早在19世紀(jì),美國就頒布了《解放黑人奴隸宣言》,但是社會對黑人的歧視一直并未消除。種族歧視成了不成文的規(guī)則,即使是在最公平的體育賽場上也不例外。參加美國職業(yè)棒球大聯(lián)盟(Major League Baseball)的400名球員只能是白人。直到1947年,終于有一名身穿42號球衣的黑人出現(xiàn)在大聯(lián)盟的賽場上,他就是杰基·羅賓森。他憑著堅(jiān)毅的精神與出色的球技,沖破了一切困難,打破了那條不成文的規(guī)則。不懂棒球不要緊,只要你有一顆赤子之心,你就會被這部傳記電影感動得熱血沸騰。
本期電影選段非常難啃,口音和棒球術(shù)語都是難點(diǎn),建議大家先看文字,了解情節(jié),再邊聽邊對照文字。既然羅賓森也熬過了眾人的辱罵和譴責(zé),我們也要給自己打打氣,把這啃下來吧。
道奇隊(duì)的總經(jīng)理里基先生突然把羅賓森叫來……
Robinson: Mr. Rickey, whats this about?
Rickey: This is about baseball, Jackie. I see you starting in spring with our affiliate[子隊(duì)] in Montreal. If you make it there, well try you down here with the Dodgers注. With the white Brooklyn Dodgers.(Robinson feels astonished) Ill pay you $600 a month. And a $3500 bonus when you sign the contract. That agreeable?
Robinson: Yes, thats fine but...
Rickey: Theres one condition. I know you can hit behind the runner. That you can read a pitch[投球]. One question is...Can you control your temper?
Robinson: My temper?
Rickey: Yes, your temper! What are you, deaf? A black man in white baseball, heh. Can you imagine the reaction? The vitriol[惡言穢語]? Dodgers check into a hotel, a, uh, a decent[體面的], good hotel. Youre worn out[耗盡] from the road. Some clerk[店員] wont give you the pen to sign in with. “We got no room for you, boy. Not even down in the coal bin where you belong.”Team stops at a restaurant. Waiter wont take your order. “Didnt you see the sign on the door? No niggers[(貶)黑鬼] allowed.” What are you gonna do then? Fight him? Ruin all my plans? Answer
me…
Robinson: (stands u p ) Yo u w a n t a player who doesnt have the guts to fight back?
Rickey: No. No. I want a player whos got the guts NOT to fight back. People arent gonna like this. Theyre gonna do anything to get you to react. Your enemy will be out in force[很多] and you cannot meet him on his own low ground. We win with hitting, running, fielding[外場防守]. Only that. We win if the world is convinced[相信] of two things: That you are a fine gentleman and a great baseball player. You gotta have the guts to turn the other cheek. Can you do it?
Robinson: (stares at the list of team members) You give me a uniform...You give me a, heh, number on my back and Ill give you the guts.
羅賓森:里基先生,這是怎么回事?
里基:這是有關(guān)棒球的事,杰基。我可以預(yù)見,你春季會到我們蒙特利爾的子隊(duì)打比賽。如果你在那邊表現(xiàn)好,我們就想辦法把你簽到這里來,簽到道奇隊(duì)來,白人的布魯克林道奇隊(duì)。(杰基很驚訝)每個(gè)月付你600美元,簽合同的時(shí)候再給3500美元的獎金,這樣合你意嗎?
羅賓森:當(dāng)然,條件不錯,但是……
里基:我有一個(gè)條件。我知道你可以在跑壘員后面擊球(譯者注:這樣做有助于跑壘員安全上壘),你可以看穿投手的球。問題是……你能控制好自己的脾氣嗎?
羅賓森:我的脾氣?
里基:沒錯,你的脾氣。你是怎么了,聾了嗎?一個(gè)在白人棒球隊(duì)打比賽的黑人,哼。你能想象公眾的反應(yīng)嗎?他們的惡言穢語嗎?比如,道奇隊(duì)去一家酒店登記入住,一家……一家很體面很高級的酒店。你們風(fēng)塵仆仆地進(jìn)去,但是有些店員不給你筆讓你簽字,“我們沒有房間給你住,小子,連本該給你睡的煤倉都沒有了?!?又或者球隊(duì)去餐廳吃飯,服務(wù)生不給你點(diǎn)單,“你沒看到門上的標(biāo)識嗎?黑鬼禁止入內(nèi)?!蹦悄銜趺醋??打他一頓?把我的計(jì)劃全毀嗎?回答我……
羅賓森:(站起來)你是想找一個(gè)沒勇氣去回?fù)舻那騿T嗎?
里基:不是,不是。我是想找一個(gè)有勇氣不去回?fù)舻那騿T。公眾不會接受這件
事的,他們會想盡辦法激怒你。你的敵人遍及各處,你不可以跟他們一般見識。我們只能通過棒球的接捕、跑動和守備來贏,僅此而已。只要這個(gè)世界承認(rèn)了兩件事,我們就贏了,那就是:你是一個(gè)有教養(yǎng)的紳士,還是一名偉大的棒球員。你得有勇氣去改頭換面。你能做到嗎?
羅賓森:(盯著隊(duì)員名單)你給我一件球服……你給我一個(gè),一個(gè)背號,我會以勇氣相報(bào)。
口語錦囊
guts表示一個(gè)人的勇氣與決心,常用表達(dá)方式為have the guts to do sth.。它本身指的是人的內(nèi)臟,也可指某人的食量大,例如:
No one has the guts to do it.(沒有人有膽量做這件事。)Hes a real greedy guts.(他真的是個(gè)貪吃的大胃王。)注:美國著名職棒大聯(lián)盟球隊(duì),成立于紐約布魯克林區(qū),1958年改名為洛杉磯道奇隊(duì)(Los Angeles Dodgers),曾拿下六次世界大賽冠軍。
在比賽期間,對方球隊(duì)的經(jīng)理查普曼說盡一切穢語羞辱羅賓森。身為黑人,羅賓森不能回?fù)舴瘩g,只能忍受著,走入后場,獨(dú)自啜泣。這時(shí),里基先生出現(xiàn)……
Robinson: (sobs) Im supposed to just let this go on?
Rickey: These men have to live with themselves.
Robinson: I have to live with myself, too. Right now Im living a sermon[譴責(zé)] out there.
Rickey: You dont matter now, Jack. Youre in this thing. You dont have the right to pull out from the backing of people that believe in you, that respect you, that need you.
Robinson: Is that so?
Rickey: If you fight, they wont say that Chapman forced you to. Theyll say that youre in over your head. That you dont belong here.
Robinson: Do you know what its like having somebody do this to you?
Rickey: No. No. But you do. Youre the one living the sermon. In the wilderness. Forty days. All of it. Only you. You can get out there and hit! You can get on base[壘] and score[得分]. You can win this game for us. We need you. Everybody needs you! Youre medicine, Jack!
羅賓森:(啜泣)難道我要讓這種事繼續(xù)下去嗎?
里基:那些人有他們自己的立場。
羅賓森:我也有自己的立場。如今我生活在一片譴責(zé)聲中。
里基:現(xiàn)在這都不重要,杰克。你進(jìn)入了棒球界,你沒有權(quán)利讓那些相信你、尊重你和需要你的人失望。
羅賓森:是這樣嗎?
里基:如果你去打查普曼,人們不會說是他逼你的。他們會說是你頭腦發(fā)熱,說你不屬于球場。
羅賓森:你能明白被那些人這般對待的感受嗎?
里基:不能。我不能,但你能。是你生活在譴責(zé)聲中,生活在殘酷的野外。四十天(譯者注:一個(gè)賽季共40天)。每天如是。只有你。你可以走出去,然后來個(gè)安打!你可以上壘得分,你可以為我們贏得這場比賽。我們需要你,所有人都需要你,你是強(qiáng)心劑啊,杰克!
口語錦囊
live with表示“與……相伴”,可延伸表示“接受、容忍某事”,相當(dāng)于put up with,例如:
You have to learn to live with stress. (你必須學(xué)會面對壓力。)
此外,live through表示在經(jīng)歷或忍受了劫難后幸存下來,例如:
He lived through both world wars.(他經(jīng)歷了兩次世界大戰(zhàn)。)
道奇隊(duì)在辛辛那提的客場比賽在即,隊(duì)員皮·維·里斯突然有事找里基先生……
Reese: Well...I got this letter. Apparently, some people arent too happy about me playing with Robinson.
Rickey: (reads the letter) “Nigger lover. Watch yourself. Well get you, Carpetbagger[投機(jī)者].” Pretty typical stuff.
Reese: Well, its not typical to me, sir.
Rickey: Heh, how many of those letters have you gotten, Pee Wee? (opens the drawer)
Reese: Just the one. Aint that enough? (Rickey puts piles of letters on the desk) What are those?
Rickey: Well, Ill tell you what they arent. They arent letters from the Jackie Robinson fan club.
Reese: (reads these letters) “Get out of baseball or your baby boy will die.” “Quit baseball or your nigger wife...” “Get out of the game or be killed.”Does Jackie know?
Rickey: Well, of course he does. And the FBI注. Theyre taking a threat in Cincinnati pretty seriously. So excuse me if I dont get too upset about you getting called a carpetbagger. You should be proud. Reese: Well, Id just like to play ball, sir. Thats all.
Rickey: Oh, I understand. I bet Jackie just wants to play ball. I bet he wishes he wasnt leading the League in hit by pitch. I bet he wishes people didnt want to kill him. The worlds not so simple anymore.
Guess it never was. We just, uh...Baseball ignored it, now we cant.
Reese: Yes, sir.
(on the ground before the game starts, Reese bends his arm around Robinsons shoulder)
Reese: Thank you, Jackie.
Robinson: What are you thanking me for?
Reese: I got family up there from Louisville. I need them to know. I need them to know who I am.
(some spectators clap their hands for them)
Umpire: Hey, Number One! You playing ball or socializing[交際]?
Reese: (laughs) Playing ball, ump.
Umpire: Play ball!
Coach: Dont let them get to you!
Reese: (to Robinson) Playing ball. Maybe tomorrow well all wear 42. That way they wont tell us apart.
里斯:嗯……我收到了這封信。顯然,有人不太樂意看到我和羅賓森一起比賽。
里基:(讀信)“黑鬼的基友,小心點(diǎn)兒。別讓我們逮到你,墻頭草?!闭媸恰敖?jīng)典”。里斯:對我來說可不“經(jīng)典”啊,先生。
里基:呵,這樣的信你收到過幾封呢,皮·維?(打開抽屜)
里斯:就一封,難道這還不夠嗎?(里基把一疊信放在臺面上)那是什么?
里基:我告訴你它們不是些什么。它們可不是杰基·羅賓森的粉絲來信。
里斯:(讀信)“滾出棒球界,不然你的兒子死定了?!薄巴顺霭羟蚪?,不然你的黑人老婆……”“滾出比賽,不然死路一條。”杰基都知道嗎?
里基:他當(dāng)然知道。聯(lián)邦調(diào)查局都知道。他們很認(rèn)真地處理辛辛那提的恐嚇,所以請?jiān)?,我對你被稱作墻頭草并不感到很氣憤。你應(yīng)該感到驕傲。
里斯:先生,我只想好好打球,僅此而已。里基:噢,我理解。我想杰基也只是想好好打球。我相信他也希望,他不是聯(lián)盟里被投“攻擊球”最多的球員(譯者注:當(dāng)羅賓森是擊球手時(shí),對手故意向羅賓森的身體投球)。我相信,他還希望人們不想殺他。這個(gè)世界不再那么簡單。我想它也從不簡單。
我們只是……棒球界忽視的問題,我們現(xiàn)在不能袖手旁觀了。
里斯:沒錯,先生。
(在比賽開始前,里斯于賽場上把手搭在羅賓森的背上)
里斯:謝謝你,杰基。
羅賓森:謝我什么?
里斯:我家人在那邊,他們從路易斯維爾過來的。我要讓他們知道,讓他們知道真正的我是誰。
(一些觀眾為他們鼓掌)
裁判:喂,一號(譯者注:里斯的背號是一號)!你是來打球的,還是來社交的?
里斯:(笑)打球的,裁判。
裁判:那就打球??!
教練:別讓他們把你擊倒!
里斯:(對羅賓森說)好好打球吧。或許明天我們都會穿著42號,那樣他們就不會區(qū)分我們了。
口語錦囊
typical表示“典型的、某人或某物特有的”,常用句型有it is typical of sb. to do sth.,例如:
He answered with typical impatience.(他就像往常一樣,回答時(shí)很不耐煩。)
It was typical of her to forget.(她就是愛忘事。)注:美國聯(lián)邦調(diào)查局(Federal Bureau of Investigation)的簡稱。
羅賓森帶領(lǐng)球隊(duì)漸入佳境,但在一次比賽中,對方球員跑壘時(shí)故意用釘鞋踩傷羅賓森。傷口包扎好后,里基先生跟他說……
Rickey: You know what I saw this morning? I was passing a sandlot[沙地], little white boy was up at bat[擊球區(qū)]. You know what he was doing?
Robinson: Sitting on a fastball?
Rickey: He was pretending he was you. Rubbing dirt on his hands. Swinging[搖擺] with his arms outstretched[展開], like you do. Little white boy pretending he is a black man. Robinson: Whyd you do this, Mr. Rickey?
Rickey: We had a victory over fascism[法西斯] in Germany. Its time we had a victory over racism[種族歧視] at home.
Robinson: No. Why? Whyd you do it? Come on. Tell me.
Rickey: I love this game. I love baseball. Given my whole life to it. Forty-odd[多] years ago, I was a player-coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. We had a Negro[(時(shí)作輕蔑語)黑人] catcher. Best hitter on the team. Charlie Thomas. Fine young man. I saw him laid low[打敗], broken, because of the color of his skin. And I didnt do enough to help. Told myself I did, but I didnt. There was something unfair at the heart of the game I loved. And I ignored it. But a time came when I could no longer do that. You...You let me love baseball again. Thank you.
(voice-over[畫外音])
Smith注1: Since the 4th of July, the Brooklyn Dodgers have gone on a hot streak[連連得分] holding off all challengers. During that time and during this season I have watched Jackie Robinson submerge[潛心于] himself to serve something greater. And I dont mean the Brooklyn Dodgers, though hes doing that, too. The man flat-out[直率的] has guts. A stand-up[對抗的] force of nature, hes complicated[使復(fù)雜化] everything but himself. Hes changing the world and refusing to let it change him. But baseball isnt tennis. It takes a team. Joining together was a start. Staying together, a big step forward. But working together is how you win. Down the stretch[直線跑道] on the last long road trip of the year, Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers are doing exactly that. Theyre holding off the Cardinals注2 and streaking towards the pennant[獲勝錦旗].
里基:你知道我今早看到了什么嗎?我經(jīng)過一片球場,一個(gè)白人小孩要上場擊球。你知道他在做什么嗎?
羅賓森:等著快球來。
里基:他在模仿你。在手上抹擦泥巴,像你一樣伸展手臂,揮動球棒。白人小孩在模仿一個(gè)黑人球員。
羅賓森:你為什么這么做呢,里基先生?里基:我們戰(zhàn)勝了德國法西斯,是時(shí)候戰(zhàn)勝國內(nèi)的種族歧視了。
羅賓森:不,到底為什么?你為什么這樣做?拜托,告訴我吧。
里基:我愛這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動。我熱愛棒球,把我的一生都獻(xiàn)給了它。四十多年前,我在俄亥俄州的衛(wèi)斯理大學(xué)擔(dān)任球員兼教練。我們有個(gè)黑人接球手,也是隊(duì)里最好的擊球手。查理·托馬斯,是個(gè)很優(yōu)秀的年輕人。我看著他受打壓,直至崩潰,只因?yàn)樗哪w色。我卻沒有給予他足夠的幫助。我告訴自己我有,但我實(shí)際上沒有。我熱愛的比賽存在不公平的地方,而我卻忽視了它。但是機(jī)會來了,我不能再那樣做了。你……是你讓我重新愛上棒球的。謝謝你。
(畫外音)
史密斯:自7月4號以來,布魯克林道奇隊(duì)保持著連勝氣勢,橫掃所有挑戰(zhàn)者。在這個(gè)賽季的這段時(shí)間里,我見證了杰基·羅賓森致力于更偉大的使命之中。我不是指他效命于布魯克林道奇隊(duì),當(dāng)然他也正為這支球隊(duì)賣力。這個(gè)勇往直前的小伙子充滿了膽識。憑著那股驚人的天賦力量,他令一切變得復(fù)雜,但卻以單純的心思去面對。他改變著世界,又拒絕被世界改變。但是棒球不像網(wǎng)球,它要靠團(tuán)隊(duì)合作。加入球隊(duì)只是個(gè)開始,保持團(tuán)結(jié)才是一大進(jìn)步,同舟共濟(jì)才能取得勝利。在這年最后的漫長的客場賽上,杰基·羅賓森和布魯克林道奇隊(duì)做到了。他們力抗紅雀隊(duì)并且朝著冠軍的獎杯進(jìn)發(fā)。
口語錦囊
hold off可以表示阻擋某人前進(jìn)或進(jìn)攻,表示延遲某事或風(fēng)雨的來臨,例如:We managed to hold off the enemys attack.(我們成功擋住敵人的攻擊。)
Could you hold off making your decision next week?(你可以推遲到下個(gè)星期再做決定嗎?)
注1:溫德爾·史密斯(Wendell Smith),非裔美國體育新聞記者,受里基先生的聘請,跟隨羅賓森,為他寫傳。
注2:國家聯(lián)盟的棒球隊(duì)之一,共獲得過11次世界大賽冠軍。