What Happened to Gallant Captain Faramir? - Awesome Article

[Boromir88]

It is a wonderful article there Elladan and I can see the point being argued.

I mean if we consider it in Faramir's mind, why let go two people who have been lying and trying to squirm their way out of a capture? There is a major difference between their interactions, Frodo in the books is very upfront and straight. They still conceal things, but they still remain truthful, declaring it as an "Oath taken at the Council of Elrond." Despite this, they are straight and upfront with Faramir in the books. Movies there's a clear difference between their interactions.

[Caunwaithon]

I'd like to thank you for giving me this article, and thank the person who wrote this.

Faramir was my favorite gondorian "Hero". I always thought he was more "lordly" than many of the other characters portrayed for gondor, and he had less greed. The movie Faramir had these qualities, but he was more of a sneaky, trusts-no one Faramir, not our friendly and kingly Faramir of the books.

[Beanamir of Gondor]

THAT. WAS. AWESOME.
Elladan, you are my hero, especially b/c Faramir was one of my two fave characters (he and Eowyn). Not only does the article explain Faramir's behavior, but it definitely explains the difference between the sharp, suspicious Faramir in TTT and the gentle, desperate Faramir in ROTK.
Silly Sam & Frodo, spoiling a perfectly good Faramir.

[Farael]

I don't know.. while it's a very well written article, it reminds me of the biggest problem I had reading Hamlet.... half of the things the teacher said that the text meant just weren't there!

Of course, if you spend a couple hundred years analyzing a play, you are bound to find some things the author never meant to put in...

And I think it's more of the same here. While it brings up some good points, I'm not sure whoever wrote the screenplay for LoTR had the 'true' (as in book) Faramir in mind and gauged his reactions with regards to what he would have done... the fact that the movie Frodo and Sam behaved in a way that might have made the 'true' Faramir hesitate and act as he did in the movie does not mean that he would have. As a matter of fact, I'd like to think he would have still acted lordly and smooth rather than hesitantly and kinda cheap.

[Diamond18]

I think what the article does is explore how the ruination of Faramir was not limited to just that one character. It was a group effort between an altered Sam, Frodo, and Faramir. He's still not the book character.

I use the word "ruination" but I actually like movie Faramir for what he is -- incrediably good looking. Oh wait, ummm, forget that part. What I meant to say is that the movie Faramir grew on me after I was able to view the Extended TTT, and then RotK. He's still not book Faramir, but I had sympathy for him and he was clearly not a bad guy. Weaker and less wise than book Faramir, needing to learn things that book Faramir already knew, but when you think about it, far more in keeping with the other movie versions of the characters than book Faramir would have been. Good old book Faramir might have been out of place trying to interact with the Frodo and Sam of the movie. As the article points out. But I do think it's a case of three altered characters rather than two altered characters and one unaltered character with altered reactions.

[JennyHallu]

I think the article recognizes that, Diamond. It refers to Faramir as being a "younger" Faramir, with more yet to learn.

[Diamond18]

It does. But considering this quote:

However, after taking into consideration the different way events unfold in the movie, and what the movie-Faramir learns when, I have some answers, and have found he is still (mostly) Faramir.

I'm don't think he's "still (mostly) Faramir." That's what I disagree with.

I rewatched TTT last night because this thread got me to thinking of it, and with it now fresh in my mind, what seems the most incongruous about the whole thing, even the EE, is when Faramir sees just how much Frodo has lost it, that's what prompts him to let Frodo waltz into Mordor with it.

Now one could say that, along with the information about Boromir, is what makes him realize how dangerous it is and that it must be destroyed. But what on earth makes him think Frodo can do it, I don't know. In the book Faramir had respect for Frodo, there's really nothing to respect about movie Frodo (from what Faramir's seen of him) and so you're left to wonder why Faramir developes confidence in him only after witnessing the worst display of Ring-driven stupidity Frodo has exhibited to date. The answer is that, well, the story has to get back on track sooner or later. So when Jackson tries to end the totally altered Faramir-plotline the same way as the book, the two versions just don't match up right. So it doesn't feel like movie Faramir has reached the point in his character arc where he has grown into book Faramir, it really just seems like he's gotten sick of the whole thing, or at least gotten sick of playing the foil. So instead of being "mostly Faramir" or a "younger Faramir" he's just a mainly different character with some similarities.