about A Very English Scandal reviews
