My student was watching the movie Hitchcock, a movie about the filming of the famous horror-thriller Psycho. In this movie, the director Alfred Hitchcock, “The Master of Suspense”, came to the realization that his wife was essential to his success. He was failing and could not make the movie successfully without her help.

• a movie about the filming of the famous horror-thriller Psycho = um filme sobre a filmagem do famoso thriller de horror Psicose
• came to the realization = percebeu/entendeu/compreendeu
• his wife was essential to his success = sua esposa era essencial/fundamental para o seu sucesso
• he was failing = ele estava fracassando
• he could not make the movie without her help = ele não conseguiria fazer o filme sem a ajuda dela

This is the dialogue that ensued

• that ensued = que se seguiu

Hitchcock: I couldn’t ________ _______ the picture this time. It just sits there, refusing to come to life. I guess there’s no other way of saying it, is there? It’s stillborn. I let you down, my love. You deserve better.

Better go feed Geoffrey and Stanley. Come on, boys.

So what phrasal verb did Hitchcock use to say that he couldn’t accomplish this great task, successfully, without his wife?

I hope you know by now! This is the third week I’ve taught you this phrasal verb! 😉

• I hope you know by now! = Espero que até este ponto você já saiba!
• This is the third week = esta é a Terceira semana
• (that) I’ve taught you this phrasal verb = que tenho lhe ensinado este phrasal verb

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Script with translations

Hitchcock: I couldn’t pull off the picture this time. It just sits there, refusing to come to life.

• pull off = Veja nossos outros artigos com o phrasal verb “pull off”:
  O Pelé e a Copa do Mundo no Brasil
  Você poderia fazê-lo, e obter sucesso, como ninguém
• picture = movie = filme
• this time = desta vez
• it just sits there = o filme só fica ali parado
• refusing to come to life = recusando-se a tomar vida

I guess there’s no other way of saying it, is there? It’s stillborn. I let you down, my love. You deserve better.

• there’s no other way of saying it = não há outra forma de dizer isso
• it’s stillborn = é natimorto
• I let you down = veja a definição desse phrasal verb em outros artigos que publicamos:
  https://domineingles.com.br/2012/07/let-someone-down/https://domineingles.com.br/2012/06/meu-pai-nunca-me-desapontou/
• You desserve better = você merece melhor

Better go feed Geoffrey and Stanley. Come on, boys.

• better go feed [the dogs] = Melhor alimentar [os cachorros]

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