So, Best and Worst Characters?

[Lalwendë]

However, to my mind it is as bizarre as everyone speaking RP to have not got him to clean up the accent when his Australian "father and Brother" spoke accentless English.

Would you say his accent came through so strongly though that it was intrusive? I always thought I only noticed it simply because I'm so used to the accent, and I noticed the long vowels and that kind of thing. By contrast, I'm not used to West Country accents and despite what so many have said, I still can't see much wrong with Sean Astin's accent!

I didn't mind Pip haveing a different accent since he came from a different part of the shire (tho really Merrry should have had the Celtic tones !) .

I agree with you there that Merry ought to have been the one with such a distinctively different accent, although of course both actors were suited to their roles and it wouldn't have 'done' to swap them about.

And by ROTK I had stopped Bernard Hill to say "go on gissa job" and accepted him as Theoden.

That image of Yosser Hughes just does not die though. I've seen Bernard Hill in so many roles but immediately think of him in Boys From the Blackstuff as soon as he comes on screen and it does take a while for that picture to be replaced by whatever role he is now playing!