Elijah Wood (Frodo), Sean Astin (Sam) and Andy Serkis (Gollum) follow hidden paths through the mists

How did it happen in the movie?
Frodo, Sam and Gollum reach the marshes and Gollum tells how he has found a safe path through the mist that Orcs don’t know or use. When they stop to eat Gollum whines how hungry he is. He eats a worm and Frodo offers him lembas but after tasting it eagerly Gollum spits it out crying how they tried to choke him and that he can’t eat hobbits’ food. Sam makes it clear that he doesn’t really care if Gollum would starve. Gollum whines how Sam is cruel but that master understands. Closing on Frodo Gollum talks how master knows when it gets a hold it never lets go, meaning the Ring. Frodo shoos Gollum away when he tries to reach to the Ring Frodo is touching through his shirt.

Later they are walking forward; Frodo is walking slowly looking tired and Sam sees dead faces in the water. Gollum explains that they are Men, Elves and Orcs that died in a great battle long ago, tells they are in Dead Marshes and warns not to follow the lights. Frodo however walks towards the lights not hearing Sam’s warning and staring blankly at one face he falls into the water. The figures in the water try to reach Frodo but he’s pulled up and Frodo is surprised to see it was Gollum. Later they rest and Frodo is stroking the Ring when Gollum starts to speak about the precious as he would know what Frodo is doing. Frodo gets up and starts to question Gollum saying how Gandalf told he was one of the river folk and that his life was a sad story and Frodo asks who he is. Gollum is singing something and doesn’t listen but when Frodo reminds him of his old name, Sméagol, Gollum stops and he seems almost happy recalling his name. They are interrupted by a Nazgûl flying over them. They hide and when the Nazgûl cries Frodo feels the pain in the knife wound on his shoulder. The Ring starts to take a hold of Frodo and Sam has to prevent him from putting the Ring on. After the Wraith flies away Gollum urges them to continue saying the Black Gate is very near.


Ted Nasmith – The Passage of the Marshes (detail)

How did it happen in the book?
The passage on the whole is depressing, wearisome and takes many days. Gollum brings Frodo and Sam to the marshes and he begins to lead them on singing a song. They stop to eat and Gollum whines he’s famished. Frodo offers him lembas and hint of Gollum’s malice comes to his face when he recognises the leaf-wrapping coming from the elves. Suspiciously he tastes the lembas anyway but spits it out crying they tried to choke him and that he can’t eat hobbits’ food. The hobbits should sleep but Sam is worried about Gollum. Frodo says he has noticed a change in Gollum and believes he isn’t a danger but that Sam can watch anyway. The hobbits get some sleep and the worry about how long their food will last makes Frodo say he doesn’t actually believe he’s coming back home.

They walk forward and Frodo is very weary. Sam notices the lights in the water and Gollum warns not to follow them. Sam has to get Frodo who has lagged behind looking at the lights, water dripping from his sleeves. Sam falls down and is scared to see dead faces in the water. Gollum says they are in the Dead Marshes and explains the faces are Men, Elves and Orcs that died in a great battle long ago.

They reach firm land and the Wraiths fly over scaring the hobbits but Gollum is almost stagnant for a long time and Sam thinks Gollum feels different after this. While they are closing Mordor Frodo is getting more exhausted because the Ring starts to feel heavier. They reach the desolation before Mordor and while Frodo sleeps Sam hears Gollum having a conversation with himself. Gollum talks how they mustn’t hurt the nice hobbit but that he wants the precious and that maybe *She* could help. Sam doesn’t reveal he heard Gollum but he’s thinking he would like to get rid of him and mutters he wishes Gollum was choked. Waking up Frodo they continue towards the Black Gate although Gollum is scared and reluctant this near to Mordor and Frodo has to make him to walk forward.

Changes
– Sam is more concerned about Gollum and his behaviour in the book than in the movie.
– The Ring isn’t affecting Frodo in the book as much as in the movie.
– In the book Gollum doesn’t talk aloud about the Ring to Frodo, or otherwise either.
– In the movie Gollum has the conversation with himself only later, Sam doesn’t hear the conversation and *She* is mentioned only right in the end of the movie.
– Gollum seems to be more scared of Mordor in the book than in the movie.

Mistakes
It’s way too bright (seems like there’s almost a blue sky above them) when they see the faces and lights in the water. In the book it’s almost dark most of the time when the group is moving because Gollum can’t stand either the “Yellow Face” or the “White Face”.

Bookie Details
In the movie Gollum complains there are no birds to eat, eating a worm instead and in the book Gollum says “No birds here. There are snakeses, wormses, things in the pools.”


….so that’s how Elves keep their skin so smooth and clean!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Alternate Viewpoints/Questions [Submit Viewpoint/Question]

Related Information
Related Books vs. Movies Articles:
- 1.00. Prologue by Figwit
- 4.01. The Taming of Sméagol by Morwinyoniel
- 4.03. The Black Gate Is Closed by RubySandybanks

- Frodo in TTT by AinarielPalantir


Interesting Links:
Our Gallery has has screencaps of the theatrical version, as well as the extended edition.

A transcript of 'The Lord Of the Rings: The Two Towers' can be found in our Film Fun & Facts section.

A summary of 'The Lord Of the Rings: The Two Towers' can be found in Elrond's Library.

Some articles that are related to this sequence:
The Middle-earth Section has an article about The War of the Last Alliance. Under Literature Studies you can find some info on the Dead Marshes in The Many Faces of Evil in Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'.

Forum threads related to this sequence:
- You can discuss this sequence in detail in TTT Sequence by Sequence #4: The Journey to Mordor in the Movies Forum. There's also a thread about Gollum/Sméagol discussing the character in TTT and ROTK.
- The Book Club discusses this chapter here.

Take a look at how some artists saw this part in the book:
- Dead Marshes by Monteagle
- The Dead Marshes by Alan Lee
- The Dead Marshes by John Howe
- The Dead Marshes by Ian Miller
- Phantoms of the Dead Marshes by Andrew Mockett
- The Dead Marshes by Ted Nasmith
- The Passage of the Marshes by Ted Nasmith
- Sam, Frodo and Gollum Cross the Marshes by Paul Gregory
- The Dead Marshes by Anke Eissmann
- The Dead Marshes by Inger Edelfelt
- The Dead Marshes by Aleksandr Kortich
- The Dead Marshes by Joan Wyatt

Looking for something more creative - you may find it here: