衣领上的唇印

简介：ThemainstoryissetinaBritishMilitaryIntelligenceOfficeinWhitehallduring1956,whereasmallgroupofforeignaffairsanalystsfindtheirquietexistencedisruptedbytheSuezCrisis.EwanMcGregorplaysMickHopper,whoisdoinghisnationalserviceasaninterpreterofRussiandocuments.Boredwithhisjob,Hopperspendshisdayscreatingfantasydaydreamsthatinvolvehisworklleaguesbreakingintontemporaryhitsongs.LouiseGermaineplaysSylviaBerry,theblondewifeoftheviolentCorporalPeteBerry(DouglasHenshall).SylviaisanobjectofdesireforMick'sfellowclerkPrivateFrancisFrancisandamiddle-agedpipe-anistnamedHaroldAtterbow(RoyHudd).Unlikethestreet-wiseHopper,FrancisisaclumsyWelshintellectualwhoseacademiccareerhasbeeninterruptedbyhisarmycallup.TheappearanceofthebookishnieceofasendedAmericanofficerenablesthetwonscriptstopairoffwithsuitablepners,afterinitialmismatching.SomeofthesidethemesincludetheinfluenceofAmericanrockandrollonEnglishsociety,thegulfbetweenthesenioranalysts,whoareregulararmyofficers,andthenscriptedotherranks,theworkofRussianplaywrightChekhov,andtheappreciationofopulenttheatrepipeans.Theunusualntext—amilitaryculturetransplantedintoacivilservicestyleofficeenvironment—reflectsPotter'sownnationalserviceduringthe1950s.Whilethispiecehastheformofaromanticedy,unlikethelessnventionalworksofDennisPotter'smiddleperiod,itisnotwithoutgraphicsexandviolence,aswellasPotter'scharacteristicflashesofdreamlikeimagery.ThecentrepieceofthisductionisthesurrealmusicalsequencesettothesongInaPersianMarket.