这场戏：密谋杀掉作者霸占剧本
第 3 章 · 共 30 章 · 3'00"
过气剧作家读完新人的剧本，只评价一句 It's flawless（完美无缺），然后半开玩笑地构思：把作者干掉，再把杰作 under my own name（署上自己的名字）寄出去。妻子则劝他 collaboration（合作），还提醒这行干久了，争的就是 top billing（挂头牌）。想把「嫉妒加盘算」说得又狠又体面，这段全是。
❝ 独白 · 4 句 under my own name（署上自己的名字）
do something about it 想办法处理、做点什么big enough to 大到足以under my own name 署自己的名字what's the point in 做某事有什么意义
❝ 独白 · 6 句 split it 50-50（五五分成、对半分）
collaborating on 就某事合作sex it up 添点香艳噱头split it 50-50 五五分成、对半分top billing 挂头牌、排在首位
过气剧作家西德尼·布鲁尔和妻子迈拉·布鲁尔刚读完新人克利福德·安德森的剧本，评价只有一句 It's worse than I thought. It's flawless（比我以为的还糟，它完美无缺）——好到让人绝望。两人半开玩笑地设想：用狼牙棒把作者打倒，再把他的杰作 under my own name（署上自己的名字）寄出去。玩笑归玩笑，他也承认自己 not up to（做不来）百老汇制片人那种犯罪。妻子顺势劝他跟对方 collaborating on（就某事合作），把剧本稍微 sex it up（添点香艳噱头），收益 split it 50-50（五五分成）。值得学的三个说法：top billing 是挂头牌；split it 50-50 是五五分成；coming out of the closet 是公开性取向、不再隐瞒。
A1–C2 是欧标等级。点一个等级后，比它高的卡片会变淡，播放到那里不会自动暂停。
“And then send his little masterpiece off under my own name.”
然后把他的小杰作署上我的名字寄出去。
一句轻描淡写就把杀人和窃稿连在一起，冷得可怕。
send something off under my own name
半开玩笑地说要占别人成果时用；真在职场这么说会惹大麻烦。
then send it out as my own work. ／ and put my name on his script.
口语
send his 连读，masterpiece 重读，under my own name 收轻。
He would send the design off under his own name. 他会把这份设计署上自己的名字交出去。
“I am not up to the criminal behavior of a Broadway producer.”
但我可做不出百老汇制片人那种犯罪行为。
用自嘲把杀人和职业操守摆在一起，是全场最毒的笑点。
not up to something
自嘲能力不够、办不到某件离谱事时用；对长辈自谦也别过头。
I cannot stoop to that. ／ That is quite beyond me.
中性
not up to 连读，criminal 重读，Broadway producer 收尾带笑。
I am not up to that kind of office politics. 那种办公室政治我可玩不来。
“I thought he was finally coming out of the closet.”
我还以为他终于出柜了。
一个误会式的猜测，把八卦和调侃一口说破。
I thought he was finally ...
打趣说自己误会了别人的举动时用；谈人私事要看场合，别拿它当笑料。
I assumed he had finally come out. ／ I figured he was finally being himself.
口语
thought he was 连读，finally coming 连读，closet 收干脆。
I thought he was finally quitting that job. 我还以为他终于要辞职了。
“It's worse than I thought. It's flawless.”
比我以为的还糟。它完美得无可挑剔。
先给个坏消息的架势，再翻成最高评价，反转劲全在这两句之间。
It's worse than I thought. It's flawless.
想先压低再猛夸、制造反差时能用；对真沮丧的人别拿它当安慰。
It is even better than I feared. It is perfect. ／ Worse than I expected, and completely flawless.
literary
worse 和 flawless 两处重读，中间 thought 稍停，第二句放慢抬高。
The demo is worse than I feared. It is flawless. 这个样机比我担心的还「糟」，简直无懈可击。
“You sure you don't mean who I was?”
你确定你说的不是当年的我？
一句反问把过气的自尊全漏出来，体面底下全是心酸。
You sure you don't mean who I was?
自嘲今非昔比、试探对方是否只认过去时用；对长辈别随便开这种玩笑。
Are you sure you do not mean the man I used to be? ／ You mean who I was, not who I am, right?
口语
You sure 连读，mean 重读，who I was 放轻，句尾上扬带点自嘲。
You sure you don't mean the player I was ten years ago? 你确定你说的不是我十年前那个球员？
Have you thought about collaborating on the play on Deathtrap? If it's as good as you say it is... It wouldn't hurt if it got some of that Sidney Bruhl polish and pizzazz. What do you think, my darling darling? Don 't tell me that an absolute amateur wouldn 't be thrilled... At the chance of working with you.
你有没有想过在那部《死亡陷阱》上跟他合作？ 如果它真有你说的那么好…… 让它沾点西德尼·布鲁尔的光彩和噱头，也没什么坏处。 你觉得呢，我的宝贝？ 别告诉我，一个彻头彻尾的新手会不激动…… 能有跟你合作的机会。
What I should do is beat the fat bastard on the head... With that mace over there... Burying him in a hole big enough to accommodate his bloat... And then send his little masterpiece off under my own name.
我该做的是照着那死胖子的脑袋来一下…… 就用那边那个狼牙棒…… 再找个大得能装下他那身肥肉的坑把他埋了…… 然后把他的小杰作署上我的名字寄出去。
下一章 · 04a god-sent opportunity天赐良机这场戏：妻子劝他找新人合作原指海报、节目单上排在最上面的头牌，引申为「排第一、最受重视」。台词里争的就是谁挂头牌。
说 split it 50-50，也可以说 split it down the middle。台词里谈合作分账，用的就是 split it 50-50。
最常见就是「公开性取向、出柜」，但也能泛指「把藏着的秘密公开」。台词里是拿它开玩笑，说以为对方终于出柜了。
是英式口语，意思是「这我倒信、说得没错」，带点幽默的附和，比直接说 I agree 更俏皮。
not up to 强调「能力或状态够不上、做不来」，常指体力、水准；can't 只是「不能」。台词里说自己 not up to 制片人那种犯罪，是自嘲。
