弗朗索瓦·特吕弗论《历劫佳人》

摘自特吕弗于1974年出版的影评集《我生命中的电影》，英文翻译：LeonardMayhewDaCapoPress在美国出版的版本。当年特吕弗看到的本片并非如今广泛流传的1998年重建版，而是当年环球公司剪辑的，不受威尔斯认可的版本。如今我们发现1998年重建版做的第一件事，就是去掉了开场的字幕，完成了特吕弗在本文第一句话中的设想。YoucouldremoveOrsonWellesx27;snamefromthecreditsanditwouldnx27;tmakeanydifference,becausefromthefirstshot,beginningwiththecreditsthemselves,itx27;sobviousthatCitizenKaneisbehindthecamera.TouchofEvilopensonashotoftheclockofatimebombasamanplacesitinthetrunkofawhitecar.Acouplehavejustgottenintothecarandstartedoff,andwefollowthenthroughthecity.Allthishappensbeforethefilmstarts.Thecameraperchedonamotorizedcranelosesthecar,findsitagainasitpassesbehindsomebuildings,precedesitorcatachesupwithit,rightuptothemomentwhentheexplosionwehavebeenwaitingforhappens.Theimageisdeliberatelydistortedbytheuseofawide-anglelensthatgivesanunnaturalclaritytothebackgroundsandpoeticizesrealityasamanwalkingtowardthecameraappearstoadvancetenyardsinfivestrides.Wex27;reinafantasyworldallthroughthisfilm,thecharactersappearingtowalkwithseven-leaguebootswhentheyx27;renotglidingonamovingrug.Therearemoviesmadebyincompetentcynics,likeTheBridgeontheRiverKwaiandTheYoungLions,moviesthataremerelybluff,designedtoflatterapublicwhichissupposedtoleavethemoviehousefeelingbetterorthinkingithaslearnedsomething.Therearemoviesthatareprofoundandlofty,madewithoutcompromisebyafewsincereandintelligentartistswhowouldratherdistrubthanreassure,ratherwakeanaudienceupthanputittosleep.WhenyoucomeouttheAlainResnaisx27;NuitetBrouillard,youdonx27;tfeelbetter,youfeelworse.WhenyoucomeoutofWhiteNightsorTouchofEvil,youfeellessintelligentthenbeforebutgratifiesanyhowbythepoetryandart.Thesearefilmsthatcallcinematoorder,andmakeusashamedtohavebeensoindulgentwithcliche-riddenmoviesmadebysmalltalents.Well,youmightsay,whatafussoverasimplelittledetectivestorythatWelleswroteineightdays,overwhichhedidnx27;tevenhavetherighttosupervisethefinalediting,andtowhichwaslateraddedahalf-dozenexplanatoryshotshex27;drefusedtomake,afilmhemadequot;toorderquot;andwhichheviolentlydisavowed.Ix27;mwellawareofthat,aswellasthattheslavewhoonenightbreakshischainsisworthmorethantheonewhodoesnx27;tevenknowhex27;schained;andalsothatTouchofEvilisthemostliberatedfilmyoucansee.InBarragecontrelePacifique,ReneClementhadcompletecontrol;heeditedthefilmhimself,chosethemusic,didthemixing,cutitupahundredtimes.ButClementisaslavenonetheless,andWellesisapoet.Iwarmlyrecommendtoyouthefilmsofpoets.Wellesadaptedforthescreenawoefullypoorlittledetectivenovelandsimplifiedthecriminalintriguetothepointwherehecouldmatchittohisfavoritecanvas------theportraitofaparadoxicalmonster,whichheplayshimself------undercoverofwhichhedesignedthesimplestofmoralities:thatoftheabsoluteandthepurityofabsolutists.Acapriciousgenius,Wellespreachestohisparishionersandseemstobeclearlytellingus:Ix27;msorryIx27;mslovenly;itx27;snotmyfaultifIx27;magenius:Ix27;mdying:loveme.AsinCitizenKane,TheStranger,TheMagnificentAmbersons,andConfidentialReport(即《阿卡丁先生》),twocharactersconfronteachother------themonsterandthesympatheticyounglead.Itx27;samatterofmakingthemonstermoreandmoremonstrous,andtheyoungprotagonistmoreandmorelikable,untilwearebroughtsomehowtoshedrealtearsoverthecorpseofthemagnificentmonster.Theworlddoesnx27;twantanythingtodowiththeexceptional,buttheexception,ifheisanunfortunate,istheultimaterefugeofpurity.Fortunately,Wellesx27;sphysiquewouldseemtoprecludehisplayingHitler,butwhox27;stosaythatonedayhewillnotforceustoweepoverthefateofHermannGoering?HereWelleshasgivenhimselftheroleofabrutalandgreedypoliceman,anaceinvestigator,verywellknown.Sinceheworksonlybyintuition,heuncoversmurderswithoutbotheringaboutproof.Butthecourtsystem,whichismadeupofmediocremen,cannotcondemnamanwithoutevidence.Thus,InspectorQuinlan/Wellesdevelopsthehabitoffabricatingevidenceandelicitingfalsetestimonyinordertowinhiscase,toseethatjusticewilltriumph.Afterthebombexplodesinthecar,allthatnecessaryforeverythingtogoawryisforanAmericanpoliceman（本片主角是墨西哥人，此处疑为特吕弗笔误）onhishoneymoon(CharltonHeston)tomeddleinQuinlanx27;sinvestigation.Thereisafiercebattlebetweenthetwomen.HestonfindsproffagainstWelleswhileWellesmanufacturesevidenceagainsthim.AfterafranticsequenceinwhichWellesdemonstratesthathecoulddoubtlessadaptdeSadex27;snovelslikenobodyelse,Hestonx27;swifeisfoundinahotel,nudeanddrugged,andapperentlyresponsibleforthemurderofAkimTamiroff,whoinrealityhasbeenkileddbyQuinlan------whomTamiroffhadnaivelyhelpedsetthisdemonicstage.AsinConfidentialReport,thesympatheticcharacterisledtocommitanunderhandedactinordertoundothemonster:Hestonrecordsthefewdecisivesentencesonataperecorder,sufficientprooftodestroyWelles.Thefilmx27;sideaissummedupneatlyinthieepilogue:Sneakinessandmediocrityhavetriumphedoverintuitionandabsolutejustice.Theworldishorrifyinglyrelative,everythingisprettymuchthesame------dishonestinitsmorality,impureinitsconceptionoffairness.IfIx27;veusedthewordmonsteranumberoftimes,itx27;smerelytostressthefantasticalspiritofthisfilmandofallWellesx27;smovies.Allmoviemakerswhoarenotpoetshaverecoursetopsychologytoputthespectatoronthewrongscent,andthecommercialsuccessofpsychologicalfilmsmightseemagoodenoughreasonofthemtodothis.quot;Allgreatartisabstract,quot;JeanRenoirsaid,andonedoesnx27;tarriveatanabstractionthroughpsychology------justtheopposite.Ontheotherhand,abstractionspillsoversoonerorlaterontothemoral,andontotheonltmoralitythatpreoccupiesus:themoralitythatisinventedandreinventedbyartists.AllthisblendsverywellwithWellesx27;ssuppositionthatmediocremenneedfacts,whileothersneedonlyintuition.Thereliesthatsourceofenormousmisunderstanding.IftheCannesFilmFestivalhadhadthewisdomtoinviteTouchofEviltobeshownratherthanMartinRittx27;sTheLongHotSummer(inwhichWellesisonlyanactor),wouldthejuryhadthewisdomtoseeinitallthewisdomoftheworld?TouchofEvilwakesusupandremindsusthatamongthepioneersofcinematherewasMeliesandtherewasFeuillade.Itx27;samagicalfilmthatmakesusthinkoffairytales:quot;BeautyandtheBeast,quot;quot;TomThumb,quot;LaFontainex27;sfables.Itx27;safilmwhichhumblesusabitbecauseitx27;sbyamanwhothinksmoreswiftlythanwedo,andmuchbetter,andwhothrowsanothermarvelousfilmatuswhenwex27;restillfeelingunderthelastone.Wheredoesthisquicknesscomefrom,thismadness,thisspeed,thisintoxication?Maywealwayshaveenoughtaste,senstivity,andintuitiontoadmitthatthistalentislargeandbeautiful.Ifthebrotherhoodofcriticsfindsitexpedienttolookforargumentsagainstthisfilm,whichisawitnessandatestimonytoartandnothingelse,wewillhavetowatchthegrotesquespectacleoftheLilliputiansattackingGulliver.--1958