二战影片回顾

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今年是二次世界大战胜利60周年，全世界各国也都以各种形式对此进行庆祝。其实二战电影一直都是银幕上乃至奥斯卡奖的常客，其中有《拯救大兵瑞恩》（Saving Private Ryan）、《辛德勒的名单》（Schindler's List）这样的经典之作，也有《钢琴师》Pianist、《兵临城下》Enemy at the Gate以及《兄弟连》Band of Brothers这样的优秀作品。要在短短一文中一一点评，
　　
　　永恒的英雄主题
　　
　　 战争造就英雄，歌颂英雄也是二战影片永恒的主题，比如《U-571》中年轻的Tyler舰长、《珍珠港》Pearl Harbor中的美军飞行员都是典型的好莱坞英雄，影片的结尾也是胜利和团圆。其实更能打动我们的往往是那些逝去的英雄，他们也许并不完美，却更真实。让我们来看一下颇受军事电影迷们喜爱的《兵临城下》，品评片中两个另类英雄。
　　
　　 《兵临城下》Enemy at the Gate讲述了斯大林格勒战役中苏德两国狙击手对决的故事。片中人物众多，俄罗斯男孩Sasha就是其中很闪光的一个角色，他冒着生命危险暗中帮助他心目中的英雄、苏军狙击手Vassili，自己最终被德军狙击教官Konig绞死。Sasha并不是一个完美的形象，当被Konig押走的时候，他没有我们常见的英勇就义的形象，也没有多余的话语，只是不停的哭泣，感情十分真挚。反而是Konig的一番话，让我们感受到敌人的罪恶和战争的残酷。
　　Konig: Good Morning Sasha. Once again, he knew exactly where to find me. Don't you think that's strange? Apart from me, only you knew. I don't hold it against you, Sasha. You've done a very brave thing. You've chosen your camp. I respect that. But it isn't my camp. We're both soldiers, and we're both enemies, so I know you understand. I'm annoyed with you, little Sasha, for not staying home as I made you swear to. I'm annoyed with you for obliging me to do what I'm going to have to do.
　　 这里，Konig冷酷地阐述自己罪行的“合理性”，这其实就是整个二战期间纳粹德国打着“理性”和“科学”的旗帜进行屠杀罪行的一个缩影。前一阵有报道说日本右翼看了《小兵张嘎》就叫嚣着为日本侵略军“正名”，声称日军是“不得已而为之”，也是出自类似的强盗逻辑，看来二战结束60年以后，纳粹的阴魂依然不散，着实值得我们警惕。
　　 影片另外一个人物、政委(comrade commissar)Danilov形象也很复杂，作为Vassili的战友和好朋友，他帮助Vassili成为苏联家喻户晓的英雄。不幸的是，他和Vassili同时爱上了女战士Tonia，而Tonia爱的却是Vassili。影片最后，当Danilov目睹Tonia被弹片击倒，万念俱灰的他主动暴露在德国狙击手的火力下牺牲了自己，用他的死帮助Vassili击毙了Konig。Danilov临死前一番话语，充满了绝望，耐人寻味。
　　Danilov: I have been such a fool, Vassili. Man will always be man. There is no new man. We tired so hard to create a society that was equal, where there'd be nothing to envy your neighbor. But there's always something to envy. A smile... a friendship. Something you don't have and want to appropriate. In this world—even a Soviet one-there will always be rich and poor. Rich in gifts... poor in gifts... rich in love... poor in love. Tania isn't coming back. She's dead. Vassili. She was cut down by shrapnel. It was quick. I don't think she even saw it coming. She was on her way back to you. As soon as she had seen Mrs. Filipov to the boats, who was coming back for you. She was right. You're a good man, Vassili. I want to help you, Vassili. Let me do one last thing. Something useful for a change. Let me show you where the major is.
　　Vassili: Don't do that. Don't do that.
　　 当我们看惯了好莱坞大片中嚼着口香糖，总是与子弹擦肩而过的英雄时，这部由法国人导演，英国影星出演执导的影片给人耳目一新之感。
　　
　　悲惨的犹太人
　　
　　 人类历史上最残酷的暴行就是纳粹德国在二战中对犹太人的大屠杀。整个二战期间，有6百万犹太平民死于集中营，此类题材也渐渐成为二战银幕上的常客，并屡屡获奖。其中最著名的莫过于《辛德勒的名单》（Schindler's List）了，这部奥斯卡获奖影片真实的再现了德国企业家奥斯卡·辛德勒在第二次世界大战期间保护1200名犹太人免遭法西斯杀害的真实历史事件，影片在一片恐怖中用忧伤的小提琴音乐中用黑白的镜头营造了一个人性的绿洲。影片结束时，辛德勒的一番讲话堪称全片经典：
　　Schindler：The unconditional surrender of Germany has just been announced. At midnight tonight the war is over. Tomorrow, you'll begin the process of looking for survivors of your families. In many cases you won't find them. After six long years of murder, victims are being mourned throughout the world. We've survived. Some of you have come up to me and thanked me. Thank yourselves. Thank your fearless Stern, and others among you, who, worrying about you, have faced death every moment. Thank you.
Schindler: I'm a member of the Nazi party. I'm a munitions manufacturer. I'm a profiteer of slave labor, I'm a criminal. At midnight, you will be free and I will be hunted. I'll remain with you until five minutes after midnight. After which time, and I hope you'll forgive me, I have to flee. In memory of the countless victims among your people, I ask us to observe three minutes of silence.
　　Schindler: (To German guards) I know you've received orders from our Commandant, which he has received from his superiors to dispose of the population of this camp. Now would be the time to do it. They're all here. This is your opportunity. Or, you could leave. And return to your families as men instead of murderers.
　　Levartov: We've written a letter trying to explain things. In case you're captured. Every workershas signed it.
　　Schindler: Thank you.
　　Stern: It's Hebrew. It says, whoever saves one life, saves the world.
　　
　　 “Whoever saves one life, saves the world”颇有点佛家“救人一命，胜造七级浮屠”的意境。影片中最具震撼力，也是最令人悲哀的就是纳粹集中营对人性的完全漠视和践踏，数以百万计的人被以工业化的方式杀害，用来制造肥皂、手套等等。当辛德勒准备上车逃亡时，看到自己的汽车，那些逝去的生命浮现在眼前，让他为自己没能挽救更多的生命自责不已：
　　Schindler：This car, Goethe would have bought this car. Why do I keep the car? Ten people by that, ten people, ten more people. This pin, two people. This is gold, two more people. He would have given me two for it, at least one. He would have given me one, one more, one more person, person, Stern, for this. I could have got one more person, and I didn't, and I didn't ......
　　
　　
　　战争中的尊严
　　
　　 《辛德勒的名单》从某种程度上说继承了美国影片塑造英雄的传统，另一部同样出色的关于二战时犹太人悲惨遭遇的电影《钢琴师》Pianist则显得更加平实，片中的钢琴家苟且偷生在一片废墟中，一切都是为了活下去，只有动听的钢琴声显露了他的不平凡，在强烈的反差中也让人感受到二战中对人类尊严的践踏。
　　 与爱憎分明的《辛德勒的名单》相比，《钢琴师》的世界混乱的多，投靠纳粹的犹奸数次救下钢琴师；抢救犹太人的波兰地下组织成员，居然卷款私逃；德国军官为一首曲子感动，帮助钢琴家饥寒交加等等。而主角钢琴家Waldek也没有传统影片的英雄形象，而更像一个普通人。
　　 影片前半部分中才华横溢的Waldek和仰慕他的Dorota在华沙街头，因为店铺拒绝犹太人入内，竟然找不到一处谈话的地方：
　　Dorota: This is disgraceful! How dare they!
　　Waldek: You know what people are like. They want to be better Nazis than Hitler.
　　Dorota: I'm going in there to complain.
　　Waldek: No. it's better not, believe me.
　　Dorota: It's so humiliating someone like you.
　　Waldek: We'll find somewhere else.
　　Dorota: We could walk in the park.
　　Waldek: No, we can't. It's an official decree. No Jews allowed in the park.
　　Dorota: My God, are you joking?
　　Waldek: I'm not joking. I'd suggest we sit on the bench. But it's another official decree. No Jews allowed on public benches.
　　Dorota: This is absurd.
　　Waldek: I'll tell you what we can do. We can just stand here and talk. I think we're allowed to do that, don't you?
　　 听Waldek说出来，这种对犹太人的歧视显得荒谬可笑，但它只是腥风血雨的前奏，后来华沙的犹太人被送往集中营，Waldek只身逃出，再次见到Dorota时，一切已经事故人非。经历了众多磨难，Waldek万念俱灰，早已没有了往日的神采。当他目睹了幸存犹太人的起义和牺牲，心中充满了绝望。反倒是Dorota比他更具希望和信心。
　　Dorota: No one thought they'd hold out so long.
　　Waldek: I never should have come out. I should have stayed there and fought with them.
　　Dorota: Wladek, stop that. It's over now. Just be proud it happened. My God, did they put up a fight.
　　Waldek: Yes, well, so did the Germans.
　　Dorota: They're in shock, they didn't expect. Nobody expected it — Jews fighting back. Who would've thought?
Waldek: Well, what good did it do?
　　Dorota: What good? Waldek, I'm surprised at you. They died with dignity, that's what good it did. And you know something else? Now the Poles will rise. We're ready. We'll fight too. You'll see.
　　 影片最后当苏军发现废墟中的钢琴家，问Waldek为什么穿德军大衣时，他的颤抖地回答道“I am cold”，与后来钢琴上挥洒自如的形象形成了鲜明的对比，从中我们可以感受到在恐怖、屠杀和饥饿中，钢琴家要想保持一点点的尊严是多么的不可能。
　　 值得一提的是，《钢琴师》的导演波兰斯基亲身经历了华沙犹太管制居住区的岁月，他八岁时犹太管制区逃走，父母和一个姐妹被抓走，后来母亲死在德国纳粹集中营。这一切也使《钢琴师》更贴近历史真相。
　　 音乐在这两部电影都具有重要的作用，它能直达人的内心，胜过一切的言语。另一部有关犹太人遭遇的影片〈布达佩斯之恋〉（Gloomy Sunday）更是以音乐为主线，影片以匈牙利布达佩斯一个餐厅为中心讲述了围绕犹太老板Laszlo、漂亮女侍者Ilona、犹太钢琴师Andras和后来变成纳粹军官的德国青年Hans之间发生的爱情、友情、背叛和分离等故事。片名就是一首歌的名字Gloomy Sunday, 取材于真实的故事。这是一首神秘的自杀之歌，许多人听到这首歌后都自杀弃世。影片中，歌曲作者、钢琴师Andras最后不堪忍受纳粹军官的侮辱，在听到心爱的人儿为他唱了一首Gloomy Sunday之后，自己也举枪自杀。在一片纳粹恐怖中，犹太老板最终领悟了这首歌的含义：
　　Laszlo:I think I just understand the message of Gloomy Sunday. I think the song says every person has his dignity. We get hurt. We get insulted. And we can stand it as long as we can hang on to a last shred of dignity. But if one bucket of shit after another is dumped on your head, perhaps it's better to depart this world. To leave, but with dignity.
　　Ilona: Who says you have to go? You can stay, fight for happiness.
　　Laszlo: There are those who can, but Andras is not one of them.
　　
　　 我想这也是全片的意义，在那个充满死亡气息、让人无所适从的年代，要想保持自己的尊严，也许只能选择尊严的死去。而Laszlo最终没能有尊严的死去，他被他曾救过性命的Hans出卖，被送往集中营。
　　 有消息说美国犹太人团体会周期性的资助此类影片，使犹太人受迫害的历史被全世界的人民所谨记。相比之下，有影响力的关于日军暴行的影片则寥寥无几，近年来反映抗日战争的影片几乎销声匿迹，只剩下几部早年的黑白影片苦撑局面。实在值得我国的电影人反思啊。
　　
　　 文章最后就让我们用Gloomy Sunday的歌词来结束，这是一首献给爱人的歌，让我们缅怀那些二战中逝去的人们，为世界的正义而祈祷。
　　
　　Gloomy Sunday
　　In dark shadow, my loneliness grieving
　　Eyes closed, and before me you go
　　But you sleep, and I wait for morrow
　　I see figures, and send you this plea:
　　Tell the angel to leave room for me,
　　Gloomy Sunday,
　　So many Sundays, slave in the shadows,
　　I will go now with night, wherever it goes
　　Eyes glimpse as candles burn bright,
　　Weep not, my friend, my burden is light
　　With a last breath I return to my home
　　Safe in the land of the shadows I roam,
　　Gloomy Sunday