Blackmail的背景知识

Hotel
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It is the story of an independent New Orleans hotel, the St. Gregory, and its management's struggle to regain profitability and avoid being assimilated into the O'Keefe chain of hotels. For 4 days from Monday evening to Friday morning, the hotel goes through a succession of dramatic events.
Story 1
• Peter McDermott: Manager • Herbie Chandler: Evil Bell Captain(服务员领班) • Marsha Preyscott: one night guest in the hotel
Bell Captain gave a room to the youths in order to get money. Boys in the room were drunk and intended to rape Marsha. Peter saved her and found out the truth that Herbie Chandler is the one who made the incident possible.
Biography
• Born in Luton, England, in 1920 • After a brief career as an office boy, he joined the British Royal Air Force in 1939 and served during World War II, then he became a pilot and flight lieutenant. • In 1947 Mr. Hailey emigrated to Canada, where he was a real estate salesman, business paper editor and a sales and advertising executive. .
Novelist
first TV drama (1958) first novel (1959)
newscasters(1990)
last novel (1997)
• 1962 In High Places--Cold War Era politics in North America • 1965 Hotel--hotels • 1968 Airport--airport politics • 1971 Wheels--automobile industry • 1975 The Moneychangers--banks • 1979 Overload--power crisis in California • 1984 Strong Medicine--pharmaceutical industry
• In 1956 Arthur Hailey scored his first writing success with a TV drama, "Flight into Danger" and a novel, Runway Zero-Eight. • In 1969, he moved to the Bahamas to avoid taxes. • Hailey had suffered a stroke in September, 2004 and died in his home on November 24th when he was 84.
Story 5
• The Hotel's unpayable and unrenewable mortgage is due on Friday, necessitating its sale. Curtis O'Keefe, who owns a large hotel chain, plans to buy the St. Gregory hotel as the O'Keefe chain did not have a hotel in New Orleans. • However, upset with the denial of entry of a Negro man to the hotel, which made headlines, the Journeyman's Union broke the deal. • To his utmost surprise, a few minutes before Friday noon,an old rich man(Albert Wells)bought the major shares of the Hotel. Warren Trent would be the chairman.
Self-description
In 2002, Hailey told John Marquis, editor of the Bahamas' principal daily newspaper The Tribune, that he was lucky in having supportive parents who encouraged him to believe in himself. Brought up in a working-class home, Hailey never lost the common touch following his phenomenal success. 'I have worked hard, but I have also been very lucky,' he said.
Brief Introduction
• Hotel's name: New Orleans hotel, the St.Gregory • Owner: Warren Trent(W.T.) • Background: Hotel management is bad and it's losing money,W.T. wants to sell it. • Time: 4 stories---From Monday evening to Friday morning.
Stowenku.baidu.comy 3
• Albert Wells: an aging hotel guest • Christine Francis: secretary to Warren Trent
Albert Wells suffered a medical problem in his room and he was very weak Christine took care of him well and saved his life. Albert Wells bought St.Gregory.
Story 4
• Curtis O'Keefe: owner of the O'Keefe chain • Dodo: O'Keefe's starlet companion, O'Keefe's girl friend • Julius "Keycase" Milne: hotel thief Curtis failed to buy the hotel at a very low price. Curtis was so disappointed and angry that he told Dodo that he didn't want her anymore. On the other hand After stealing fifteen thousand dollars and some jewelery from the duchess's room, Keycase decided to run away from the hotel.
Ending
• The Duchess would be arrested.
• Curtis realizes how much he loves Dodo and decided to marry her as soon as she recovers. • Peter and Christine fell in love with each other. • Warren Trent is happy that he could retain his hotel as its chairman
Climax
• The Bell Captain,the Duke,Dodo and Keycase were in the same lift--elevator No.4. • The elevator number 4 has met with an accident and had a free fall, killing a worker. • Bell Captain,was paralyzed. • The Duke died immediately. • Dodo suffered a lot of injuries and was rushed to a hospital. • Keycase escaped unharmed and ran away with all his money.
• Ogilvie: Hotel detective
Story 2
• The Duke and Duchess of Croydon: guests in the Presidential Suite • Peter McDermott: Manager
The couple made a mess in the hotel in order to make an alibi. Ogilvie helped drive the damaged car to Chicago and gained 25,ooo dollars. Their tricks were discovered by Peter and the police. The Duke decided to go the police to give himself up.
Blackmail
Arthur Hailey
1. Brief introduction 2. Biography 3. Novelist 4. Self-description
Brief introduction
Arthur Hailey was a British/Canadian novelist, whose works have sold more than 170 million copies in 40 languages. Most of the novels are set within one major industry, such as hotels, banks or airlines, and explore the particular human conflicts sparked-off by that environment. They are notable for their plain style, extreme realism, based on months of detailed research, and a sympathetic down-toearth hero with whom the reader can easily identify.