Lord of the Rings on Film

Lesson 2: Characters and Actors

Men -- Théoden, Denethor, Faramir and Éomer

THÉODEN AND DENETHOR - Bernard Hill and John Noble

Théoden is the king of Rohan (see Lesson 4, The Two Towers), but is under the control of his adviser Gríma Wormtongue who is in league with Saruman. After Gandalf tricks the Rohan guards in to letting him keep his staff, he draws Saruman’s influence from Théoden (in a visually stunning sequence) and expels Wormtongue. Théoden recognises the danger of Sauron and accepts Gandalf’s counsel.

Théoden is played well by Bernard King, although he is a slightly weaker character in the film, as he temporarily crumbles towards the end of Helm’s Deep. Nevertheless he rides out with Aragorn and leads his people to victory. Théoden is killed during the battle of the Pelennor Fields and is succeeded by his nephew Éomer.

The twenty-sixth and last Steward of Gondor, Denethor II is played wonderfully by John Noble. Again a character is portrayed as slightly darker than in the book, but the character of Denethor is so unpleasant that this is an addition rather than a reduction of the role.

Denethor has learnt of the death of his eldest son, Boromir, as the Horn of Gondor has returned to him cloven in two. He is overcome with grief and cannot forgive his younger son Faramir for living in Boromir’s place. After Denethor patronisingly accepts Pippin into the service of Gondor, he sends Faramir out on a suicide mission to try and recapture Osgiliath from the orcs (Osgiliath is the ancient stronghold between Gondor and Mordor). He assumes that Faramir has died and places him on a funeral pyre; he burns to death after Faramir is saved. Not in the book but a wonderful moment in the film is when Gandalf smacks Denethor up the face with his staff. No wizard tricks there…

FARAMIR and ÉOMER - David Wenham and Karl Urban

Faramir is Boromir’s brother and son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor. He meets Frodo and Sam while they are journeying to Mordor, and quickly realises the power of the Ring and what it could do for the ailing kingdom. In a scene clearly designed to be a contrast to his brother Boromir, Faramir renounces his chance to take the Ring and sends Frodo on his way with blessing. In the film, he is much more aggressive, and, although he does eventually let Frodo go, it is unclear why the script takes so long to show this. It is probably intended to increase the suspense, but, in a film where some parts of the story had to be cut, adding extra minutes does not seem logical. (See Peter Jackson’s commentary in The Two Towers Extended DVD for an explanation of this.)

Faramir and Éowyn fall in love after the final battles – spot them standing together at Aragorn’s coronation. Faramir is later given the rule of the Gondorian land Ithilien.

Éomer, nephew of Théoden and sister to Éowyn, is the Third Marshal of the Riddermark, commanding the Riders of Rohan. He enters the film after a battle with Saruman’s forces in which Théoden’s son Théodred was killed. After following the advice of Aragorn, Rohan was victorious, and the party then went on to Rohan to rouse Théoden.

Éomer succeeded the throne aged twenty-eight after the War of the Ring, and ruled for sixty-five years.

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