The price of apathy is blood - the accumulation of evil in Mordor was characterized as being attributable to man's inattentiveness.
Something that was left out of the movie which was quite important, was the "Scourage of the Shire." Remember in Fellowship, the scene in the Tavern, where one Hobbit states more or less, that if you don't go looking for trouble, no trouble will come to you. The Scourage of the Shire shows that there's no place to hide from evil. That even if you don't want to get involved, too bad... You will be involved whether you want to be or not.
Strength of character trumps physical strength - Only the virtuous Frodo was capable of carrying the ring, even though he was physically perhaps the weakest.
Another important point was that Frodo wasn't the real hero... It was Sam. It was Sam that got Frodo to where he needed to go, and he never abandoned Frodo. In fact, as true as Frodo was, in the end, he faltered, and would have failed, had it not been for Gollum. Showing that even the most stout of heart can (and will fail) against evil, unless you've got help, and a lot of luck.
Mark
No the real hero was Frodo; second place to Bilbo, and third place to the others. It is revealed in the hierarchy of rewards given the Ringbearers and company.
Pippin and Merry become the Thain and the Master of Brandybuck Hall; they are revered for all their lives as the Travelers and hailed as the heroes of their day, and when they die "they are buried among the great of Gondor". Old Sam Gardener gets married to his sweetie, has a dozen kids and is elected Mayor every year continually until he is ninety-six.
What does Frodo (and Bilbo) get?
...And then it seemed to him that as in his dream in the house of Bombadil, the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
Heaven, in other words. (Actually, Sam gets to take a Grey Ship as well, since he too was a ringbearer, "if only for a little while.") Something so wonderful it can only be hinted at.
No, Sam is not the first hero of the books (although he is a hero!). Frodo is.