“あんた方は“個人の自由”を象徴してるんだ。連中はその“個人の自由”が恐いんだ。”_”Easy Rider”(1969)
ピーター・フォンダとデニス・ホッパーの二人旅だと思っていたら、三人目にジャック・ニコルソンがいることをすっかり忘れていたよ。髪がふさふさなのがかえって不気味。
と驚くこと間違いなし「イージー・ライダー」より。
2人のバイカー（前述の通り、途中3人に増える）がアメリカ中をバイクで旅する様子を追いかける、アメリカ西部から南部にかけての道中でさまざまな人々と出会い文化的な対立や価値観の違いに直面する、アメリカの反文化運動やヒッピー文化、モーターサイクルカルチャーを描いている、60年代アメリカ・インディペンデント映画の金字塔…
と書けばカッコいいが、基本的にダルダルな作品。だが面白い。
さて、カッコいい台詞は、夜は道脇の野宿、3人で囲む焚き火のシーンに集中していると思う。ウィリアム "ビリー" ケイン（デニス・ホッパー）とワイアット "キャプテン・アメリカ"（ピーター・フォンダ）は南部の排他的な風土、および自分たちの扱われ方に戸惑っている。その不安を吐露したところ、論理的に分析してみるのが、途中から付いてきたさすがはインテリ：若い弁護士ハンセン（ジャック・ニコルソン）。 以下引用。
George Hanson: You know, this used to be a helluva good country. I can't understand what's gone wrong with it.
Billy: Man, everybody got chicken, that's what happened. Hey, we can't even get into like, a second-rate hotel, I mean, a second-rate motel, you dig? They think we're gonna cut their throat or somethin'. They're scared, man.
George Hanson: They're not scared of you. They're scared of what you represent to 'em.
Billy: Hey, man. All we represent to them, man, is somebody who needs a haircut.
George Hanson: Oh, no. What you represent to them is freedom.
Billy: What the hell is wrong with freedom? That's what it's all about.
George Hanson: Oh, yeah, that's right. That's what's it's all about, all right. But talkin' about it and bein' it, that's two different thangs. I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. Of course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free, 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are. Oh, yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em.
Billy: Well, it don't make 'em runnin' scared.
George Hanson: No, it makes 'em dangerous. Buhhhh! Neh! Neh! Neh! Neh! Neh! Neh! Swamp!
太字で示す台詞こそ、本作のメイン・テーマの象徴。
さて、このハンセンも完全潔癖なクレバーな人間かといえば、そんなはずはない。だって演じているのがジャック・ニコルソンだよ？
ウィリアムとワイアットが麻薬で金を稼いではラリる厄介な人種とするならば、ハンセンは陰謀論という脳内麻薬をキメているさらに厄介な人種。
以下、ハンセンが真顔で陰謀論を垂れ流すシーンより引用。内容は当時はやりのUFO（未確認飛行物体）。
George Hanson: That was a - UFO beamin' back at ya. Me and Eric Heisman was down in Mexico two weeks ago, we seen 40 of 'em flyin' in formation. They - they -they've got bases all over the world now, you know. They've been comin' here ever since 1946, when the scientists first started bouncin' radar beams off of the moon. And they have been livin' and workin' among us, in vast quantities, ever since. The government knows all about 'em.
Billy: What are you talkin', man?
George Hanson: Well, you just seen one of 'em, didn't ye?
Billy: Hey, man, I saw somethin', man; but, I didn't see 'em workin' here. You know what I mean?
George Hanson: Well, they are people just like us. From within our own solar system. Except that their society is more highly evolved. I mean, they don't have no wars, they got no monetary system, they don't have any leaders; because, I mean, each man is a leader. I mean, each man - because of their technology, they are able to feed, clothe, house, and transport themselves equally and with no effort.
Captain America: Wow!
Billy: Well, you know something, man, I think, you want to know what I think? I think this is a crackpot idea! That's what I think. How 'bout that? How 'bout a little of that? I think it's a crackpot idea! I mean, if they're so smart, why don't they just reveal themselves to us, huh, and get it over with?
George Hanson: Why don't they reveal themselves to us - is because if they did, it would cause a general panic. Now, I mean, we still have leaders upon whom we rely for the release of this information. These leaders - have decided to repress this information because of the tremendous shock that it would cause to our antiquated systems. Now, the result of this has been that the Venutians have contacted people at all walks of life, all walks of life -
[laughs]
George Hanson: Yes! It would be a devastin' blow to our antiquated systems. So, now Venutians are mating with people in all walks of life in an advisory capacity. For once, man will have a god-like control over his own destiny. He will have a chance to transcend and to evolve with some equality for all.
Captain America: How was your joint, George?
ともあれ、このハンソンの熱弁、記憶にない方が多いのも当然。こう語った夜の就寝中に、南部の奴らにおやじ狩りされ、ハンソンは無事死亡するのだから。
まともな方の人間から死んでいく。
まともじゃない二人：ウィリアムとワイアットは、ハンソンの死体を寝袋に包んで、彼の家族の元に亡骸を返すことを誓う。2人はこの後待ち受ける自分自身の運命を知ることなく、夜明けにバイクを走らせる。
この映画の話は面白かったでしょうか？気に入っていただけた場合はぜひ「スキ」をお願いします！