Section 8: The Rat-attack and the Stranger

Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths

This section covers from 21 minutes 20 to 26 minutes 10 and the equivalent Chapters from the book are Chapters 10-12

In the book there is a long section of the journey to WD that we only hear about in passing. This is the part from the departure from the Warren of the Snares to the arrival at the foot of WD.

Part of the description of that journey, at the start of Chapter 18. Watership Down, describes how they were attacked by rats in an isolated barn near Ecchinswell.

That episode is transplanted to earlier in the plot in the film and seems to occupy the part of their journey that, in the book, is taken up with the terrible overnight journey over Newtown Common. And instead of a barn, it takes place in an abandoned church.

Following the shocking death of Violet, two more zooming shots of backgrounds establish the rabbits' journey continuing as the skies darken.

Next we see the churchyard as Blackberry, Hazel and Bigwig discuss resting there. The exhausted rabbits enter the church.

The next shot is an effective silent zoom out from above, during which the only human face in the film appears at the right. That of a statue.

This implied threat is immediately punctuated by the simultaneous appearance of two rats at either side of shot, along with a sudden loud harsh squeaking.

A group of 4 rats make their way down to the floor. One of them launches an attack at the sleeping Bigwig.

And then, the rest of the rabbits having immediately woken up, the scene strangely descends into farce, with percussion based music to match.

This episode is a strange replacement for the terrible journey across the Common. The only hint of the journey across the Common comes now, as rain and thunder sets in.

This is where what must be one of the longest conversations in the whole film takes place.

Pipkin wonders what is go on back home.

Dandelion says to Hazel it can't go on like this. Silver agrees that things are getting worse and worse. He pointedly asks Hazel where they are going. Hazel reassures him that it won't be much longer then they can all rest. Silver asks how much longer.

Pipkin says they never should have left. And then, shockingly, Blackberry, of all rabbits, asks what if Fiver was wrong.

Pipkin says he wants to go back and find out.

At this point Hazel intervenes and points out all they've been through, and Bigwig angrily makes the practical point that having injured an Owsla officer, a captain no less, they will probably be killed if they go back.

Now Fiver makes his contribution, saying they must go on until they reach the hills and slipping into a fearful trance as he seems to sense the consequences of not doing so, consequences that are about to start playing out.

The whites of his eyes become frighteningly prominent as he looks about him and hops in a circle in terror, saying those that go back will not be safe.

Silver now makes a direct allegation towards Hazel that he does not know where they are going.

In doing so he takes on the role of Acorn, Speedwell and Hawkbit in the book.

Bigwig begins his angry intervention, but is rapidly interrupted by BlackBerry’s urgent stamping of an alarm.

A strange rabbit has suddenly appeared and is standing a few yards away.

Hazel and Bigwig address him.

The stranger announces himself as Cowslip. He excuses himself as he hates the rain and lollops away with a curiously leisurely run to a nearby hole.

Fiver immediately says they should have nothing to do with Cowslip or his warren.

Blackberry says Cowslip seems friendly but wonders what they have to gain by asking them to join their warren.

At this moment the authority of Hazel seems fairly undermined.

Hazel follows the rest of the group to the Warren and urges Fiver to join him.

Reluctantly,