My Reenactment of A Few Good Men (朗读)

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My Reenactment of A Few Good Men


I love watching movies. Immersing myself in the stories, I forget all the troubles, and loneliness in the real life. I always feel my mundane life is enriched so much by movies. I am able to experience agony, despair, love, hope, and joy of various people in different times and from different worlds. For two hours in the darkness, I simply live their lives.

Luckily I have my favorite movie theater around the neighborhood, where a movie costs less than 2 dollars. Every time I go there, I almost want to wear a wince: what a steal! In deed, what else can you do with 2 dollars these days?

A Few Good Men is one of my all-time favorites. The film was recognized twice by the AFI 100 Years … series . In 2005, Nicholson's reading of the line "You can't handle the truth!" was voted the twenty-ninth greatest American movie quote of all time.



The confrontation between Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) and Colonel Nathan Jessep (Jack Nicholson) in the court was a pivotal moment in the film. There we witness the explosion of Jack Nicholson’s breath-taking brilliance as a greatest leading actor in the Hollywood history. In front of him, Tom Cruise seems like an awkward rookie who happens to land his first role in a major movie (No offense, Cruise, I still like you for your over-achievements on behalf of us all the not-so-tall guys). In a coarse, assertive voice, Jack Nicholson presents us a prideful U.S. Marine officer, who regards himself bigger than law. During less than one and half minutes, he unleashes his anger, frustration, and contempt against the law and conscience which the court stands for. In the 200 hundreds of words, we feel the beauty of phonetic beauty of English – the stress, intonation, and even pause. I enjoy reciting his lines. I always regard it as a great way to learn English. Here are my reenactment, and the excerpt from the play :






JESSEP

You want answers?

KAFFEE

I think I'm entitled to them.

JESSEP

You want answers?!

KAFFEE

I want the truth.

JESSEP

You can't handle the truth!

And nobody moves.

JESSEP

(continuing)

Son, we live in a world that has walls.

And those walls have to be guarded by men

with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You,

Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater

responsibility than you can possibly

fathom. You weep for Santiago and you

curse the marines. You have that luxury.

You have the luxury of not knowing what I

know: That Santiago's death, while tragic,

probably saved lives. And my existence,

while grotesque and incomprehensible to

you, saves lives.

(beat)

You don't want the truth. Because deep

down, in places you don't talk about at

parties, you want me on that wall. You me

there

(boasting)

We use words like honor, code,

loyalty...we use these words as the

backbone to a life spent defending

something. You use 'em as a punchline.

(beat)

I have neither the time nor the

inclination to explain myself to a man who

rises and sleeps under the blanket of the

very freedom I provide, then questions the

manner in which I provide it. I'd prefer

you just said thank you and went on your

way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a

weapon and stand a post. Either way, I

don't give a damn what you think you're

entitled to.

KAFFEE

(quietly)

Did you order the code red?

JESSEP

(beat)

I did the job you sent me to do.

KAFFEE

Did you order the code red?

JESSEP

(pause)

You're goddamn right I did.


Moreover, I love this movie also because it is another story where justice prevails. In my mind, I strongly believe, during my life time, I will witness Chinese government officials, and military brasses to be put on the stand. We the people will question their roles in the massacre of innocent students, and civilians 21 years ago. I expect they will bark back with the line borrowed from Colonel Jessep -- “You can’t handle the truth”. Without surprise, they will also give themselves the credits of years of stability and prosperity. We the people will not buy into these assertions because if an individual’s life is not respected, if a government can justify killing of innocent people in the name of greater good, we can be the next victims. Regarding the seeming economic progress, we the people want to disclose the cultural, ethical, ecological, and human cost the nation has paid…

Years ago, in English class in China, my young college teacher lit candles, and taught us the song We Shall Overcome. The unspeakable sorrow on her face struck me. As the age of 17, I could only feel the agony actually made her face glow with a touch of elegance. Many years later, I came to grasp the pain in her mind…

Yes. With a few good men, we shall overcome.

所有跟帖: 

Bravo! Stunning performance,very passionate and brilliant writin -十里红妆- 给 十里红妆 发送悄悄话 (18 bytes) () 05/23/2010 postreply 19:38:40

声音很磁性 -梅石莹玉- 给 梅石莹玉 发送悄悄话 梅石莹玉 的博客首页 (58 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 05:51:56

(作驚掉下巴狀):妳回來了?! -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (104 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 06:09:36

又:其實是偽磁 -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (26 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 06:12:48

哄人呢,唱一曲让我们品品~ -梅石莹玉- 给 梅石莹玉 发送悄悄话 梅石莹玉 的博客首页 (116 bytes) () 05/25/2010 postreply 06:48:49

I cannot sing DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA:) -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (40 bytes) () 05/25/2010 postreply 09:35:46

carpediem,记得你曾经说过,你会唱《苏三起解》。 -紫君- 给 紫君 发送悄悄话 紫君 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/25/2010 postreply 13:41:07

Still looking for 苏三起解(the Karaoke music in mp3) -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/25/2010 postreply 14:04:41

回复:Still looking for 苏三起解(the Karaoke music in mp3) -紫君- 给 紫君 发送悄悄话 紫君 的博客首页 (346 bytes) () 05/25/2010 postreply 14:24:25

wow, you are quick! I will try and let you know. -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/25/2010 postreply 14:44:39

紫君, I love you -梅石莹玉- 给 梅石莹玉 发送悄悄话 梅石莹玉 的博客首页 (40 bytes) () 05/26/2010 postreply 05:34:03

天呀,carpediem朗诵的太好了,简直是舞台剧的感受了。 -紫君- 给 紫君 发送悄悄话 紫君 的博客首页 (667 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 07:42:40

Thank you, 紫君! I am so flattered that -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (37 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 09:40:10

powerful emotional wave like tide against cliff -swater- 给 swater 发送悄悄话 swater 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 07:45:37

Thank you, water bro. Your story reads like -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (52 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 09:41:40

Corrections (as if yall care:): -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (504 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 09:38:29

I like your writing and powerful reenacting -selfselfself- 给 selfselfself 发送悄悄话 selfselfself 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 20:11:06

自自自兄親自出馬表揚,感激不盡! -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/24/2010 postreply 20:49:39

very impressive:) -灰衣人- 给 灰衣人 发送悄悄话 灰衣人 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/25/2010 postreply 10:22:00

Thank you, Gray-clothed Da Xia! -carpediem- 给 carpediem 发送悄悄话 carpediem 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 05/25/2010 postreply 14:02:14

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