Opinions on the changes to Sam and Frodos relationship.

[Lyta_Underhill]

Nor did I like Sam's unrestrained violence. Sam would not have assaulted Gollum that way. He was a much 'better' Hobbit, if you'll follow me.

The more I think about this part, the more out of character it seems for Sam. You have a good point, Eomer. I winced when Sam thrust his sword at Gollum! It seemed so brutal and unthinking, and I couldn't believe that Sam not only would 1) abandon Frodo, even if told to do so, but that he would 2) not have learned ANY of Frodo's pity at ALL! I am wondering how much of this failure is due to Frodo's pity not coming across quite properly, though.

Frodo and Sam are more polarized on the subject of Gollum, probably because of the constraints of cinema and the need to show everything in black and white, so to speak. Therefore we do not see Sam trying to understand Frodo's views and respecting them while disagreeing, but instead bucking against them continually, creating a perfect atmosphere for a rift between the two hobbits that would never have existed if they had been developed on a longer and more internally focused timeline.

The line that irks me in the whole exchange is not "Sam, go home, " but Frodo's portentious and kind of creepy, "no Sam, it's you," as if Sam has some unnameable evil inside him and Frodo is only now seeing it. Elijah's dawning "crazy look" seems more at home in some dark horror film, and the setup for such is perfect. Having Sam leave for a time allows for Frodo's turn as the fly to Shelob's spider, increasing the tension to a breaking point as Frodo runs into web after web, barely escaping each time, until he is stung at the point when he thinks he is free. The cinematic effect is quite strong, and I can see why the scene is handled this way. I've never been as frightened of Shelob's Lair in the book, simply because I was with Sam. PJ puts the viewer with Frodo, which even Tolkien must have found too frightening to show, except in retrospect through Sam's eyes.

So I don't fault the moviemakers for this change, but it does harm the delicately drawn and beautiful structure of Frodo and Sam's closer and more understanding relationship from the book.

When you've been used to receiving someone's unconditional love and acceptance for much of your life, when you've practically died for someone, your heart gets torn to shreds when they betray you like that. For a while, you will actually listen to them and do what they tell you to do.

I can see how Sam might do this if he is not as secure in his friendship with Frodo as he was in the book. It does seem that the relationship is more tenuous in the movie, that Frodo and Sam, even after all they have been through, still don't connect fundamentally. Or, from another viewpoint, perhaps Sam is less self-assured than he was in the book. He trusts Frodo, but he does not trust himself, or is unsure of himself. This would make him obey Frodo's words without complete understanding for a time, but, to me, it would diminish him to Quarter-Wise, instead of Half-Wise! (Sam also seems to have a sixth sense about when something is "right" and when it is not. I don't think Sam's hobbit sense was functioning for a few minutes there!)

Cheers!
Lyta