【遙控器】40 Years Out系列 #1 - A Very British Sex Scandal_Yes, I'm a Homosexual.

A Very British Sex Scandal_UK_2007TV

Directed by
Patrick Reams

Writing credits
Patrick Reams

私評：8.8/10

提起美國的同志運動，相信不少人多少都能聊上幾句，或是來幾個關鍵的名詞。然而，若提到英國的同志運動，又有多少人有印象呢？

為了慶祝英國同志除罪化40年（意即將同志間私人的性行為不視為犯罪行為的《Wolfenden report》公開實施40年），英國電視台Channel 4特別開了一系列名為【Channel 4's gay season celebrating 40 years of legalisation of homosexuality（簡稱40 Years Out）】的特別節目，透過類戲劇、電視電影和紀錄片...等手法，為觀眾娓娓道來這40年來屬於英國同志們的各式辛酸與歡笑。而打頭陣的，則是以1955年的Peter Wildeblood事件為核心的【A Very British Sex Scandal】，藉由穿插訪談與旁白的仿紀錄片手法，回顧對英國同志們而言最重要的關鍵時刻。



故事以Peter Wildeblood（Martin Hutson飾演）在Piccadilly Circus巧遇Eddie McNally（Sam Heughan飾演）開場，分成雙線敘事。一方面以Wolfenden Committee的進行作為隱形敘事線，不斷安插當時受訪的各階層人民對同志的看法，以及展現評議會在做出這份關鍵報告過程中所傾聽到的聲音；另一方面則回過頭來，隨時序帶領著觀眾一同墜入兩人相戀的過程，並適時地於關鍵時刻引入相關／當事者對當時情況的回憶，更增添戲劇的可信度。虛實相掩的安排下，作為結尾的法庭戲，格外顯得真切而動人。在當時，英國仍把同志間的性行為視為犯法的墮落行為（劇中多用buggery = 雞姦這字眼來定義他們的犯罪行為），每年都有百多人因此被入獄服監，因此，當原本僅是地下情的同志戀情被揭露，而對象竟是能獲得媒體關注與大眾焦點的大人物時，這個事件在當時成了家喻戶曉的頭條新聞之一。或許，最初Peter向Eddie借火時，未曾想過這把火將蔓燒整個英國南部（英格蘭與威爾斯），成了改變英國同志一生命運的火種吧。

現在看來，不過就是身為事件中心的人物---Edward Montagu（或稱Lord Montagu of Beaulieu，由Orlando Wells飾演）邀請了Peter Wildeblood和Eddie McNally一起到他的海邊別墅度假個幾天，剛好McNally帶了軍中的朋友John Reynolds（Karl Davies飾演）一同前往，而稍晚...則比預期的「多喝了點酒」罷了（唉壓，小孩子不懂就算了），結果，當天下午某幾張泳褲著身的露點照，就這麼成了關鍵的淫蕩證據。而兩人關起門來在床上做愛做的事，則讓法庭判決兩個大人誘姦小孩子做出違反善良風俗的犯罪行為，各判12和18個月，牢飯伺候！

Wildeblood在獄中被關了整整一年後獲釋，當時幫他接風的是Kenneth Tynan（英國戲劇／劇評家）和大學同窗Patrick Thursfield。1955年，Wildeblood以自己在獄中的經歷寫成了《Against the Law》一書，並參與著名的Wolfenden Committee，亦即後來於1957年所發表的Wolfenden Report（Wolfenden報告）（關於這部份小爺很推薦大家去看BBC4在2007年9月製播的【Consenting Adults】，剛好和這片有互補的功效）。在這之後，Wildeblood一方面持續小說寫作，一方面則活躍於劇場與電視領域。後來他搬到多倫多成了電視製作人，並成為加拿大公民。

《Against the Law》書裡的要點有三：

• Homosexuality between consenting adults in private ought not to be against the law
• Prison only encourages homosexuality
• In the squalor of Wormwood Scrubs there was no attempt at rehabilitation

作為一部仿紀錄片形式的類戲劇，【A Very British Sex Scandal】的成績真的不俗。除了揭露當時警方常常使用的誘導手段（如可憐的Reynolds，21歲的他，嚇都被嚇死了，一聽到警方說供出幾個他認識的人的名字便可減罪，哪想得了那麼多呢），幾場戀人間的感情糾葛演來刀刀見血、絲絲入扣，無論是Wildeblood桑因為擔心兩人的戀情被發現，當面對著McNally君撒謊，說他寫給他的信早就被燒了，要小Eddie回營之後速速照辦（當然啦，我們看的電視比當時的人都多，想也知道這麼傷人的決裂一定是騙人的。而戲裡，Wildeblood桑就是因為被翻到這一疊珍藏的信和那張泛黃的大頭照才被抓...╮(╯▽╰)╭...），或是兩對在法庭上的眼神交會，愧疚與袒護，一切顯得盡在不言中。

劇末的法庭戲幾乎可以說是整齣戲的核心，高潮跌起幾無冷場。眾生相在法庭上一字排開，無論是膽怯發抖的John Reynolds、內疚愧欠的Eddie McNally，亦或是神色自若地強調自己沒罪，也不是同性戀的Edward Montagu，所有人在面對質詢時的眼神動向，甚至是控方律師非常低級的詢問手段，絲毫的舉動都牽動著觀眾的心（當Eddie都已經承認他和Peter在床上有buggery行為時，居然還能臉部紅氣不喘地要Eddie向大家解釋那到底是什麼行為？結果就出現「把陰莖放進肛門裡」這種讓人深覺羞辱到了極點的對白...(╯‵□′)╯︵ ┴─┴...）。事實上，Edward Montagu和Peter Wildeblood兩人在戲裡是有機會逃過或減輕判刑的。辯方律師非常高杆地想把Eddie等人的形象導向男妓一途，也讓Eddie對Peter那段愛的告白更顯得極其殘忍。但或許正是因為這樣，當當檢方律師對著Peter Wildeblood使出殺手鐗問道：「Are you a homosexual？」時，那個關鍵的「Yes, I'm a homosexual.」回答，幾乎讓人當場飆淚。

對小爺來說，【A Very British Sex Scandal】最令人印象深刻的，不是Peter和Eddie兩人做完愛後，Peter很神經質地用玻璃杯靠在牆上傾聽鄰居的動向，也不是Peter被抓後，母親懷抱著他說她會永遠愛他的段落，而是兩人交往一陣子後，在某一個晴朗的早晨，Eddie端著茶，叼著煙，站在窗邊遠眺的畫面。Peter啜飲著茶，端坐在沙發上，凝視著眼前的愛人，當Eddie回眸過來頑皮一笑時，平靜祥和的氣氛，顯得再平凡不過了！或許，這正是【A Very British Sex Scandal】試圖以沈穩內斂的節奏，不疾不徐地為觀眾緩緩道來，這段對英國同志而言，最為重要，卻根本地僅屬於，愛，與勇氣的關鍵轉變。

註：（草稿：2007.08.08）
沒想到兩個月就這樣悠悠晃晃地過了。突然驚覺，要是再不介紹這個非常好看的電視特集，大概要到下輩子才會想起來（笑）。

ps.1.
不過有點怪的是，劇裡幾乎很少提及當時一同被捕的Michael Pitt-Rivers。有人知道為什麼嗎？

ps.2.
為爭取平等權利而戰的漫長之路（英國）：

• 1885: 男同性戀行為被視做粗卑猥褻的犯罪行為，並立法。
• 1895: 著名英國詩人Oscar Wilde因同性戀行為被判處兩年監禁，隨後於1900年辭世。
• 1955: Peter Wildeblood著書抨擊法律而觸發了英國現代的同性戀權利運動。
• 1957: Wolfenden提倡修正法律。
• 1967: 英格蘭與威爾斯相繼修正法律，私人間的同性戀行不屬犯罪行為。
• 1988: 英國《Local Government Act（地方政府法案）》第28節禁止在學校宣揚同性戀行為，或進行同性戀教育。
• 1991: McKellen Ian與John Major為合法的改革進行辯護。
• 1994: 同性戀行為的合法年齡定為18歲。
• 1998: 同性戀行為的合法年齡定為16歲。
• 2000: 禁止同性戀者在軍事部門服務；蘇格蘭廢除《地方政府法案》第28章節規定內容。
• 2003: 廢除將同性戀視做粗卑猥褻犯罪行為的法律規定；英格蘭和威爾斯相繼廢除《地方政府法案》第28章節規定內容。

相關連結

• Channel 4的官方網頁

• 〈英国广播公司将播出《破译密码》等系列电视片纪念“沃芬登报告”发布50周年〉
• 〈Heroic in Perversity〉
• 〈Obituary: Peter Wildeblood〉
• 〈從武芬登報告談起〉
• 〈英國「合法性行為同意年齡」的區域演進〉

附註1.（新聞稿，不過我找不到原始link了，抱歉）
Channel 4's gay season

In 1967 the Homosexual Reform Act was passed, decriminalising homosexual acts in private between two adult men aged 21 and over. Marking the 40th anniversary of the Act, Channel 4 is showing a season (5 programs) of new dramas and documentaries.

This Saturday (21 July) sees the start of Channel 4’s season of four programmes marking the 40th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of sexual acts between men.

The first programme is A Very British Sex Scandal – the story of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu and his friend Peter Wildeblood, diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Mail (oh, the irony!) who were arrested in 1954 after the police ensnared them for homosexual offences. It was a case that scandalised high society, electrified the nation and set the course for the groundbreaking Wolfenden Report of 1957. At the time, homosexual acts, even in private, often led to jail sentences; as many as 1,000 gay men were locked up in Britain's prisons every year.

On Sunday (22 July), Clapham Junction is broadcast. Starring Paul Nicholls, Rupert Graves, Samantha Bond and James Wilby, the programme weaves five separate stories and follows the mixed experiences of several gay men whose lives interconnect over 36 hours during a hot summer. When a middle-class dinner party is interrupted by the arrival of police to investigate a reported (and now notorious) attack on Clapham Common, the guests are drawn together “with devastating effect”. The play is written by Kevin Elyot, who’s best known as the author of My Night with Reg, which won an Olivier award in 1994.

On Tuesday (24 July) comes How Gay Sex Changed the World, which charts the journey of gay men over the last four decades – including the first Gay Pride march, the opening of Heaven nightclub, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Queer as Folk, the emergence of the “gay village”, and the introduction of civil partnerships. Among those taking part are Simon Callow, Jimmy Somerville, David Furnish and Chris Smith.

Then, finally, on Thursday (26 July) – Queer as Old Folk. This charts the lives of men who made choices about their lives and sexual identities pre-legalisation, and 40 years on, they're still living with the consequences. Among those taking part are a 58-year-old guy who entered a fundamentalist Christian marriage to subdue his gay urges. He came out just 18 months ago and now uses Gaydar, cruises saunas and has six boyfriends on the go... but he still lives with his wife. There’s also a 73-year-old who came out in his teens and has stayed in a monogamous relationship for the last 45 years.


附註2.

Digiguide Review:

A Very British Sex Scandal tells the extraordinary story of the high society court case that scandalised society, electrified the nation and changed the course of British history.

In January 1954, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, a 28-year-old aristocratic socialite, and his friend, Peter Wildeblood, the newly-appointed diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Mail , were arrested after a concerted effort by the police to ensnare them for homosexual offences. Their subsequent trial and conviction were to mark a sea change in public opinion, which eventually led to the Wolfenden Committee and its landmark recommendations for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Britain.

Mixing drama with documentary testimony, including that of Lord Montagu, this film brings to life the extraordinary events of the trial and paints a vivid picture of gay life in 1950s Britain. Contributors including veteran gay rights campaigner Allan Horsfall and Michael Brown who describe the reality of gay life in Britain, telling of "chain prosecutions" and police harassment, vibrant underground social scenes and medical attempts to "cure" their "disease". And they discuss the implications of the trial and its role as a pivotal turning point in gay history.


Radio Times Review:

Channel 4 starts its week of programmes marking the 40th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality with this well-meaning but creaky drama documentary about an electrifying 1954 court case. In an era when homosexuals were remorselessly hunted, trapped and often bullied by police, the prosecution of Daily Mail journalist Peter Wildeblood and Lord Montagu of Beaulieu for a string of homosexual offences transfixed the country and led, eventually, to a softening in attitudes towards gay men. Using real-life testimony from gay men who lived through the period (from whom I'd like to have heard more) and prim dramatisations, A Very British Sex Scandal falls over itself to be sympathetic. Which is fine, but why feel the need to paint faintly ludicrous portraits of noble male suffering in its dramatised accounts? The subjects only end up seeming a bit like Celia Johnson in Brief Encounter, but without the current buns and steam trains.