From:
//cinemascopicravings.wordpress.com/2013/06/24/the-suits-of-yes-minister/Costume design is an important element of characterisation. Invariably, how a person is dressed has an influence on other people’s perceptions of that person, and this fact is just as important in film or on TV. Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister are interesting examples of this, as the costume design is very subtle. Indeed, I’ve been re-watching them lately and it is only because I’m a style hack that I noticed the costume design at all. There are three key characters in the series, namely the Minister and later Prime Minister, Jim Hacker MP; the Minister’s Permanent Secretary and later Cabinet Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby; and the Minister and later Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary, Bernard Woolley. There are key differences between all three upon which shall be elaborated throughout.
Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington) was educated at the London School of Economics, which is actually an extremely respectable but practical university founded in the 19th century, and therefore commands disdain from both Appleby and Woolley, graduates of the ancient Oxford. Hacker tends to dress slightly less traditionally, or perhaps ‘more in tune with the times’ is a better way of putting it. He tends to favour double-breasted suits, which lend him a traditional air of statesmanship. Generally, Hacker ties his tie using a four-in-hand, or “schoolboy” knot. This knot lends a more casual air to the formality of a suit and tie, and appears less fastidious than a Windsor knot, which is often associated with the well-to-do.
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Since the Global Financial Crisis, the four-in-had has become popular with politicians again today as politicians strive to be more ‘at one’ with the voters. Hacker’s pocket squares tend to be puffed in his pocket and are usually brightly coloured, dating the programme to a time when many people still wore pocket squares on the daily. The influences on Hacker’s choice of clothing are alluded to in the episode, “The Ministerial Broadcast”, where it is suggested that on television he wear a light coloured, ‘business-like’ suit for delivering no new information, or a dark coloured suit for announcing big changes, in order to appear more sincere. In the elements of his outfits, though, Hacker is dressed like a man of the people, in a manner that is authoritative and yet also friendly.
This is in direct contrast to Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne). An Oxford man with a privileged upbringing, Sir Humphrey always wears single-breasted, two-button suits, usually with a light coloured shirt and pocket square. His ties vary, but all are tied with a perfect half-Windsor (you can tell by the size of the knot). This knot signifies the difference in monetary value of Humphrey and Hacker. Here is a man who is on at least £30,000 a year, according to Yes Minister – this is more than Hacker earns, and it shows! With the exception of the YPM episode, “The Key”, Humphrey never looks untidy or dishevelled, and all his outfits are perfectly tailored. Refreshingly, Sir Humphrey’s suits do not follow the 1980s fashion for having a particularly low gorge (where the collar meets the lapel), and so have not dated at all, as opposed to Hacker’s double-breasted suits, which are a complete product of their age.
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Sir Humphrey's face looks cons
In all his behaviour, Humphrey is a stickler for tradition, and his costume design reflects this. As a sidenote, Ian Fleming had this to say about Windsor knots: “Bond mistrusted anyone who tied his tie with a Windsor Knot. It showed too much vanity. It was often the mark of a cad.” Perhaps Hacker should have taken heed of this advice.
Bernard (Derek Fowlds), also an Oxford man from the upper classes, tends towards the same standards as Humphrey, most notably the Windsor knot. Interestingly, however, Woolley’s costuming changes the most out of all the leads over time. Throughout Yes Minister, Woolley is learning the ropes of the civil services, still quite young and green compared to the experienced Sir Humphrey. Bernard, in his youthful idealism, is yet to gain the automatic jaded outlook of Sir Humphrey. Perhaps as a reflection of this, Bernard’s dress sense in the earlier series is quite dandyish. A proponent of the navy single-breasted suit – often a three-piece – Bernard frequently pairs it with pink shirts or the occasional merchant banker, often with a collar pin and cufflinks to boot.
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A classic example of the Early
Being quite the (dubiously successful) dandy myself, I would certainly mark Bernard as the best dressed of the three in Yes Minister. However, by Yes Prime Minister, Bernard’s style has toned right down, almost to the same level of tradition as Sir Humphrey. Gone are the brighter shirts, to be replaced with whites and blues the same as Sir Humphrey. This shift in style is quite notable, and I interpret it as a sign of Bernard’s advancing up the ranks of the Civil Service and a consequent maturity – though this is not necessarily reflected in his behaviour and puntastic dialogue! He remains the best dressed, however.
The contrasting styles of all three characters give the audience an insight into their personalities right off the bat, and these insights are later backed up by the characters’ roles in the plots. I’ve been unable to find any analysis of the costume design online, or indeed any comments from the programmes’ creators to back up the interpretations I’ve made here. However, in the book adaptations of the series released in the 1980s, numerous references are made to Ministry of Defence officials wearing baggy blue suits as their civilian uniforms. This leads me to believe that there would have to have been some attention paid to the significance of certain sartorial elements in the design of the show. But, maybe I’m just being over-analytical.
UPDATE 27/09/13: According to S Granville of To Bed With A Trollope, Hacker often also wears a London School of Economics tie, reflecting his alma mater. This makes me think there was lots of attention paid to the costuming, and that perhaps I’m not being as over-analytical as I might have thought…
第一集 Equal Opportunity 机会均等
1、M对自己作为政治人物的个人成就支支吾吾。Sarah看的很清楚。作为个人,想要achievement而不是activity(花无尽时间给无关人等就无关事项传递无关信息spend endless hours circulating information that isn't relevant about subjects that doesn't matter to people who aren't interested)治理国家很重要,只是没看到谁在做。厌烦了那些花招。物以类聚人以群分,看看当Sarah说出这些时他们吃惊的表情,不要想着从内部尤其是从下至上改变他们,他们会觉得你疯了。
问题的根源:
政策的制定者和执行者不是一波人。
论资排辈。
2、Deputy Secretary;Under Secretary
公务员工作三法宝:越拖延就越快,越贵就是越便宜,越私密就越民主。
3、女性确实不适合工作吗?
4、原则上支持。天下都一样。
第二集 Challenge 迎难而上
1、中央政府的人员和财务浪费砍不动,又打起了地方政府的主意。但白厅(中央政府的人最怕对地方的砍刀最终也会以同样的方式砍到自己。
2、同样的,嘴上说政客不重要的漂亮话,但一旦套用到中央政府(首相、内政大臣Home Secretary)身上,就会立马面临窘境。
3、为什么政府做事一直不设定预定目标、评价标准和责任人,就是怕陷入专业管理(professional management)的境地,所以他们才让人员不断地流动。
4、日常对人防工程Civil Defence的蔑视,但你必须要承认必须要考虑核战争发生的可能性,否则就是政治不正确。
第三集 The Skeleton In The Cupboard 家丑外扬
1、PS不让M接触下属。
2、记录。
3、交换。资料全部损毁替PS保密换来本就不应惩罚的高效自制郡。不填表格一样好好的,那么需要收集表格的人干什么呢?
第四集 Moral Dimension 操守问题
1、贿赂得到合同。brown envelope还真是无处不在。不在policy里但是在practice里。
2、用攻击媒体掩饰贿赂。
第五集 The Bed Of Nails 如坐针毡
1、推诿问题
2、信息泄露问题。调查从无结果,因为最大的泄密机构就坐落于唐宁街10号。
3、综合交通问题。不能伤害任何既得利益。
第六集 The Whisky Priest 知易行难
1、卖军火。
2、良心与道德。要迁出一堆人。为什么一定要做?
第七集 The Middle-Class Rip-Off 劫贫济富
1、阶级审美。
2、个人利益优先。小B进化地太快了!
第三季第一集 机会平等
这集讨论女权,人家80年代拍的剧集就已经如此一针见血了,而且那时候女权已经是一种政治正确(非贬义)了,男性领导人虽然阳奉阴违,但是也认同女性是应该争取自己权利的,女性和男性应该获得同样的权利。相反,2020年了,女性争取自己权利还会被公开辱骂“女性的权利已经够多了”,真实得感受到了差距。
剧中辛辣得讽刺男性领导人对于女性的种种偏见,通过大臣与女秘书之间的对话,体现出女性在职场上不受重视,即使有能力有才干,但是因为是女性所以基本上是无法被提拔上去。
然后通过小汉和阿诺德之间的对话,更是投入出男性领导人对女性的普遍歧视“太感性,不理性“,“要么嚼舌根,要么掉眼泪”,“不是掉眼泪就是撒泼”,“总是以偏概全,想事情都是同一个路数”。
再然后通过男性领导人的内阁会议,具体化了这种歧视,每个部门领导都是,我原则上同意,但是女性不适合我们这个部门,“外交部要去穆斯林国家,不适合女人”,“女性不适合做警察,不适合看管监狱”,“80%的书记员,99%的打字员都是女性”(低端工作可以做,但是高层就算了)
当然小汉的“已婚已育的女性不适合工作,因为不能保证全身心拖入工作,未婚未育女性也不适合工作,因为资历太浅”真是更加扎心。2020年了以上种种论调还是比比皆是,女权之路,任重道远。
然后即使是女性内部,安妮也会怀疑大臣与女秘书太过密切,而阻扰女秘书升职。
这集太现实了,看得人很沉重,我以为大臣无法帮助女权获胜了,但是没想到女秘书最后绝地反击,痛斥官僚主义,痛斥整个公务员系统,并且潇洒离开,也不屑于当什么副秘书长,要当就当实干的董事。看完觉得女性还是要自己起来抗争,不要寄希望于别人替你争取权利,激进的男权派小汉等男领导是不允许女性威胁它们自己的权利的,即使是温和的男权派,大臣也只是为了自己的选票,必要时候也是可以以其他利益舍弃女权。举一个最简单的例子,除非是升职加薪都有标准制度的大公司,如果你自己不提出来要加薪,大多数老板肯定会睁一眼闭一只眼,不会主动给你加薪。
不得不说,这才是讽刺喜剧,不是无脑工业糖精,看完引人深思!
两年看了七遍的程度。
大二的时候在学校每天下午下了课回宿舍,泡面/面包/零食/水果然后打开播放器。
交换的时候教印度政治的老师上课说她也喜欢Yes, prime minister我差点冲上讲台跟她握手的程度。她说那个内阁秘书长叫啥,Sir啥,我大喊Sir Hamphrey!
后来有翻拍过新版,但老版实在太深入人心了,太经典了🌟
由于“糟糕”的补片顺序,全系列看的最后一集是第三季第六集。
不知道是最后一集的缘故还是因为这集本身剧情偏伤感:哈克在成为10号的前夕,为正义挺身而出,和汉弗莱争论武器出口的问题。即使是在哈克与汉皮的许多争吵中,这也算是颇为激烈的一次。当哈克怒斥汉弗莱”道德真空“时,这次争执就显得尤其不同了。这不是关于官僚机构或是竞选拉票之类的老话题,在哈克的角度上来看,这事关许许多多无辜的生命,关乎一切被摆在政治的桌面上的美丽口号,即使是从最朴素的角度上来看,哈克仍认为他所服务的政府没有理由不和他一样关切此事。当然,除非英格兰已尽如汉弗莱爵士一般,道德真空。
这是真正承前启后的一集,哈克完成了成为10号前的最后一步,除了他已具备的”灵活“和”善于纳谏“,不列颠的组织部秘书很快教会了哈克最后一课——道德真空。如果说从前的哈克的双面人生指的是向民众许下的空头支票和向官僚体系的靠近的矛盾的话,那从此之后哈克将认为二者是一致的,无非是前者在结果上欺骗,后者在过程上欺骗。
与全系列喜悦的基调不同,这集多少有些沉重。观众已经习惯了在剧中正义得不到伸张,但哈克满怀希望却被现实击垮的样子如同告诉观众,在现实中也需要习惯正义得不到伸张。
哈克睡倒在沙发上,手里抓着酒瓶,口中大声喊叫着“whisky priest”,浓浓醉意容不得他去回忆从报社到唐宁街的一切,从旁观者到当局者,从谎言到背叛。妻子在一旁看着醉酒的丈夫温柔地说出那句"Yes, minister",哈克意识到她是唯一自始自终仍相信着自己的人:相信吉姆哈克没有双面人生,吉姆哈克如一地服务着他的理想与认知,吉姆哈克是个善良且诚实的人。
三星半。特别篇的条目找不到了及写在这儿吧~ jim还是成功上位了啊!! 经过了这么多事儿你说jim真什么都不知道吗?真傻吗?切~凭我的智商反正是做不到他这个程度~最后游说竞选人的部分赶脚jim超有范儿啊~干脆利落!等着你呦PM~
期待唐宁街10号再见~以后碰到说话绕弯的人就这么问"You're not related to Sir Humphrey Appleby by any chance?" 另外,Bernard越来越可爱了~
1.女性主义;2. 精简冗余公务员、民防工程与“领导先躲”&媒体“自由” 3. 打压高效地方政府&掩盖历史失责档案 4. 公务员蹭出国&外贸行贿订单&公务员家属受贿;5. 陆运空运铁路-公共交通;6.军火与恐怖分子&道德真空;7.花大部分老百姓的税补贴少数精英趣味(歌剧院音乐厅美术馆等)还是大部分老百姓的平民娱乐
太机智了!连Bernard半真半假的回答都闪耀着智慧的光芒!嘤~
《THE WHISKY PRIEST》这一集系列最佳,以前看的话我应会流泪。
这后面几集伯纳德戏份越来越多,也越来越智慧了,不过伯纳德衰老得好快!汉弗莱确实魅力四射虽说并不是啥善人。最后哈克给伯纳德升官,汉弗莱不高兴,估计是觉得他俩关系太近了吧。
都是些道德中空的人,不过因为自己的良心而否定他人的道德未免太过了,所以我们要做的事是什么也不理,做自己职责内的事罢了PS难得有三人“合作”简直不是棒字了得,开始喜欢狡诈却明智的Humphey了,大臣真的很萌
在遇见这剧之前我从来不知道世界上居然拍这种题材能有这么个拍法的(以前更加孤陋寡闻嗯),人物塑造各种对话单独挑哪里出来都是一等一的赞,萌爆了的剧(等等
第七集绝了,民膏民脂供有权有势的人享乐
这剧本,这表演,这从句套从句套从句套从句的表达。。。= = 三位主演两位已逝,只有Bernard一人看新版YM是如何糟蹋经典的。
打岔的艺术、下套的艺术、扯皮的艺术、装傻的艺术、捅娄子的艺术、补锅的艺术……
這一季的服裝很不錯。Humpy往事被揭露簡直太經典,Bernard充分發掘了自己的潛力,Hacker的學習成果得到了導師的肯定XD
完美的“大臣奋斗三部曲”,从第一季刚进内阁不了解情况、被秘书玩弄于股掌之间,到第二季熟悉规则、有时还利用秘书反击一下,这第三季算是修得圆满、与秘书配合默契并同化了,互相掩护、打官腔也熟练不少、对官僚运作机制了解颇深。而私人秘书伯纳虽然也适应了两面派生活,但经常抛书袋,没多少长进。
笑死了笑死了,必须起身鼓掌送给这群老头,真是太有趣了,好高端漂亮的英文词汇句子啊。恭喜haker成为了10号!!!!!!9.8分!!!果然是神剧
一集一集看下来真的是非常过瘾,而且越陷越深...所谓神剧和经典的确有它的魔力,如今很火的《House of cards》一集就看不下去了,感谢这部剧,让我一个政治盲得到了启蒙。无可救药的爱上这部剧了,不因为它到底有多搞笑,而是看着它就给人很惬意温馨的感觉。三个人都好可爱,特别是Bernard好萌!!!2021.9二刷,大概从第三集开始非常赞了!
除了关于性别问题的那集笑不出来外 其他还是好好笑啊:D
minister想把Bernard当弃子给扔掉的时候我可伤心了!!!(╬ ̄皿 ̄)凸虽然Bernard总是墙头草两边倒,可是人家总是尽力帮助minister你呢!!怎么还不如humpy对Bernard 呢!(╬ ̄皿 ̄)凸还好最好Bernard的事情被压下来了!
第一集的女权问题放到三十年后的今天也是最常被谈论的话题,而在1900的精讲里,弹幕里男人的反驳和跳脚和坐在会议室里的英国老白男如出一辙,感觉什么都没有变,什么都没有解决,哪有什么矫枉过正,争取权利就是进十退九。
圣诞特别篇真是首尾呼应的典范,既呼应了本集开头给Bernard的surprise,也呼应了本剧第一季第一集的phone jitters. 只是首相突然提早离职的安排也太奇怪了。
可能是这辈子看到的最好的剧了吧