When books get turned into movies, things have to be changed. Books and movies are two separate types of entertainment and two separate types of media, so changes and alterations are inevitable. Unfortunately, this often means that juicy bits of the book get lost in the cracks. Here are some of my favorite lines from books that, sadly, didn’t make it into the movies.
“I am quite beautiful enough for us both, thank you very much!” ~ Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince by J.K. Rowling
This was simultaneously touching and funny. When Bill Weasley is permanently scarred from his encountered with Fenrir Greyback, Molly Weasley says “What a shame. He was so young. And was going to be married, too!” At this, Fleur de LaCour (did I spell that right?) makes it clear in no uncertain terms that she still wants to marry Bill, she thinks his scars mark him as brave, and they will be blissfully happy whether anybody likes it or not.
“And you, Ferney, should get your ugly face off that fence before it gets hurt.” ~ The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
In the books, the pony Bill that appears in the first film is bought from a sour old fart in Bree who jeers and insults Strider and the hobbits as they leave. Sam, leading Bill, gives the bully fair warning before clocking him in the face with an apple.
And he took her in his arms and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he cared not that they stood high upon the walls in the sight of many. ~ The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
This passage is in reference to Faramir and Eowyn shortly after her acceptance of his marriage proposal. When I read this, I squeed and jumped up and down like any true fangirl. In the books, Faramir and Eowyn’s love story actually had more page time than Aragorn and Arwen’s, yet theirs was cut. More’s the pity.
“Good shot, Bill.” ~ The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bill makes a reappearance in the final book when the hobbits return to the Shire, which has been overtaken by Saruman and Grima and the hobbits must fight to reclaim their homeland. It just so happens that Bill’s former abusive master is in league with them and Bill is given the chance to mete out justice in the form of a kick to his ex-owner’s buttocks.
“Starving.” ~ The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The dwarves first encounter the elves of Mirkwood while the natives are holding a feast. When things go south, the rest of the company escapes whilst Thorin is captured. When Thorin is taken before Thranduil, his response to every one of the elf king’s questions is “starving.” Their original conversation goes like this:
Thranduil: Why did you and your folk three times try to attack my people at their merrymaking?
Thorin: We did not attack them. We came to beg, because we were starving.
Thranduil: Where are your friends now and what are they doing?
Thorin: I don’t know, but I expect starving in the forest.
Thranduil: What were you doing in the forest?
Thorin: Looking for food and drink, because we were starving.
Sometimes I do think movie versions are better than book versions (heresy, I know), but more often I find myself staunchly insisting the books were better. It truly is a pity these lines didn’t make it into the movies. But I guess the books don’t always want to share everything with their film counterparts.
Inkspelled Faery 