本片段劇情:英國前首相朗要出版回憶錄,但負(fù)責(zé)此書的寫手寫完初稿后卻意外身亡,出版商瑞克幫捉刀手?jǐn)埾铝诵薷臅暹@份肥差。他們和朗的律師等人商談,定下了合作細(xì)節(jié)。但這本書的名義主編羅伊始終覺得第一位寫手死得蹊蹺,并提醒捉刀手不要接受這份工作,但捉刀手在高薪誘惑下絲毫聽不進(jìn)他的勸告。
精彩對(duì)白
Ghost writer: Roy. Who're you expecting to bomb you, Random House?
Roy: We're publishing Lang's memoirs. That's enough to make us a target, apparently.
Ghost writer: Thank you. How many have you seen?
Roy: Five. You're the last. I must be honest. I don't think you're the right man for this assignment.
Ghost writer: Then it's a good job it's not your decision, Roy.
Roy: John Maddox, chief executive of Rhinehart, New York. Sidney Kroll, Mr. Lang's Washington attorney. And Rick Ricardelli I believe you know.
Ghost writer:All right, Rick.
John: All right, I gather from Rick you're aware of the situation? Perhaps you can enlighten us and tell us what exactly you're gonna bring to this project.
Ghost writer: Nothing. No, I'm not gonna pretend to be someone I'm not. You have my CV.
Roy: His last effort was the autobiography of a magician, ICame, I Sawed, I Conquered.
Rick: Yeah, and it went straight to number one, so.. .
Ghost writer: After you turned it down, Roy. Look, I don't read political memoirs. Who does? And I gather you've spent $10 million on this book. How much of that are you gonna see back? Two? Three? It's bad news for your shareholders. And it's worse news for your client, Mr. Kroll. Adam Lang, he wants a place in history, not in the remainder tables.
Roy: Oh, please!
Ghost writer: It's because I know nothing about politics that I'll ask the questions that get right to the heart of who Adam Lang is. And that is what sells autobiographies. Heart.
Rick: Wow! That's nicely done.
Roy: What utter balls.
John: You think so?
Roy: John, of course. Adam Lang's a world historical figure. His autobiography is gonna be a world-publishing event.
John: Yeah, well, I got warehouses filled with world-publishing events waiting to be pulped. Sid?
Sidney: Adam is obviously still very upset by what happened to Mike McAra. He was irreplaceable. Irreplaceable, and yet he has to be replaced. Adam can certainly appreciate the benefits of trying someone different. In the end, it's about chemistry. Do you work out, maybe?
Ghost writer: Not really.
Sidney: That's a pity. Adam likes to work out.
Roy: Actually, l know a good writer on the Guardian who uses a gym.
Rick: Okay, maybe we could just run over the publishing schedule, yeah?
John: We need to wrap this up in a month.
Ghost writer: A month?
John: Yes.
Ghost writer: You want the book in a month?
Sidney: We already have a first draft.
John: Yeah, well, it needs a lot of work. That's why I like your resume here. You're fast, and you deliver.
Rick: You name it, he ghosts it.
John: And you're a Brit. The ghost should be a Brit. To get the jolly old tone right, right?
Sidney: Do you have any family commitments?
Ghost writer: No, I have no family. Why?
Sidney: Adam is locked into a US lecture tour, also a fundraising program for the Adam Lang Foundation.
Rick: It's a month in the States. That's okay.
Ghost writer: Couldn't I bring the manuscript back here to work on?
Sidney: I'm afraid not. It's in a secure environment in Marty Rhinehart's own house. Only a few people are allowed to handle it.
Roy: Sounds more like a bomb than a book. I will need to see it myself at some point. I am supposed to be editing it.
John: Yeah, in theory. Actually, we need to talk about that. How soon can you get over there?
Ghost writer: As soon as you want.
Rick: He'll fly tonight.
John: Okay, you're in. Congratulations.
Ghost writer: Thank you. Thanks.
Sidney: Actually, l have something here you might want to look at. No, no, no, this isn't Adam's book. No, it's another client of mine. Yeah, perhaps you can let me know what you think.
Ghost writer: Sure.
John: Okay, if you're gonna get that evening flight, we'd better talk contracts with Rick here. Wanna show our friend to the door? Would you? Roy?
Rick: Call you in an hour, buddy.
John: Hey! Remember.. .Heart.
Roy: There's something not quite right about this project.
Ghost writer: What? Me, you mean?
Roy: Obviously you. And McAra. Suicide? He didn't strike me as the suicidal type.
Ghost writer: Always nice to see you, Roy.
Roy: Good luck.
妙語佳句 活學(xué)活用
1. bomb: 轟炸,對(duì)……投炸彈。
此外,bomb還可以表示“考試慘敗、戲劇演出等票房差,不賣座”。例如:That movie was a real bomb in the box-office.(這部電影的票房收入非常差。)
2. CV:簡歷,curriculum vitae的縮寫。
3. I Came, I Sawed, I Conquered:這里指捉刀手寫的另一本自傳的書名。仿照的是打敗龐培時(shí)愷撒說的一句名言“I came, I saw, I conquered.(親臨,目睹,全勝)”,這句話充分表現(xiàn)了他當(dāng)時(shí)勝利后喜悅的心情。此語后來也成為語言精練的典范。
4. turn down:拒絕。 turn down the thumb則表示“反對(duì)”。
5. gather:猜想,推斷。例如:I gather she's ill, and that's why she hasn't come.(我想她是病了,所以沒有來。)
6. What utter balls:一派胡言。Balls表示“胡說,廢話”。
7. pulp:變成紙漿,使稀爛,在美國俚語中表示“被打得要死”。
8. wrap up: 圓滿完成,順利結(jié)束. 例如:I can't wrap up the peace talk in less than fifty pages.(我無法以不到50頁紙的篇幅寫出和平會(huì)談總結(jié)。)
9. first draft:初稿。
10.ghost:代筆,也稱為ghostwrite,代人寫作,替人捉刀,這樣的人就稱為ghostwriter(捉刀手)。
11.lock into:受困于。
12.you're in:這工作給你了,你被錄用了。
13.buddy:密友,伙伴,美國口語。
14.strike:給某人以……印象;讓某人覺得…… 例如:How does the idea strike you?(這想法你覺得怎樣?)