The Hobbit (Animated) was a movie released in 1977. It follows the tale of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and thirteen dwarves on their journey to defeat the dragon Smaug and reclaim the treasure of the ancient dwarfish kingdom.
Plot[]
The wizard Gandalf appears to Bilbo and has the hobbit host Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves, who sing of reclaiming the Lonely Mountain and its vast treasure from the dragon Smaug. When the music ends, Gandalf unveils a map showing a secret door into the Mountain and proposes that the dumbfounded Bilbo serve as the expedition's "burglar". The dwarves have him sign a contract, but while Bilbo is reluctant, Gandalf makes him join anyways.
The group travels into the wild, where Gandalf saves the company from trolls and leads them to Rivendell where the elf Elrond reveals more secrets from the map. Passing over the Misty Mountains, they are caught by goblins and held prisoner deep underground. Although Gandalf rescues them, Bilbo gets separated from the others as they flee the goblins. Lost in the goblin tunnels, he stumbles across the One Ring and then encounters Gollum, who engages him in a game of riddles. Bilbo is told that as a reward for solving all the riddles, Gollum will show him the path out of the tunnels, but if Bilbo fails, the cave-dwelling creature will eat him. However, in reality Gollum plans to eat him regardless of the results. Upon realizing that Bilbo has the Ring, Gollum attempts to kill him, but with the help of the Ring, which gives invisibility when wore on the finger, Bilbo escapes and rejoins the dwarves, improving his reputation with them. The goblins and their warg steeds give chase but the company are saved by eagles.
The company enter the black forest of Mirkwood without Gandalf. In Mirkwood, Bilbo first saves the dwarves from giant spiders and then from the dungeons of the wood-elves. Nearing the Lonely Mountain, the travellers are welcomed by the human inhabitants of Lake-Town, who hope the dwarves will fulfill prophecies of Smaug's demise. The expedition finally reaches the Lonely Mountain and finds the secret door; Bilbo scouts the dragon's lair with the aid of the invisibility powers of the Ring, stealing a great cup and complimenting Smaug, who is flattered and reveals a weakness in his scaly armor. The enraged dragon, mistakenly believing Bilbo to be an inhabitant of Lake-Town, sets out to destroy the town. A noble bird who accompanied Bilbo in the lair of the dragon and witnessed Smaug's vulnerability reports it to Bard the Bowman, who slays the dragon with the black arrow passed down throughout his lineage.
When the dwarves take possession of the mountain, Bard, who has been crowned king of Lake-Town after slaying Smaug, and the Elvenking confront Thorin at the mountain and request compensation for their aid, reparations for the lake town's destruction and settlement of old claims on the treasure. Bilbo points out that there's enough treasure for all to share, but Thorin refuses to split it and, having summoned his kin from the mountains of the North, reinforces his position. He forces Bilbo to join them in combat, and conflict between the three armies seems inevitable.
Gandalf reappears to warn all of an approaching army of Goblins. The dwarves, men, and elves band together, but only with the timely arrival of the eagles do they win the climactic Battle of Five Armies. Bilbo sneaks away before the fighting starts and observes the clash from a distance. Thorin is fatally wounded and reconciles with Bilbo before he dies. Bilbo accepts only a small portion of his share of the treasure, having no want or need for more, but still returns home a very wealthy hobbit.
Cast[]
- Orson Bean - Bilbo Baggins
- Richard Boone - Smaug
- Hans Conried - Thorin Oakenshield
- John Huston - Gandalf
- Otto Preminger - The Elvenking
- Cyril Ritchard - Elrond
- Theodore - Gollum
- Paul Frees - Bombur, Troll #1
- Jack DeLeon - Other dwarves and goblins
- Don Messick - Balin, Troll #3, Goblin, Lord of the Eagles
- John Stephenson - Dori, The Great Goblin and Bard (King of Lake-Town)
- Glenn Yarbrough - The Balladeer, Bilbo Baggins (singing voice)
- Thurl Ravenscroft - Goblin (singing voice), Background voice