Obliviate on screen

HP 1 : Dudley’s birthday

In this first episode, we go back to the very beginning of the film series, starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Let's proceed in order and see what we missed in the first 20 minutes of the film... Let's recall: we then discover the Dursley family, with Vernon, Petunia and Dudley, as well as Harry, still living under the stairs at the time. It's June 23, and Dudley's birthday. I think we all remember Dudley's line: "Thirty-six... But last year... last year I had thirty-seven..." when he talks about the number of presents.

The first scene to be cut from this film can be found here: in the film, we only have this humorous passage where Dudley gets upset about having fewer presents than the previous year, but the script planned to reveal more. I'll let you find out right away!

Indeed, the Dudleys' thirty-seventh gift was to take him to the zoo. But did you ever wonder why the Dursleys agreed to take Harry with them? Simply because their neighbor, Mrs. Figg, couldn't keep him at home. This may seem an unnecessary detail, but it already highlights the kindness of this neighbor, making Harry's life less difficult while not betraying her knowledge of the magical world. It was the first time Harry could leave home to go to the zoo, so Mrs. Figg made it possible!

Without her, Harry would never have gone to the zoo, would never have freed the boa constrictor and would not have discovered until his second year that he could talk to snakes. What's more, the script was then much closer to the books, which also mention Mrs Figg. So although this cut scene was very short, it's a shame it was left out!

That's all for this first cut scene, and I'll see you soon for another scene in another film!

written for you by
Charles Kayne