|
Mithril
One of the benefits of Bakshi's Lord of the Rings movie holding so closely to the book is that at times you can follow along on the page. During Frodo's stand at the ford, every move that Asfaloth makes, and even the tone of voice in which Frodo says each line, is taken from the book as if it's giving the characters stage directions. PJ's movies aren't as tied to the book, for better or worse. But there are times the link seems even deeper. This scene from the EE, in which Gandalf tells the Fellowship about the mithril mining of the dwarves and talks about Bilbo's mithril shirt, is one that also occurs in the book. The "outer scene" doesn't match the print version exactly, but IMHO what Elijah shows us of the thoughts of his "inner Frodo" fit the script very well.
Caps 1-5 show us the response to Gandalf's general explanation of mithril, as well as Frodo's chance to look into the mithril mine in 3-4 (the latter isn't in the book, BTW). Frodo knows, of course, that the mail-shirt he's wearing is made of mithril, and that certainly colors his thoughts, as does the fact that he hasn't told anyone else about it.
But in the frames that follow, Frodo begins to react to Gandalf's statements specifically about Bilbo's mithril shirt. So far, Frodo's kept the shirt a secret from the other members of the Fellowship, and he's not about to blurt it out now. But his face, which no one is looking at here except the camera (and us), expresses a lot. Here's the accompanying text from the book. I think Elijah's "inner Frodo" is right on the mark:
'Then what did the dwarves want to come back for?' asked Sam.
'For mithril,' answered Gandalf. 'The wealth of Moria was not in gold and jewels, the toys of the Dwarves; nor in iron, their servant. Such things they found here, it is true, especially iron; but they did not need to delve for them: all things that they desired they could obtain in traffic. For here alone in the world was found Moria-silver, or true-silver as some have called it: mithril is the Elvish name. The Dwarves have a name which they do not tell. Its worth was ten times that of gold, and now it is beyond price; for little is left above ground, and even the Orcs dare not delve here for it. The lodes lead away north towards Caradhras, and down to darkness. The Dwarves tell no tale; but even as mithril was the foundation of their wealth, so also it was their destruction: they delved too greedily and too deep, and disturbed that which they fled, Durin's Bane. Of what they brought to light the Orcs have gathered nearly all, and given it in tribute to Sauron, who covets it.
'Mithril! All folk desired it. It could be beaten like copper, and polished like glass; and the Dwarves could make of it a metal, light and yet harder than tempered steel. Its beauty was like to that of common silver, but the beauty of mithril did not tarnish or grow dim. The Elves dearly loved it, and among many uses they made of it ithildin, starmoon, which you saw upon the doors. Bilbo had a corselet of mithril-rings that Thorin gave him. I wonder what has become of it? Gathering dust still in Michel Delving Mathom-house, I suppose.'
'What?' cried Gimli, startled out of his silence. 'A corselet of Moria-silver? That was a kingly gift!'
'Yes,' said Gandalf. 'I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the whole Shire and everything in it.'
Frodo said nothing, but he put his hand under his tunic and touched the rings of his mail-shirt. He felt staggered to think that he had been walking about with the price of the Shire under his jacket. Had Bilbo known? He felt no doubt that Bilbo knew quite well. It was indeed a kingly gift. But now his thoughts had been carried away from the dark Mines, to Rivendell, to Bilbo, and to Bag End in the days while Bilbo was still there. He wished with all his heart that he was back there, and in those days, mowing the lawn, or pottering among the flowers, and that he had never heard of Moria, or mithril -- or the Ring.
Because the lighting in this scene is hard to get right (for me, anyway), I'm posting two versions of the screencaps, with parallel numbering. The first set is in the original lighting. The second is lightened, but the result isn't always wonderful. I hope that between the two of them, everyone can get a good look at the facial expressions.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
|