Section 4: The Chief Rabbit

Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths

This section covers from 9 minutes 30 to 11  minutes 50  and the equivalent Chapter from the book is Chapter 2. The Chief Rabbit

As the music dies away Hazel and Fiver approach a rabbit we immediately recognise as Bigwig.

A shortened version of their first conversation from the book follows, in which we learn that Bigwig seems not to know Hazel well enough to immediately recognise him.

In the background Blackberry and friends appear as they try to listen in on the conversation.

Another change from the book is the interruption of Captain Holly, whose manner is very harsh compared to the way he acts in the book.

After being easily persuaded to let them see the Chief, and telling them to wait, Bigwig dives down a hole and we hear his voice muffled saying:

"Excuse me sir. These two outskirters have asked permission to see you. Is it alright if I bring them down?"

He reappears in the hole and tells them to come with him. Hazel and Fiver go down the hole after him.

And now we hear the Chief Rabbit's voice for the first time, echoing in his burrow, as the camera zooms in on the hole.

We are being taken underground as viewers for the first time in the film and this is done very effectively using a detailed background painting that is used for zooming and panning.

At first we see Hazel and Fiver from the side, with Bigwig nervously listening as they talk to the out of view Chief. And then we see him clearly. An effective portrayal of the rabbit version of an elder statesman.

As soon as  he hears what Fiver has to say, he calmly turns his back on them, though still supposedly involved in the conversation.

This action is accompanied by what I'm going to call an Oboe-based theme that seems to reduce the gravitas of the Chief by emphasising his ponderous physicality. Basically it emphasises how he is old and a little past it.

Their conversation is, again, faithful to the book but truncated.

The shot of the Chief's foot stretching that I have used as the image for this episode also seems to be a subtle expression of his power.

The Chief of the film, as in the book, has already dismissed these two upstarts, but his intentions in the film are even less friendly.

We see Bigwig, realising how this conversation is going, shaking his head and turning away as he realises how much trouble he may be in.

We cut away briefly to a curious Blackberry being warned off listening at the entrance to the burrow by an angry Holly.

In the book, the Threarah gives a lengthy explanation as to why leaving the warren is impossible. Here it is truncated.

Fiver's panicked reaction causes him to have a kind of fit in the book. Here he just runs away crying "We can't wait".

Then we see the subtle annoyance of Hazel at being mis-named 'Walnut' by the Chief again.

As Hazel follows Fiver out, we get one of the bonus scenes of the film only hinted at in the book, as the clearly embarrassed Bigwig tries to creep away...but it is too late. The Chief wants a word, knowing full well that Bigwig is trying to creep away, and in the film we get to hear what he has to say to him, after he has to call him back a second time:

"What was that all about? Your duty, as an officer, is to protect this burrow. Those two lunatics had better be watched"

This is a good example of the difference in Owlsa culture in the Sandleford Warren between the book and film.

In the book Hazel and Fiver are of no consequence, as mere outskirters. And they are free to leave for all the Chief cares. It is only the Owsla members who get into trouble.

But here the two brothers are a security concern. This is our first clue that the Sandleford of the film is a little more Efrafa like than in the book.

Hazel and Fiver are now in the sights of the Sandleford Owsla. What will the