Christopher Lee – Saruman

‘I always had this dream that, one day, somebody would make ‘The Lord of the Rings’ into a motion picture and that I would be in it.’ Christopher Lee is talking about the experience of playing a character in a book that he loves with a passion.
‘I read The Hobbit first,’ he recalls, ‘and then all three volumes of The Lord of the Rings, as they were published. I was completely bowled by them: the imagination behind the work is wonderful. Every year since then I have re-read the book and I still think it’s one of the great works of literature, certainly of this past century, possibly of all time.’
Christopher Lee plays the wizard Saruman the White: once the greatest and wisest of the order to which he and Gandalf belong, but who has been corrupted by the power of the Dark Lord Sauron. ‘There have been many Sarumans in my lifetime,’ says Lee, ‘Men of genius, intellect and power who went wrong. And, in opposition to Saruman the White, Tolkien places Gandalf the Grey: two sides of the same coin. Here you have the universal conflict between good and evil and powers behind those two elements and that will have a relevance for every audience, everywhere – because we all know, or have heard of, such people and conflicts in our world.’
Having appeared in some two hundred and fifty films and television productions, Lee has the distinction of being listed in ‘The Guinness of Movie and Feats’, as the international star with the most screen credits. Numbered among those credits are the many sinister roles which Lee created for Hammer, the British production company which in the 1950s revived the public’s fascination with ‘horror movies’. In playing both Frankenstein’s ‘Creature’ and Dracula, Lee became the successor to 30s movie legends Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Although best-known for his horror roles – Christopher Lee also portrayed Rasputin, Fu Manchu and the Mummy – he has played a diversity of roles in many languages (among them English, Russian, French and Italian): he was Conan Doyle’s famous detective in the German-made picture, ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace’, and later played Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, in Billy Wilder’s ‘The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes’.
Among Lee’s ‘rouges’ gallery’ are the Marquis St Evremonde in ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ and Rochefort in the 70s production of ‘The Three (and Four) Musketeers’. He was also Lord Summerisle, the leader of the pagan cult, in ‘The Wicker Man’; Dr Catheter, the medical genius behind the Splice of Life laboratory responsible for the ‘new batch’ of nasties let loose in ‘Gremlins II’; and evil Francisco Scaramanga, James Bond’s title-opponent in ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’.
Christopher Lee continues to demonstrate his extraordinary versatility in film roles that range from his inter-galactic appearance as Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus in ‘Star Wars: Episode II’ to his portrayal of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of modern Pakistan, in the 1998 film, ‘Jinnah’.
As for Christopher Lee’s casting as Saruman, this remains an especial delight in a long impressive career: ‘Although I always hoped this film would one day be made, it is a mighty saga, a huge canvas, and I always supposed that it would prove too daunting for any director. The Peter Jackson undertook the task, asked me to play Saruman and my dream came true!’

Names: Saruman, Curunir, Curumo
Date of Birth: unknown
Parents: created by Eru
Race: Istari
Weapon: Staff, tongue

"Saruman the White had been the Leader of the White Council. He lived in the Black Tower Orthanc in Isengard and from there he used the Palantir to learn about his enemies. Saruman had learned very much about the One Ring and he started to desire it for himself. When Gandalf came to seek advice, Saruman captured him after which Gandalf was rescued by Gwaihir, the Lord of the Eagles. Saruman started raising his own army of orcs and evil men to challenge the power of Gondor. His forces were defeated at Helm's deep and in the end he was defeated in Isengard by Treebeard and his ents. There he was locked up in the tower. Gandalf came to talk to him and as he saw that Saruman was beyond salvation he broke his staff and took away his powers. After the War of the Ring, the Hobbits found out that Saruman had gone to the Shire together with Wormtongue and he had terrorized the Shire. The Hobbits defeated him however and as Saruman was about to leave the Shire he was killed by Wormtongue his own spy on November 3, 3019 T.A. "

'If we speak of poisoned tongues what shall we say of yours, young serpent?' said Saruman, and the flash of his anger was now plain to see.'

The tall, stately and dangerous order of the Istari are one of the eldest living races in Middle Earth. Created by the Eru and under the command of the oldest living thing, the godlike Ilúvatar, they were sent to Middle Earth as the protectors and helpers of the free peoples. Their single task was to help create an alliance against the Dark Lord Sauron. Saruman was among the five "wizards" appointed to the task. Their forms were reduced to a natural human state, their powers limited only to what they could find in Middle Earth itself.

Saruman came as the Chief of the Istari, the highest of the band of wizards and the head of the White Council. His description is that of an older man with white flowing garments and a cruel dominion. In 2953, Saruman took the tower of Orthanc in Isengard for his fortress and here began to breed his armies. Deep within the hidden caverns of the great mass of black stone, Saruman came upon one of the missing palantirs, or "seeing stones" of Middle Earth. This he concealed from his fellow Istari, but through the palantir he was scouring Middle Earth in the hopes that he could uncover the hiding place of the One Ring. Through the palantir, the Dark Lord Sauron was able to take Saruman under his control.

After Gandalf's discovery that the ring bequeathed by Bilbo to his ward was indeed the One Ring used by the Dark Lord Sauron, he traveled to Orthanc to consult Saruman as to what must be done with it. The evil Istari was secretly thrilled that the ring had been found in the hope that he might take it, but was unable to persuade Gandalf to take his side. Saruman revealed the palantir to Gandalf, which aroused suspicion and was finally forced to take him prisoner in the highest platform of the tower to prevent his intervention of the killing of the halfling and the recovery of the ring.

But Gandalf resisted all of Saruman's tactics, persuasions, and torments and was able to gain escape at the wing of an obliging eagle. Saruman consulted the palantir for guidance and was asked by the Dark Lord to create an army that could move and hunt in daylight. Thus deep within the caverns of Orthanc the Uruk-Hai were born. Saruman bred goblin-men and Orcs and created a hideous and powerful Orc army that were able to travel great distances either by day or night. And he sent them after the Fellowship, in the meantime using every tactic he knew to prevent the halfling from reaching Mount Doom... including forcing them into the Mines of Moria, where it is believed that Gandalf was lost.

But Saruman has also destroyed Isengard with his army, torn the trees up by the roots, and made some extremely powerful enemies...

Lingering Thoughts:

The viewer's first impression of Saruman is one of cold resoluteness. His tone is level, his eyes strangely withdrawn, his words like biting serpents, belittling Gandalf for only just learning of the powers of Bilbo's ring. Saruman fell from the highest of his order as the Chief of the White Council to a slave of Sauron. He sold out his soul in the desire for power and is flawed for the mortal sin of pride. There is another creature who was once among the highest of his kind who also fell due to pride... the Angel Lucifer.

Saruman's decent was one shallow step at a time. First there came a pride in his position. Then there came a great thirst for power and knowledge beyond what was given him. A lust as he learned of the One Ring's influence over the Rings of Men and all of Middle Earth. And finally his abuse of the palantir, a careless use of something that was evil and not meant for his use. Blinded by his own desires, Saruman was unable to see that Sauron was working through the palantir to take over his mind and soul. It corrupted him so greatly that he would turn on one of his own and threaten the salvation of Middle Earth.

Are we descending one step at a time into a realm of darkness? Have we played with the underworld and that which is evil without foreseeing the consequences? If pride and maternal greed can so greatly destroy even an Istari, what might it do to human flesh and bone? Saruman has no loyalties left, no side with which he alliances himself. He would betray Sauron if it meant his own rise to power. As evil works together, it also works against one another. Evil is fully prepared to leap to its own advantage.

And even as the demons quibble and fight among themselves out of pride, Saruman and Sauron are not destined to rule Middle Earth together. One or both will somehow undermine the other... and ultimately self-destruct. As Gandalf said, "The Evil one does not share power." What power he has given to Saruman or Mortal Men will ultimately return to him... with those who bear it trapped in his nets.

Things to Watch For:

The tall stone walls of Orthanc are cold and domineering but no less so than their master Saruman. If one watches closely, we begin to see the cracks in the outward foundation appear... as Gandalf begins to question his superior's motives. First there is their walk in the gardens in which Saruman belittles his companion. Then there is the inner chamber in which his words are unusually cold.

But it is the palantir that stokes the fire, for Gandalf is clearly suspicious when he sees a tiny flicker and hiss... and learns that Saruman has been using it to watch the Dark Lord. Perhaps the wizard senses his old friend's mistrust and this is why he chooses to come openly to Gandalf to ask him to join Mordor in the battle. Like the serpent he uses many a cunning word of persuasion but is easily enraged when Gandalf refutes him.

In the forming of the Uruk-Hai, Saruman shows pleasure but also revulsion for his creation. Note the look on his face and in his eyes as his fighting leader is drawn from the mud. Perhaps just for an instant he questions himself. Then too note his secret pleasure in sending Gandalf into the Mines of Moria to deal with "the shadow and flame." He fully believes that he is sending a once-friend to his death.

Memorable Quotes:

[to Gandalf] "Smoke rises from the mountain of Doom. The hour grows late and Gandalf the Gray rides to Isengard seeking my counsel."

[to Gandalf] "You do not seriously think that a hobbit could contend with the will of Sauron? There are none who can. Against the power of Mordor there can be no victory. We must join with him, Gandalf. We must join with Sauron."

[thought-speak to Gandalf] "You fear to go into those mines. The Dwarves delve too greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke there in the darkness of Khazad Dum. Shadow... and flame."