Okay, so I think I'm up for dissecting RotJ now:
Reminder of the picture of the timing: http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Original-Trilogy-Times-Chart/post/411140/#TopicPost411140
Reminder on Act Descriptions:
TheBoost: first act (set up) second act (rising action) and third act (climax and resoltion).
Or, as I prefer, 1: Establish the problem 2: The Problem Gets Worse and 3: The Problem is Resolved
RotJ in 3 Acts:
I'm not sure that this movie has a traditional Act 1. Or really, traditional act structure at all. It definitely has three clearly seperated segments (1: Tatooine, 2: Dagobah, Fleet HQ and Endor Part 1 and 3: Death Star Int and Ext and Endor pt 2) but I'm having a hard time matching those to the Act Structure. Let me explain...
If the Acts are defined by "the problem", the first task should be to identify what is "the problem" of the movie. This can be difficult on its own, and I usually have the most success in identifying the problem by asking, "What is resolved in the third act?" This is more difficult than usual for Return of the Jedi, because its third act doubles as the finale of the Macro/Trilogy 3rd act. The "problem of the Empire" seems to be the Macro problem, so I will attempt to throw that out as the possible RotJ-only problem. What's left? Luke's struggle with Vader, Han's relationship with Leia, Lando's relationship with not dying... these are all personal threads, but I don't think any of them represent "the problem." Perhaps ending the evil empire really is RotJ's personal "problem" as well.
Act I:
If that's the case (and I'm still not sure that it is) then the 1st third of the movie really does seem so be its own mini movie as opposed to the 1st Act of RotJ's "problem." Rescuing Han needed to be done, it provides the heros the "mini-victory" found at the end of so many 1st Acts... But what does it really have to do with the problem of "the empire". I guess there's those first few minutes explaining how the Emperor is coming to oversee the 2nd Death Star... but that is pretty short lived and is in no way the focus of the first third of the movie. Eh, maybe it's enough...
On to Act II:
Erg... this is still pretty rough. Leading me to the conclusion that I didn't pick the right problem for the movie, or that the structure is really thin in the case of this movie. In the 2nd third of the movie, Luke visits Yoda, but like the whole of the first third... this is less about Return of the Jedi and more about capping off the mysteries/cliffhangers left by ESB. Luke makes his way to the fleet and they finally get this movie started proper. They're going to blow up the Death Star (again!) but this isn't telegraphed to the audience to be the same level of importance as it was back in ANH. I mean, it's obviously of vital importance to the Galaxy at large, but the fact that our three main heroes aren't involved with it this time tells you, the audience member, that it's so well in hand, all of the 2nd and 3rd stringers can be trusted with pulling it off. At any rate, they do set off with a clear plan in mind, something clearly an indicator that we are in the early stages of Act 2. Nothing goes as planned, the ewoks screw everything up, the branches on the forest floor are too loud, which all mean- the heroes are unable to execute their plan to blow up the shield generator. Act II clearly ends when Luke leaves Endor as Vader's captive. This is when it's darkest for our heroes.
Act III- I know I just said that Act 2 ended at the darkest, but it gets a little darker as we work into Act 3. The DSII is fully functional! An entire legion of the Empire's Clumsiest and Best Physical Comedy Performing Soliders has been sent to intercept the ground forces, and Vader is going after Luke's soul hardcore- meanwhile Luke is turning to the Dark Side. It doesn't quite culminate in a single instant- First Luke defeats Vader, then Palpatine dies, then the shield generator is destroyed, then the DSII goes up (or is it down?) in flames. This is spread over the course of 10 minutes. Then, all is well. The Macro problem is definitely solved... apparently the RotJ problem has been as well, or else we'd still be sitting in front of it waiting for closure.
What do you think? For ANH and ESB, I was eagerly entertaining argument, though I was sure I was right... but with RotJ- I eagerly hope someone can tell me what's going on, because I think there's still something there that I missed.