You may want to be with someone because you first met and saw a sexually attractive body. But have you ever thought about killing the person you once loved after a lustful relationship ends? "British Scandal" tells you how two people turned from love to hate, from I want to sleep with you tonight, to tomorrow night I want to kill you.
The story describes the fact that after a period of physical infatuation between Jeremy Thrope, a senior official of the British Liberal Party, and Norman Scott, a small fresh meat, Scott exposed the hidden fact that they are gay. Jeremy has been trying to suppress the scandal after knowing about it, but the more and more troubles, the killer he hired failed to silence Norman, and also prompted Norman to prosecute Jeremy for "intentional homicide". In modern society, such news made by employees of government agencies can be described as an explosive scandal, not to mention that the TV series depicts the 1970s in Britain.
Adapted from John Preston's novel of the same name, A Very English Scandal, the film combines various elements: politics, scandal, rights, homosexuality, murder and secrecy. With so many elements and highlights, if the director wants to arrange all of them in the three-episode mini-series, it needs to be carefully designed. He takes a lighthearted way to tell the whole absurd story. The director did not describe from the perspective of God who is good or bad between the two protagonists. He just described in detail why these people made such scandals in the 1960s and 1970s.
There are some elements in the plot that connect the whole story from beginning to end, such as the "social security card", a movie symbol language. From the first episode, when the two met for the first time, Norman and Jeremy mentioned that their social security card was impounded in the hands of the previous owner. He is now flustered, because losing the social security card means that he cannot find a serious job. Jeremy saw the lovable boy in front of him and promised to help him with this. The social security card has always been a goal that Norman could not give up. When the live-action photo at the end of the film appeared, the subtitles were still typed, and Norman has yet to get a social security card. What exactly is this, and why is it repeated? Thinking further, the social security card not only represents the social employment security of the male protagonist, but he is looking for a social security card as if he were looking for a stable emotional life. Norman and Jeremy's shady relationship is completely insecure and has no future. Jeremy needs Norman to give him a social security card, because Norman needs to be honest with everyone about their relationship, and needs others to know and recognize his existence.
Another delicate design is the phrase "No-one's been this kind to me." from Norman's mouth from time to time. Seemingly silly and sweet, Norman can't hold back his tears every time he meets someone who is kind to him and gives kindness to him, which always leads to more concerned questions from the other party, why are you so sad? Norman would reply with a cry, no one has ever been so nice to me. From the earliest Jeremy, to the owner of a clothing store, and then to the widow's admiration, until the old lady gave him free accommodation. This is actually a little trick of Norman. It seems to be lovable, and he is called "little rabbit" by others, but he relies on such a pitiful character to get the opportunity to change his life again and again.
The focus of the TV series has changed from the quick sweetness of the two male protagonists to the entanglement after the breakup. At the end of the final battle of the lawsuit, Norman appeared in front of the public with a proud image of being gay. Jeremy did not dare to go to court for questioning. The lawyer asked Jeremy to tell him what he thought about his relationship with Norman. At this point, Jeremy said a paragraph, and the picture showed a flash of his experience with other men. In his memory, it turned out that Norman was his best choice. After the final verdict, although Jeremy is innocent, he has no connection with political life since then, and Norman has become an old man who lives independently. When everyone is controlled by their own desires, how can they see the consequences of this incident? Jeremy won't know that the cute bunny he calls him will bite him for the rest of his life.
The core of comedy is always tragedy. Through the fast-paced comedy perspective, the director allows the audience to analyze this political scandal from a more comprehensive perspective. The wonderful confrontation between Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw can be said to be a major highlight of the film. The relationship between the two people in the play developed from dependence on each other, sexual desire, to control, and then to abandonment, which eventually led to into hatred and revenge. The overall taste of the TV series is like a cup of English Earl Grey tea, neither bland nor salty, and the fragrance can linger in the mouth after tasting it.
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