TV's Frink said:

brash_stryker said:

3. I toyed with keeping the meadow scene. I did some cutting but just think it's too short now to keep in the final film.

My opinion (forgive me if I've said this before) - there is precious little believable interaction between Anakin and Padme, so saving anything that qualifies is of utmost importance. The second half of the meadow scene (riding the ass animal) is awful and should never stay in any edit. But the first half, the dialogue half, isn't too bad, and has some nice interaction between them. Especially the last shot where Padme looks at Anakin with the first hint of interest.

Most editors have left most (if not all) of that first half in and I think it's important to do so.

Again, just my opinion.

I do take your point, however my biggest problem with the first half of that meadow scene is Padme talking about her ex boyfriend. It really makes me cringe, and she just appears to be using descriptive language more fitting for a 90s highschool romance movie. It takes you out of a galaxy far far away in just the same way as Owen referring to Beru as his "girlfriend".

This is why the way I've cut it omits all that, and instead starts on the long shot, but with Padme saying "you really don't like politicians do you?" It remains pretty unchanged from then on but I omit Anakin's "tease a senator" line and turned it into a straightforward "no no *snigger*". It ends with the shot you mention of Padme looking at Anakin with interest.

Would you think this is long enough? And also, if I was to keep it, I'm not sure where to put it. I think it would make sense to put it before the kiss.