Thank you for the movies you lent me. Both are great movies. But if I were American, I would enjoy it more because these movies are very American in the way heroes are defined and made.
But as a Chinese, Sand Pebbles sometimes upsets me because it seems to make Chinese look like nothing but mobs who twist situations for their goal (such as the killing of the pregnant woman). The movie makes it look like there is less humanity in the Chinese than in the Americans who are aboard this ship. Chinese at this time were made to look like intimidating forces threatening Americans, but one cannot help wondering: Why is the ship there in the first place? Our description of history tells us a story much from the perspective similar to that of Jamerson. Our collective memory tells exactly the opposite things: we thought that the foreigners at this time in these military or polictical missions were provocative, and are unfairly privileged, and caused us great sufferings, which jeopardizes the good will and good work that could have been done, such as teaching and mission work. And as you recall from Madam Jiang Kai-shek's article in the Atlantic Monthly, China was struggling with issue of foreign exploitation at this time of national awakening.
We thought that is the exploitation and all the unfair treaties that lead to all the anti-foreign sentiments. The movie is very true on this level. Usually the Chinese governments are quite docile in front of foreign powers in spite of all their slogans for national interests (except during Mao's time). It's the people that can turn against foreigners because they are frustrated that their governments are not doing enough to protect them against foreign invasion or intrusion. I see the same thing here in the US. All administrations start with China bashing of some sorts to get votes, but once in power, they went on to get along fairly well with China. Yet it is the people who turn against China, Chinese people or Chinese goods. Unless that changes, the two nations cannot actually get along with each other. It is great if the peoples find ways to get along with each other, because that matters more.
I am a little puzzled that the nationalists government are turned against the foreigners at this time. I am not sure if that is true to history, because the close alliance with the Americans is what the communist party often faults the nationalists with. And it is pretty well known later on that the nationalists used US-armed forces against the communists in the nationalist-communist civil war. The nationalist takeover of Nanjing should not have been a cause for distress for Sand Pebbles. I am wondering if there is a time in history when the nationalists are against the US as well. Because the other movie (painted veil) seems to say the same thing. I need to look into that. I remember the Pearl Buck book says something about that as well?
That's a lot of reflections for now. But both movies are very much thought-provoking. Thanks for sharing them.
把西方对华政策描述为三种人：粗俗短视的商人；把中国过于美化和理想化的神父（知识分子）；鲁莽的军人……然后就是三种人互相坑害互相拖后腿，对华政策一塌糊涂…… 音乐之声的导演……其实这片子把中西关系描述得很透彻了。《砂石炮艇》，个人很喜欢这电影。表现20世纪中美关系平衡感最好的电影。也是表现美军内部关系最好的电影（《全金属外壳》之类失衡严重）。主角史蒂夫·麦奎因小流氓出身，当过陆战队坦克手，正是影片角色的真实投影。艇上一老一少两个职业军官的形象也很写实。 多数美国电影，表现职业军人与政治的关系，总是或左或右的愤世嫉俗……而这部电影不同，表现的很深入写实。有段情节，是艇长向少尉（炮艇仅有的两个职业军官）说明万县事件后的中国政治形势和美国对华政策。少尉听得一脸茫然，只有两次较大反应：艇长说“对抗”，少尉立刻眼睛放光兴奋起来；艇长说“不能动武”，少尉又面露失望迷茫之色……多数美国电影，要么把美军描述成快乐大家庭，要么描述成地狱……这部电影里却两者都不是，只是士兵们混饭吃的地方而已。当然职业军官和士兵们不同，他们还有荣誉和野心……更有趣的是，这部1966年的电影，提前预告了未来几十年的中美关系：炮艇逐渐被中国工人渗透，美国水兵什么活都不干了，一切都由中国人代劳…
看了The Sand Pebbles。算是西方罕见的北伐题材电影吧——这片子是台湾协拍，可中国军服却错误百出——国民党军连自己军服的历史都搞得一塌糊涂。古宁头大捷什么也穿得极为山寨。算是美国对失去中国的反思吧。原来好莱坞也知道这是美左和美右们互相拆台的结果——战斗部分不错。话说20年代的美国海军，船长还带着大刀吗？1927年南京事件，我以前介绍过几次。事发当时，美英炮击南京以报复，日本却低调处理，还劝说美英放老蒋一马。这引发日本国内不满。日本陆军指责币原外交软弱妥协，反而被蒋介石轻视，于是转向抛开政府的“独立行动”。此事对日本影响甚大——却没想到，美国人40年后也还记得此事，还拍成电影。1927年南京事件另一结果，是蒋介石加速和tg翻脸。南京事件发生于3月24日。4月12日，蒋介石就在上海清党，并将南京事件责任归咎于苏联和tg。张作霖搜查苏联大使馆，也宣称缴获了苏联策划此事的文件——可近40年后，美国电影还是把蒋介石描写成“伪装温和”的排外主义头子，半点不给“自由中国“面子
把西方对华政策描述为三种人：粗俗短视的商人；把中国过于美化和理想化的神父（知识分子）；鲁莽的军人……然后就是三种人互相坑害互相拖后腿，对华政策一塌糊涂…… 音乐之声的导演……其实这片子把中西关系描述得很透彻了。《砂石炮艇》，个人很喜欢这电影。表现20世纪中美关系平衡感最好的电影。也是表现美军内部关系最好的电影（《全金属外壳》之类失衡严重）。主角史蒂夫·麦奎因小流氓出身，当过陆战队坦克手，正是影片角色的真实投影。艇上一老一少两个职业军官的形象也很写实。 多数美国电影，表现职业军人与政治的关系，总是或左或右的愤世嫉俗……而这部电影不同，表现的很深入写实。有段情节，是艇长向少尉（炮艇仅有的两个职业军官）说明万县事件后的中国政治形势和美国对华政策。少尉听得一脸茫然，只有两次较大反应：艇长说“对抗”，少尉立刻眼睛放光兴奋起来；艇长说“不能动武”，少尉又面露失望迷茫之色……多数美国电影，要么把美军描述成快乐大家庭，要么描述成地狱……这部电影里却两者都不是，只是士兵们混饭吃的地方而已。当然职业军官和士兵们不同，他们还有荣誉和野心……更有趣的是，这部1966年的电影，提前预告了未来几十年的中美关系：炮艇逐渐被中国工人渗透，美国水兵什么活都不干了，一切都由中国人代劳…
但我喜欢这部电影
他们都曾经存在过 在那个时候在那个地方 又自己的原则 面对当时的情况 作出自己的选择
你会愿意 你会有耐心看这个三个小时的故事吗
你的耐心会得到回报的
不要快进 经典需要细心体验
Dear Jim,
Thank you for the movies you lent me. Both are great
movies. But if I were American, I would enjoy it more
because these movies are very American in the way
heroes are defined and made.
But as a Chinese, Sand Pebbles sometimes upsets me
because it seems to make Chinese look like nothing but
mobs who twist situations for their goal (such as the
killing of the pregnant woman). The movie makes it
look like there is less humanity in the Chinese than
in the Americans who are aboard this ship. Chinese at
this time were made to look like intimidating forces
threatening Americans, but one cannot help wondering:
Why is the ship there in the first place? Our
description of history tells us a story much from the
perspective similar to that of Jamerson. Our
collective memory tells exactly the opposite things:
we thought that the foreigners at this time in these
military or polictical missions were provocative, and
are unfairly privileged, and caused us great
sufferings, which jeopardizes the good will and good
work that could have been done, such as teaching and
mission work. And as you recall from Madam Jiang
Kai-shek's article in the Atlantic Monthly, China was
struggling with issue of foreign exploitation at this
time of national awakening.
We thought that is the exploitation and all the unfair
treaties that lead to all the anti-foreign sentiments.
The movie is very true on this level. Usually the
Chinese governments are quite docile in front of
foreign powers in spite of all their slogans for
national interests (except during Mao's time). It's
the people that can turn against foreigners because
they are frustrated that their governments are not
doing enough to protect them against foreign invasion
or intrusion. I see the same thing here in the US.
All administrations start with China bashing of some
sorts to get votes, but once in power, they went on to
get along fairly well with China. Yet it is the
people who turn against China, Chinese people or
Chinese goods. Unless that changes, the two nations
cannot actually get along with each other. It is
great if the peoples find ways to get along with each
other, because that matters more.
I am a little puzzled that the nationalists government
are turned against the foreigners at this time. I am
not sure if that is true to history, because the close
alliance with the Americans is what the communist
party often faults the nationalists with. And it is
pretty well known later on that the nationalists used
US-armed forces against the communists in the
nationalist-communist civil war. The nationalist
takeover of Nanjing should not have been a cause for
distress for Sand Pebbles. I am wondering if there is
a time in history when the nationalists are against
the US as well. Because the other movie (painted
veil) seems to say the same thing. I need to look
into that. I remember the Pearl Buck book says
something about that as well?
That's a lot of reflections for now. But both movies
are very much thought-provoking. Thanks for sharing
them.
Have a great week!
Berlin
电影长达2小时55分钟。中间还有场休。看前半集，心痛难忍。大哭起来。
百度的介绍说，
“影片以一艘在1925年航向中国的美国炮艇为故事舞台。主人翁贺曼是艇上的海员，喜欢躲在底层的机房工作，不料炮艇驻守中国之后却逼令他跳到甲板上跟各方面的政治和文化压力周旋，复杂的局势发展改变了他独善其身的个性。”
可是，我看到的，是中国人。
苦难，无救，可恶，奴才，忘恩，诬陷……
中国人在电影中的形象让我难过，不是因为歪曲，而是因为真实。
阮次山说，阿扁就是台南小流氓的性格，叫着“来啊，来扁我啊”。
而当美国大兵被三倍于他们的北伐军队包围，北伐军“护送”他们回船时，夹道相送的中国人，个个喊着“洋鬼子，怎么不开枪啦？”“开枪啊，怎么不开枪啦？”反复出现的背景便是如此。
看到美国大兵，叫着“Master”，卑贱的面孔。
看到炮艇演习，拍掌叫好，全然不知道自己的演习的针对对象。
互相倾轧，出卖。
木枘的黄浦学生军，死在原本可以教他们怎么用磨面粉机的人手中。
于是他们开始报复。杀害留下来教他们学习的神父。
只看见仇恨，却未见到自尊。
只看见疼痛，却未见到醒来。
不管怎样，我不要我的祖国再回到那样的场景中去了。再也不要。