Bilbo's Farewell Party ~ Two sets of smiles....

It's late, but I could not resist making another couple of sets of screencaps. Taken from the "full screen" theatrical version of FotR, these reaction shots come from the opening of Bilbo's farewell speech. Frodo seems to be really enjoying himself in these first segments, as he watches Bilbo play the emcee after dinner, apparently unaware (in the film) of what his guardian has up his sleeve.


[Note: Both sets of caps feature the closing and opening of Frodo's eyes. When I quickly flick the sets of caps backwards and forwards, it makes it look as though Frodo is batting his eyes. He's seems quite endearingly saucy. If I knew how to make a gif, I would definitely make these caps into gifs.]


The first set shows a genuinely, un-self-consciously happy Frodo. He's a bit shiny-faced, as if he has become a bit giddy from the conviviality, good wine, and plenty of food, not to mention the burning lanterns overhead.

I think he is melting lovely in this little sequence. More than any other bookend shots, this set is so unreservedly, light-heartedly happy, I think it provides the strongest possible contrast to the Frodo we see after the four companions return to Hobbiton in RotK.




Farewell Speech, reaction shot #1:































In the second reaction shot, Frodo's facial expression simply makes me giggle. He looks like he's a little tipsy; his closed-mouth smile is nearly a smirk as he listens to Bilbo's remarks -- threaded as they are with double meaning. (Those two do like their little private jokes.) This sequence would make a hilarious "eyelash-batting" gif.



Farewell Speech, reaction shot #2:




































Click HERE for table of Frodo and Elijah Wood Screencaps.



~ Mechtild