亨利四世：第一部分

我要坚持写完这个系列，哪怕只是只言片语。

历史上亨利四世在位期间的这次叛乱，一半由于马契伯爵莫提默的被俘而亨利拒绝出资赎回，一半因为亨利要求佩尔西不要收取俘虏的赎金而损害了诺森伯兰家的利益。但最根本的原因，还是由于诺森伯兰是最早支持亨利回国讨公道的人，他自认为自己是亨利登基最大的功臣，理应享有一切荣光，所有要求都应该被满足，而亨利则一方面害怕他权势过大，另一方面马契伯爵莫提默对王位的继承权也使得他无法安稳的坐于王座之上。因此这场战争是无法避免的，如果说谁是这战役的胜者，无疑是年轻的威尔士亲王。

这部本子相比上一部《理查二世》显然更适合改变成电影，基本上都是群戏，更便于突出布局与冲突，而不是单调的一个人对着镜头大段念白。如果说上一部让我们被小本同学深厚的台词功底所震撼的话，这一部戏的精华显然在于两对“父子”间的你来我往。亨利与哈尔，福斯塔夫与哈尔。

虽然亨利是哈尔生父，但从最开始铁丝叔满心遗憾的独白便可看出，他反而更希望是哪个夜游的仙女弄混了他的诺森伯兰的孩子，使得两个哈利入错了门户。虽然历史上Hotspur要比哈利王子大很多，但此处莎翁为了凸显父子戏的冲突而对历史有了些许改动。
同样的，表面上看放浪不羁的哈利和福斯塔夫更像是市井里一对寻常父子，喝酒作乐不问世事。而只有在人群中自省的一刻，我们才能看到哈利心里和其年龄表象所不般配的成熟。这里的一段独白也是全剧我最喜欢的一段。深埋在他各种胡作非为下的那颗青年的心，才像是王座的嫡传。
因此这样的父子戏势必会带来贯穿全剧的冲突，相比而言，最后那场仿佛泥地打滚的战争场面就不值一提了。

整场看下来，我最爱的两个场景，一是戏中戏，福斯塔夫和哈利互相扮演亨利四世和哈利自己，尤其是后半段当哈利坐上那个寒碜的王座，带着一顶破烂毡帽，俯视下面那个脑满肠肥的胖子在胡言乱语的时候，瞬间表情的变化，哈利在那一刻已经初具人王之相。另一个是经跟在后面的哈利被召唤至王座前，铁丝叔和抖森的对戏几乎让人看得想在嘴里咬点什么东西才够过瘾。铁丝叔时抑时扬，愤怒与忧伤，情绪转换自然流畅，真心让人膜拜。而相比老戏骨来说，抖森已经做得足够好，【当然有可能是因为我是脑残粉】但这两个场景下抖森的眼神和表情都给得很到位。先是一句I do. I will. 前后两个词时态的变化，已经完成了一个身份的转接。前一刻他是假扮的亨利四世，后一刻他是未来的亨利五世。而在堂前，听到父亲说自己会毫不犹豫投靠佩尔西的时候，那个眼神真的传达出了一个受伤的儿子面对父亲的失望的无比心痛。如果硬要说抖森的不好，或许是在台词的表达方面，有点太抖森了，闭着眼也能感觉出来他说那样一句话时候是什么样的神情。所以有人说他是本色演出，一笑就裂等等，但我希望他日后能像铁丝叔一样把台词的吞吐拿捏到无比自然。当然这需要时间……

最后，作为脑残粉，不得不嘲笑一下抖森童鞋那晶莹剔透的口水，据我观察至少喷了三次……每次台词长点，情绪激昂一点，势必会喷口水……我说抖童鞋。。。这是不是可以练练？不然以后谁敢跟你对戏哇！最后的战争戏是在很冷的天气情况下拍的，并且由于解手不便而不敢在下身套太多裤子，很杯具的结果就是这次不光喷口水了，连鼻涕一起喷了啊抖童鞋！！不知道躺在地上装死的福斯塔夫有木有受到流弹攻击……哈哈哈……

最后的最后，导演，我就想问一句话，抖大咚的裤子裆前面的三角形是特么做什么用的？

On the year of 2008, Olympic Game has been hold by England. For the sake of spreading England unique culture, which will also be beneficial to cross-cultural communication, BBC TV station has directed a series of film called Hollow Crown, which are some adapted works from Shakespeare’s history plays including RichardⅡ, HenryⅣ and HenryⅤ. To be honest, Henry Ⅳ is one of the greatest films I have ever watched.
Henry IV is a story about a king who stole the crown from his cousin, and is tormented by his guilt. Also, it's growing story about his son, a feckless young prince, who is always exposed to some blackguardly ruffians. However, when he suddenly is conscious of his father’s weighty responsibility and his massive burden, the prince, who seems to be cynicism, is forced to grow up and face his destiny. Then, on succeeding to the throne, the new young king takes his country to war, realizing he must assume his responsibility to strengthen national defense and fight against invaders. Eventually he becomes the greatest warrior king in English history.
In deep meaning, it's also an adventurous story of people facing an uncertain future, and of a country searching for a new sense of patriotic identity.
In this film, what deeply impresses me most is not father and son, but friendship and betrayal. In fact, this movie does not put emphasis on the relationship between HenryⅣ and his son HenryⅣ,but do stand out what happens between the young prince Hal and his so-called loyal friend Jack Falstaff. To some extend, the friendship and betrayal is the most dramatic aspect, running through the whole movie.
Jack Falstaff, as the leader of some ruffians, is almost paternal relationship with Hal, the young prince. Generally speaking, Falstaff is too much of a pretty crook, who is a congenital liar, congenital drunk as well as thief. However, Falstaff sets his affection on Hal, and the emotion shed by his eye really convince audiences that they own true friendship, conveying a message that even he is a ragtag, the prince still cherish their relationship.
However, that is totally wrong. Why Shakespeare is a most renowned writer, because everything that is Shakespearean is ambiguous. And in the most ambiguous but dramatically important scenes, Hal's split loyalties between Falstaff and his father of are central to both plays.①
Falstaff brings out the wayward and irresponsible side of Hal. However, the other side of the young prince's personality lies in this prince’s inherent essence. Although Hal seems like a terrible shit and he does some dreadful things, but in his inner world, he is a very upright person, he is also an ambitious and sophisticated politician.
I know you all, and will awhile uphold the unyoked humor of your idleness.
Yet herein will I imitate the sun, who doth permit the base contagious clouds to smother up his beauty from the world.
That, when he please again be himself, being wanted, he may be more wondered at, by breaking through the foul and ugly mists of vapours that did seem to strangle him.③
The words from Hal’s mouth show his ambition, appearing in the beginning of the film, give us a warning.
So how could the writer, Shakespeare copes with this difficult problem? Why Shakespeare is being Shakespeare, because he solves it through a play within a play.
Prof.Jonathan Bate(Worcester College Oxford) claims that:
This fantastic scene, to my mind. Come on, I'll say it the greatest scene Shakespeare ever wrote.
This fantastic scene where they act out Prince Hal returning to court, being interviewed by his father.
It's an amazing piece of theatre, where you have Falstaff and Hal playing the parts of King Henry IV and Hal.②
In this play within play, Hal and Falstaff have an interesting pub game, they need to play the parts of King Henry IV and Hal, imitating a conversation between father and son.
As first, Falstaff play the role of Hal’s father, the present king, in the course of communication, Falstaff doesn't tell Hal to pull his royal socks up. Rather, he instructs the young prince to spend more time with a splendid fellow called Falstaff. Falstaff regards that he is a loyal and true friend around Hal. And sometimes, indeed, he is, at least many audience thinks so, including me.
Then, they change the position, Hal do an impression of his father, and Falstaff plays him. At the beginning, Hal pretends to be his father, being angry to interrogate his son, Falstaff, why he would play with a local ruffian. Later, Hal's perspective begins to change. He claims that his son Hal must banish his fat friend, Falstaff.
Then Falstaff say the most impressive words from his bottom of heart:
Banish plump Jack, and banish all the world.③
The emotion from their eye contacts reveals that they are all touched by these sincere sentences. Especially Hal, he moves to tears, totally smothering his tears from his eyes.
However, the Hal say these words:
I do.③
Again, he supplies another sentences:
I will.③
That is really strange.
When Hal says “I do.”, he is within the context of the play within the play, as the acting the part, in his father’s tone. But then, in that instant pause, and the shift of the verb tense “I will” disclosures that he is speaking not within the play within the play, but as himself.
He is giving Falstaff warning that the moment will come, when he becomes a real king, he need to banish Falstaff.
What happens to Hal, why he needs to say these serious words?
It is believed that if you know the play well, if you love the play and the adapted movie, you cannot watch it with a dry eye.
So at the end of that game, there is a chilling premonition, and that what appears in the ending of this movie.
Gold save the king.③
With these cheerful sentences, Hal is crowned in Westminster Abbey, and eventually becomes the king. Then in the parade, Falstaff deliberately happens to meet his heart, Hal. Falstaff want to claim kinship and let the king give him some advantages. However, the king changes his voice, he is strict with this fat man, saying the follow sentence:
My lord Chief Justice, speak to that vain man
I know thee not, old man. Fall to thy prayers. How ill white hairs become a fool and jester.
I have long dreamed of such a kind of man so surfeit-swelled, so old and so profane. But, being awake, I do despise my dream.
Make less thy body hence and more thy grace, leave gormandizing.
Know the grave doth gape for thee thrice wider than for other men. Reply not to me with a fool-born jest!
Presume not that I am the thing I was.
For God doth know, so shall the world perceive, that I have turned away my former self. So will I those that kept me company When thou dost hear I am as I have been, approach me and thou shalt be as thou wast, the tutor and the feeder of my riots.
Till then I banish thee, on pain of death
As I have done the rest of my misleaders, not to come near our person by ten mile. For competence of live I will allow you, the lack of means enforce you not to evil.
And, as we hear you do reform yourselves, we will, according to your strengths and qualities, give you advancement.④
That’s a very long monologue, but when Hal says these words. It is really powerful and awful. Does he totally forget the time Falstaff around him, like his father to care of him? Does he never remember the happy ages he enjoy his youth, not worrying his duty to take charge of a country?
So why he does that?
Hal is not to do this having a mater plan, he just has an idea of how he wants his life to go, he is aware of his responsibility, who knows the fun will have to end one day.
Therefore, both these acts speak volumes. Hal gets rid of formal himself,
And I think that is the most dramatic aspect of the whole movie. Making you so convincing that Falstaff and Hal is a pair of close friend, but the end reveals that they break down their relationship in this way. So amazing, is not it?
 But the ending has its own premonition and reliable explanation. The most ambiguous part seems not so ambiguous, thanks to our greatest writer, Shakespeare.
Like the so-called “O. Henry-style ending”, disclosure when the movie ends the people of the psychological situation changes unexpectedly, or the fate of the hero suddenly reversed, giving audiences an unexpected result, but also be associated with real life, resulting in a unique artistic charm.


Reference:
①,② From: BBC Documentary: Shakespeare Uncovered_Jeremy Irons on the Henrys.
③ From: The movie: Henry IV
④ From: The Book: Henry IV