Mistake in TTT? (SPOILER WARNING)

[thatdarncat]

That doesn't fit in with Treebeard's later "I told Gandalf I'd keep you safe, and safe is where I'll keep you" statement as he's carrying them along the next time you see the three of them, so I don't think they could have mistaken him for Saruman.

Hey, Gandalf, at that point, is a busy guy. He has to go find the three hunters and ride to Eldoras to break Saruman's hold. He tells Treebeard "They are friends, keep them safe" and leaves. After he's left, Merry and Pippin are amazed that Saruman said that - where upon Treebeard says "Saruman? Gandalf is the White Wizard now."

*shrugs* I just think that with everything going on, it's believable that Gandalf is preocupied and in a hurry to be elsewhere, so has no time for the Hobbits to realize that it is him.

 

[Squire James]

Actually, I think even the Extended Cut is missing a scene that would be required for all this to make sense:

Treebeard: "Hoom. Sorry. That's only a cardboard mockup of the White Wizard, since we are determined not to let Christopher Lee into this movie more than is strictly necessary. Gandalf is alive, and he told me to go look for you two days ago. Let us go to Entmoot now!"