[300winmag]

Argh! I meant to bring up Denethor in my post as well. I thought he was also a lesser man in the movie.

I hope PJ redeems Denethor somewhat in the extended edition. In the movie, he's a nutball. In the book, he's been playing mind games with Sauron, and feeding his own ego. His weaknesses did him in, despite his original intention to wisely rule Gondor until the return of the king. His pride failed him, as it did for Boromir. Boromir got a chance to redeem himself, and took it. Denethor didn't.

[Fedora]

> I hope PJ redeems Denethor somewhat in the extended edition.

Me, too! I'm also looking forward to seeing the Scouring of the Shire.

> In the movie, he's a nutball. In the book, he's been playing mind games with Sauron, and feeding his own ego. His weaknesses did him in, despite his original intention to wisely rule Gondor until the return of the king. His pride failed him, as it did for Boromir. Boromir got a chance to redeem himself, and took it. Denethor didn't.

Good points! That's pretty much how I saw Denethor the last time I read it, too: his pride led him to take on Sauron alone, and he wouldn't listen to anyone's else's counsel, which was his downfall; but he started off with the good intentions that paved his road to ruin--as did Boromir.