63: Watership Down (1978) Section 5: The Departure Scripted by Newell Fisher, with script assistance by John Ruths I have come across a review of a 2002 BBC Radio 4 radio play of WD from the long defunct site bitsnbobstones.watershipdown.org: http://bitsnbobstones.watershipdown.org/reviews/radio4.html Section 5: The Departure This section covers from 11 minutes 50 to 14 minutes 10 and the equivalent Chapters from the book are Chapters 3 and 4: Hazel’s Decision and The Departure. In the film the entire process of Hazel deciding to leave Sandleford happens off camera. In fact the only substantial survival from Chapter 3 is Bigwig’s announcement that he has resigned from the Owsla. It is night-time and we see silhouettes emerge from a grass bank. We begin with what is clearly Hazel and Fiver. Next is Blackberry, who is mistaken for Dandelion by Hazel at first. As the number reaches 18, we hear the voice of Silver, warning that Owsla member Toadflax followed him down the run. In the book Owsla member Silver arrives with Bigwig. Here he is a laconic sounding non-Owsla amalgam of Hawkbit, Acorn, Speedwell and possibly Buckthorn. We see a watching rabbit in the foreground by a fence, who crouches low and frowns as the group departs. Is this Toadflax? The pace of the music increases as the group, now seemingly of 16 rabbits, rapidly make their way through the mist, past the noticeboard, which has identical wording to the book, but the letters are in red, not black and the name 'Such' is spelt without the T. The group, still seemingly of only 16 rabbits now, move past this to the left of camera. We see three more rabbits watching them from a fence-line. The watching rabbits are, of course, the Owsla . There is a group of 6 rabbits out in front of the escaping group. We see the Owsla in action. Hazel stops, looks back and shouts a warning to the others in close up. We see the Owsla cut off the rear group of 10 rabbits, which includes Does and kittens. Captain Holly appears clearly in the foreground. We clearly see that the escaping group of 7 is Hazel, Fiver, Pipkin, Blackberry Dandelion, Silver and Violet. And now we get a clear shot of the captured group of 10 rabbits, 7 adults and 3 kittens, being guarded by 5 angry looking Owsla members. This confirms that the group who initially try to leave Sandleford is 16 strong in the film, with 7 getting away, to be joined shortly by Bigwig. Making 8 in total. In the book the group who leave is 11 strong, so here we have lost Hawkbit, Acorn, Speedwell and Buckthorn. But gained Violet. The group are now halted by Bigwig, perched at the top of the ditch. Cannily, Hazel asks Bigwig if he is off duty and he reveals that he has left the Owsla. In the book he says he has left the Owsla in Chapter 3. Hazel's Decision. We see the point of view of an approaching rabbit. This is Captain Holly, who jumps into the ditch on his own to arrest the entire group. In the book, Holly arrives with two other Owsla members in order to arrest only Bigwig and Silver, as Owsla members who have abandoned their duty. Bigwig, still at the top of the ditch, stays silent. Holly, sensing the atmosphere, asserts his status as Captain of Owsla. Hazel bravely squares up to Holly and tells him to go or he will be killed. We see the shocked reaction of his companions. Holly attacks Hazel. Bigwig falls on Holly, knocking him on his back. In shock, Holly realises he doesn't have a chance now and leaves. Blackberry comments that Holly will be back soon with more Owsla, so Bigwig says he will go with them. They move on, following Bigwig away from Sandleford, as Hazel and Fiver pause for a second and exchange a glance. Briefly the uplifting end titles theme plays, but a lighter clarinet version, indicating that this is, overall, an optimistic moment in the story. But this will not last for long.
