Watching the extended edition of The Battle of the Five Armies convinces me that at least part of the screenwriting/directing/editing meant for the audience to be able to read into Bagginshield but be able to technically deny it for those who didn't want it.
The way Balin looked at Bilbo when talking about Thorin. The way Thorin hoarded Bilbo instead of the arkenstone. The way that all the other dwarves paused and stared when Bilbo received the mithril. The way that Bilbo says he took the arkenstone to stand against his claim, and Thorin says "you have no claim over me". The way that the cuts between Bilbo crying over Thorin to Tauriel crying over Kili aren't even subtle, they do it TWICE. They let HER talk about HIM, call it love, and it is called "true", and then show it's direct equal with Bilbo. Who doesn't say anything with Gandalf. What can he say, after all, that the Tolkien Share Holders wouldn't complain about? Especially in 2014?
If it were just about friendship, even a deep world-moving friendship, he wouldn't have struggled to call it that with Balin. He doesn't label it, because Balin knows. And he knows that. And in the shire, they already call him odd for not marrying a fine young lass. Of course he'd label that friendship. And nonetheless, he still pauses saying it then.
Richard Armitage put as much meaning behind his lines and his looks as he could. And Freeman, despite always getting shipped with his castmates on tumblr, seemed more committed to acting the widowed mourning role than Tauriel, and give twice the camera time for it too.
Tauriel's character created to be a shallow love interest as a Hollywood ploy felt cheap. Using her as a foil for Bilbo felt intentional. The people behind the movie have made it clear. Bagginshield was real. And that can never be taken from us.
