Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe (scene)
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| Farewell Dear Bilbo | |
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| Scene from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring |
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| tbd | |
| Scene number | 6 (theatrical edition) 7 (extended edition) |
| Event | Bilbo leaves the Shire. Ringwraiths begin searching for "Baggins". |
| Characters | Gandalf, Bilbo, Ringwraiths |
| Navigation | |
| Previous: Farewell Dear Bilbo |
Next: The Account of Isildur |
Keep It Secret, Keep it Safe is the sixth scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and the seventh scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (extended edition).
Synopsis
Frodo enters Bag End to look for Bilbo, only to find Gandalf seated in front of the fireplace. Gandalf confirms that Bilbo has indeed left The Shire, and he also informs Frodo that he is now the master of Bag End as well as the inheritor of Bilbo's magic ring. However, Gandalf cautions him to not use it, but instead to hide the Ring. Gandalf then turns to leave, informing Frodo he must look into matters further. After imploring him again to not use the Ring, Gandalf disappears into the night.
In the land of Mordor, Gollum is tortured into revealing the Shire and the bearer of the Ring. The Ringwraiths embark from Minas Morgul towards the Shire. One is shown asking a Hobbit for "Baggins." The Hobbit nervously tells him that the Bagginses live up in Hobbiton.
Differences
This is the beginning of the largest time compression within the movies. In the book, seventeen years elapse between the Farewell Party and Gandalf's reappearance at Bag End. In the movies, an unspecified, yet far shorter, time passes between the two. Presumably, the reason is that explaining a seventeen year gap would introduce complexity to an already complex narrative which would confuse first time viewers. This approach could be contrasted with that of the movie by Ralph Bakshi in 1978, which does mention the seventeen year gap, but there it does not play a significant role beyond being mentioned in a voice over narration.
Additionally, Gandalf engages in many activities "off screen" in the books, such as hunting Gollum with Aragorn, which seem to be omitted in the movies. Again, this seems to be for the sake of simplifying the narrative. Other adaptations are made to compensate for the change in narrative required.
