The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Page #5

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ANGLE ON:
MERRY AND PIPPIN,

clothes and hair smoking.

MERRY:

That was good!

PIPPIN:

Let's get another one!

LARGE HANDS suddenly clamp down on Merry and Pippin's ears.

Low angle:
Gandalf looking DOWN STERNLY!

(CONTINUED)

17.

CONTINUED:

GANDALF:

Meridoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took...I

might have known!

CUT TO:

MERRY AND PIPPIN

Are leaning over a barrel, washing dishes in soapy

water...with Gandalf sitting nearby, smoking his pipe and

sipping an ale. Cries of "SPEECH! SPEECH" erupt from the

party.

ANGLE ON:

Bilbo stepping on a stool...he bows in gratitude at the

applause.

FRODO:

Speech!

BILBO:

(clearing throat)

My dear Bagginses, and Boffins, tooks and

Brandybucks...Grubbs, Chubbs,

Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and

Proudfoots...

ANGLE ON:
A HOBBIT WITH PARTICULARLY BIG FEET

ODO PROUDFOOT:

Proudfeet!

BILBO:

Today is my one hundred and eleventh

birthday. Yes, and alas...Eleventy- one

years is far too short a time to live

among such excellent and admirable

Hobbits! Tremendous outburst of approval!

BILBO (CONT'D)

I don't know half of you half as well as

I should like; and I like less than half

of you as well as well as you deserve.

SCATTERED CLAPPING as the guests try to work out if that was

a compliment or not. CLOSE ON: FRODO AND GANDALF smiling to

themselves. CLOSE ON: Bilbo...a strange hum seems to fill his

head. A bead of sweat rolls down his brow.

Bilbo's hand pulls something out of his waistcoat pocket and

holds it behind his back.

(CONTINUED)

18.

CONTINUED:

BILBO (CONT'D)

I have..things to do and I have put this

off for far too long... CLOSE ON: BILBO'S

knuckles turn white as he tightens his

grip on the small object behind his back.

BILBO (CONT'D)

I regret to announce, this is the end. I

am going now. I bid you all a very fond

farewell!! Bilbo looks across at Frodo,

hesitates... then...

BILBO (CONT'D)

(whisper)

Goodbye.

Bilbo instantly vanishes. The party explodes into an

uproar... the crowd leaps to its feet.

ANGLE ON:
FRODO

staring at the empty stool in disbelief.

CUT TO:

EXT. BAG END -- NIGHT

The party is still in an excited uproar... some 50 yards away

as we pan across a moonlit lane to the front door of Bag End.

Door opens, pulled by an invisible hand.

INT. BAG END -- NIGHT

The door quietly closes...Bilbo materializes as he pulls a

plain gold ring off his finger. Bilbo laughs as he tosses the

ring in the air, then places it in his pocket.

ANGLE ON:

Bilbo emerges from the passage, carrying a walking stick. He

finds Gandalf looming over him.

GANDALF:

I suppose you think that was terribly

clever?

BILBO:

Come on, Gandalf! Did you see their

faces?

(CONTINUED)

19.

CONTINUED:

GANDALF:

There are many magic rings in the world,

Bilbo Baggins, and none of them should be

used lightly.

BILBO:

It was just a bit of fun. Oh, you're

probably right as usual.

GANDALF:

You will keep an eye on Frodo, won't you?

BILBO:

I'm leaving everything to him.

GANDALF:

What about this ring of yours? Is that

staying too?

Close on:
Bilbo...he gives Gandalf a look and nods toward the

mantelpiece.

BILBO:

Yes, yes, it's in an envelope...over

there on the mantelpiece. Gandalf frowns

at the empty mantelpiece...Bilbo suddenly

feels his waistcoat with a look of guilty

surprise.

BILBO (CONT'D)

No, wait. It's here in my pocket. Isn't

that...isn't' that odd now? Yet, after

all, why not? Why shouldn't I keep it?

GANDALF:

I think you should leave the Ring behind,

Bilbo. Is that so hard?

BILBO:

Well, no...and yes. Now it comes to it,

I don't feel like parting with it. It's

mine. I found it. It came to me!

ANGLE ON:
GANDALF LOOKS DOWN AT BILBO WITH RISING CONCERN.

GANDALF:

There's no need to get angry.

BILBO:

Well, if I'm angry, it's your fault! It's

mine. My own, my precious.

(CONTINUED)

20.

CONTINUED:

GANDALF:

Precious? It's been called that before,

but not by you.

BILBO:

So? What business is it of yours what I

do with my own things? Bilbo's voice,

shape and manner have suddenly changed.

GANDALF:

I think you've had that ring quite long

enough.

BILBO:

You want it for yourself!

Gandalf rises to his full height, his eyes flash, his shadow

suddenly seems to fill the room

GANDALF:

Bilbo Baggins do not take me for some

conjurer of cheap tricks! Bilbo cowers

from Gandalf, disarmed by his power...a

frightened Hobbit. Gandalf's expression

softens.

GANDALF (CONT'D)

I am not trying to rob you. I am trying

to help you. Sobbing, Bilbo runs to

Gandalf and hugs him.

GANDALF (CONT'D)

All you long years we've been

friends...trust me as you once did. Let

it go!

BILBO:

You're right, Gandalf...the ring must go

to Frodo.

Bilbo lifts his knapsack and heads for the front door.

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