Tolkien’s fiction represents, among other things, magical powers. His representation of this—in particular his usage of it in his stories—may be said to follow the dictum: Less is More.
This has the result that, when it does appear on the page, his depiction of magical power is simply riveting. (As in the ride of Gandalf over the Fields of the Pelennor when he rescues Faramir by driving away the Nazgul with a shaft of white light.)
Having more or less created the modern genre of medieval fantasy, he has been copied by countless other writers, many of whom fail to show his artistic restraint in representing magic on the pages.
The difference might come from the fact that Tolkien wrote from a very definite philosophical position, one in which power was inherently dangerous. His descriptions of magical power are therefore restricted to moments of desperation.
The movie travesties of his work fail frequently—although it must be admitted that the film medium is visual rather than prose descriptive—as in the farcical battle in Orthanc between Saruman and Gandalf, that is reminiscent more of the similar battle in the 1963 horror comedy film, The Raven, where Vincent Price battled Boris Karloff, rather than the exquisitely brief description given by Tolkien:
'He was cold now and perilous. "Yes," he said. "I did not expect you to show wisdom, even in your own behalf; but I gave you the chance of aiding me willingly, and so saving yourself much trouble and pain. The third choice is to stay here, until the end."
'"Until what end?"
'"Until you reveal to me where the One may be found. I may find means to persuade you. Or until it is found in your despite, and the Ruler has time to turn to lighter matters: to devise, say, a fitting reward for the hindrance and insolence of Gandalf the Grey."
'"That may not prove to be one of the lighter matters," said I. He laughed at me, for my words were empty, and he knew it.
Setting aside the simple reality that any new Ruler of the One Ring would hardly find a wizard to be more than a “lighter matter,” what is important here is that Gandalf does not start any magic battle against Saruman when the latter doesn’t have the Ring. Evidently, Gandalf is simply outclassed by Saruman (who is head for the order of the Istari), and they both know it. This is delightful, as a restrained expression of what is undeniably a terrible moment—but hardly cinematic!
