: I can see the film ending rather well with the heroic death of Boromir, his funeral and the decision of Aragorn to go after Merry and Pippin. Frodo will have already explained his decision to Sam to go on to Mordor alone, and that should tie the whole thing up nicely and draw interest for the next film to answer the question of the Ring and the chase.

: While that would be a dark ending, it's not as dark as the book ends, which seemed to my young mind to be the end of all hope. The fellowship is broken, Frodo and Sam are certain to be eaten up in the wilds (and thus the Ring will be lost), Merry and Pippin are lost to the orcs, and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli are left with the worst of all possible decisions: Who do we abandon and who do we try to save?

: -RobRoy

I don't have much time, but I think that would be the best of all endings. Just think about how much people love The Empire Strikes Back. That ends on a wicked "up-in-the-air" note. Does Han get rescued? Is Vader Luke's father? Did Obi-Wan lie to Luke? Does Luke complete his training? And, most important of all to us quasi-pubescent boys in the early 80s, who gets to marry Leia? ;)

In any case, the movie ending with Boromir's death, with Frodo and Sam on the way to Mordor (with Gollum following), with Merry and Pippin captured, and with the three deciding who to follow (I would actually have them decide to follow Merry and Pippin at the end of the 1st movie)... this ending would have people screaming for more. Such dramatic tension! Such a guaranteed money-maker!

In addition, I would also have the TT end on a decidedly uneasy note, with Pippin being whisked away by Gandalf, the three deciding to go to the Paths of the Dead, Merry going with Theoden (I would alter this slightly to have Merry *choose* to go with Theoden), Frodo captured, and Sam unconscious outside the gates of the Tower of Cirith Ungol.

If I have time tomorrow, I'll actually write out the scenes I've devised for these endings (and a few others (like the Battle of the Morannon) if I have a lot of time). I think they're good, and they underline how some things must actually be tweaked, altered, culled, and combined from the narrative in order to be as effective on screen as the novel is on paper.

Anyway, until tomorrow.

Cheers.

Dave C-Q