harry_potter_and_the_deathly_hallows_part_1_film

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

Film Information

Plot Summary

The film begins with the wizarding world in crisis. Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters have risen to power, assassinating the Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, and seizing control of the Ministry of Magic. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, unable to return to Hogwarts, embark on the dangerous mission assigned to them by Albus Dumbledore: to find and destroy Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes. Their journey begins with a perilous escape from Number Four, Privet Drive orchestrated by the Order of the Phoenix, known as the Battle of the Seven Potters, during which Hedwig and Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody are killed. The trio finds temporary refuge at The Burrow for the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour. The celebration is cut short when Kingsley Shacklebolt's Patronus arrives, announcing the fall of the Ministry. Forced to flee, Harry, Ron, and Hermione Disapparate to London, where they are immediately attacked by Death Eaters. They take shelter in the abandoned Black family home, Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. There, they discover that the locket Horcrux, previously stolen by R.A.B., was taken by Mundungus Fletcher and is now in the possession of Dolores Umbridge. The trio infiltrates the Death Eater-controlled Ministry of Magic using Polyjuice Potion and successfully retrieves the locket. Now fugitives with nowhere to hide, they camp in the wilderness, moving from place to place. The dark magic of the locket Horcrux begins to affect them, amplifying their fears and frustrations, which culminates in Ron leaving the group after a bitter argument with Harry. A distraught Harry and Hermione continue their quest, deciding to visit Godric's Hollow in hopes of finding clues about Dumbledore's past and the Sword of Gryffindor. Their visit ends in disaster when they are ambushed by Nagini, disguised as historian Bathilda Bagshot, and Harry's wand is broken during their escape. Later, a silver doe Patronus appears and leads Harry to a frozen pond in the Forest of Dean, where the Sword of Gryffindor lies at the bottom. Harry nearly drowns retrieving it but is saved by the returning Ron, who uses the sword to destroy the locket Horcrux. Reunited, the trio travels to the home of Xenophilius Lovegood to learn the meaning of a strange symbol seen multiple times. He explains the legend of the Deathly Hallows—the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak. Soon after, they are captured by Snatchers, led by Fenrir Greyback, and taken to Malfoy Manor. There, Bellatrix Lestrange tortures Hermione for information about the sword. Imprisoned in the cellar, they find Luna Lovegood, Garrick Ollivander, and the goblin Griphook. Dobby the house-elf arrives to rescue them, but during their chaotic escape, Bellatrix throws her silver knife, mortally wounding Dobby just as they Disapparate to Shell Cottage. The film ends with Harry burying the loyal elf and, simultaneously, Voldemort breaking into Dumbledore's Tomb to seize the Elder Wand.

Key Differences from the Novel

While a largely faithful adaptation of the first 24 chapters of the book, the film includes several notable changes and omissions for narrative and cinematic purposes.

  • Harry and Hermione's Dance: A scene where Harry attempts to cheer up Hermione by dancing with her to a radio song in their tent was created for the film. This moment of quiet connection does not occur in the novel. (film)
  • Wormtail's Death: In the book, Wormtail is strangled to death by the silver hand Voldemort gave him after he hesitates to kill Harry in the Malfoy Manor cellar. In the film, he is simply non-fatally stunned by Dobby. (film)
  • Dursleys' Departure: The film omits the scene of reconciliation between Harry and Dudley Dursley, where Dudley expresses his gratitude. Also absent is a moment of silent reflection from Petunia Dursley about her sister, Lily.
  • Ted Lupin's Storyline: The film removes the subplot involving Remus Lupin. In the novel, he visits the trio at Grimmauld Place to announce Nymphadora Tonks's pregnancy and later returns after the birth of his son, Teddy Lupin, to ask Harry to be the godfather.
  • The Ghoul in Pyjamas: The book's explanation for Ron's absence from Hogwarts—a ghoul from The Burrow's attic transfigured to look like him suffering from Spattergroit—is entirely omitted from the film.
  • Scrimgeour's Interrogation: In the novel, Rufus Scrimgeour interrogates the trio about Dumbledore's motives when delivering the contents of his will. The film shortens this scene, with Scrimgeour simply reading the will and departing.

Main Cast

Behind the Scenes

  • Decision to Split the Novel: Warner Bros. and the producers officially announced the decision to adapt Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows into two separate films in March 2008. Producer David Heyman cited the density of the book's plot as the primary reason, stating they wanted to do justice to the source material without cutting significant portions. (Warner Bros. press release)
  • The Tale of the Three Brothers: The animated sequence telling The Tale of the Three Brothers was a distinct stylistic departure. It was designed and directed by Ben Hibon and produced by the visual effects company Framestore, using a striking shadow-puppet aesthetic that was widely praised by critics. (behind-the-scenes featurette)
  • Musical Score: This film marked the first time composer John Williams's iconic “Hedwig's Theme” was not featured prominently in the opening credits, reflecting the darker, more desperate tone of the story. Composer Alexandre Desplat was brought on to create a new score, though he did weave variations of the theme into key moments to maintain musical continuity with the series. (film)
  • Filming Locations: Key location shoots included Freshwater West beach in Wales, which served as the location for Shell Cottage, and a major nighttime shoot in London's Piccadilly Circus for the scene where the trio flees the wedding and is attacked by Death Eaters. (film production notes)