変なめぐりあわせだと思う、今頃５０年も前の映画「ひまわり」が話題になってそれをDVDで借りてみるのだ。確か高校生だったとおもう、映画の内容はともかくソフィア・ローレンとマルチェロ・マストロヤンニの２大スターが共演する悲哀の物語の映画、との前宣伝で見たような気がする。若い私には映画の内容よりも、あのヘンリー・マンシーニの切ないテーマ音楽が印象に残ったのであった。今見ると映画の
内容も悪くないとも思うが、撮影地の当時のソ連とウクライナが５０年後には敵味方になって戦っているのである。それを遠く離れた私たちは、映画の内容に現実を当てはめて感傷にふけるのである。あと１０年くらいしたら「ひまわりⅡ」が出来ているかもしれない。しかし記憶喪失で後で思い出す男性主人公、韓国ドラマのような気がした。
そして先日テレビで「ローマの休日」を放送していた。英語字幕放送で見たがセリフのいくつかは覚えていたのだ。これこそ名画だと思う。英語の勉強にもずいぶんさせてもらった。若い時見た同じ感動が蘇るのはやはり心打つ名画だということだろう。
“By all means, Rome.
I will cherish my visit here in memory, as long as I live.”
最後の方のシーンで今回の旅でどこが一番心に残ったかと主人公の王女が聞かれて
”断然ローマです、生きている限りここへの訪問を思い出として大切にします。”
と答えます。
"Sunflowers" and "Roman Holiday" movies
It was a strange coincidence that I rented a DVD of "Sunflowers," a movie that was made 50 years ago and is now being talked about. I think I was in high school when I saw the movie, which was advertised as a sad story starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, regardless of the content of the movie. As a young man, I was more impressed by the sad theme music by Henry Mancini than by the content of the movie. Looking at the film now, I think the content of the film is not so bad.
However, the Soviet Union and Ukraine at that time, where the film was shot, were fighting each other 50 years later, and they had become enemies. Those of us who live far away from the movie can only apply the reality to the content of the movie and indulge in sentimentality. In another 10 years or so, "Sunflower II" may be made. But the male protagonist who has amnesia and recalls it later, I felt it was like a Korean drama.
The other day, "Roman Holiday" was on TV. I watched it with English subtitles, but I could remember some of the lines. I think this is a masterpiece. It helped me a lot to learn English. It is a masterpiece that brings back the same emotions I had when I saw it in my youth.
In a scene near the end, the main character, the princess, was asked what part of this trip was the most memorable.
"By all means, Rome. I will cherish my visit here in memory, as long as I live."
She replies.
