Elijah Wood admitted to not have read LOTR even after the films were made. PJ allowed the actors to take ownership of their characters. We can see that in the best depictions like
Gandalf,
Strider/
Aragorn, and
Boromir. (Not to be confused with PJ's script and dialogue changes.)
Although Wood was young looking, he really fit Gandalf's description of
Frodo to
Barliman Butterbur:
" But this one is taller than some and fairer than most, and he has a cleft in his chin: perky chap with a bright eye." [FOTR, "Strider"]
Wood's depiction of Frodo as a weak, scared, wimp who trips and falls countless times has always annoyed me, but he does LOOK the part.
Getting back to the original thread,
Gollum made a solemn promise "
by" the
PRECIOUS.
In one of the inner debates between
Smeagol and Gollum, Smeagol keeps repeating that Smeagol promised. "
But the Precious hold the promise", the voice of Smeagol objected. [ROTK, The Passage of the Marshes"] The inner debate goes on, Gollum mollifies Smeagol by warning him that "Master" is getting close and
Sauron will take the Precious. Gollum presents a loop hole of the plan with
Shelob, so Smeagol is not actually taking
the Ring from Frodo. Smeagol swore to be be very good and to never let "Him" have it. Smeagol will save it..... I will serve
the Master of the Precious"
Gollum has possessed the Ring, perhaps even longer than Sauron himself. Gollum is well aware of its power, and feels very strongly that a promise made on the ring is binding. Gollum offered to to swear ON the Precious in
Emyn Muil, Frodo rebuked him. " How DARE you? Think!!"
One Ring to rule them all and in the Darkness BIND them!! Would you commit your promise to that, Smeagol? It will hold you. But it is more treacherous than you are. It may twist your words. Beware!!'
Frodo remind Gollum of this later when they come to the
Black Gate, "You swore a promise by ...the Precious. It will hold you to it; but it will seek a way to twist it to your own undoing......But the desire of it may betray you in the bitter end..."
This binding promise by the great power of the Ring is what keeps Gollum from stealing the Ring outright until he finds a loophole with Shelob and of course on Mount Doom when Gollum fully realized that Frodo intends to destroy the Ring.
What's interesting, though, is that the Ring twisted Frodo's words when he said to Gollum that if Frodo were to command Gollum to leap from a precipice or cast yourself into the fire, Gollum would obey.
And such would be my command. Was this prescience or the Ring twisting Frodo's words exactly as he was warning Gollum that the Ring would do that?
