Sir Ian McKellen has updated his occasional blog from the set of The Hobbit movies. His latest addition has a brief look back at the start of his career on stage just after college as he waits to films action scenes as Gandalf. Below is the Gandalf segment, the full post can be found here.

Musings during a long wait today, which has been a respite from a lot of fighting in Middle-earth. In The Hobbit, Gandalf is part old duffer but more he's a soldier. Peter Jackson, who likes to see the old guys fighting it out, reminded me the other day that Gandalf is a commander, a general. Having slain the Great Goblin I was being a bit too indulgent with the dwarves who meanwhile had mislaid Bilbo in the goblin tunnels. I've played enough soldiers to see that PJ was right and in the next take I was very stern.

McKellen is "Soldiering On". There are any McKellen is "Soldiering On" in here.