Local Hero is a slice of Scottish whimsy with a touch of magical realism. It has a stirring soundtrack by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits.
American oil tycoon and keen astronomer Felix Happer (Burt Lancaster) wants to buy an entire Scottish fishing village in Ferness Bay so he can build an oil refinery.
Mac (Peter Riegert) is sent over to negotiate the deal with the villagers because he has a Scots sounding name.
When he arrives, Mac liaises with a local rep Danny (Peter Capaldi.) Both meet Marina (Jenny Seagrove) who is a marine biologist working for the Scottish branch of the oil company. She thinks that the company are going to build a marine sanctuary.
The locals are happy to sell as they eye riches and the chance to leave their hard life. To them Mac is the local hero who will give them lots of cash.
Gordon Urquhart (Denis Lawson) is the local accountant, hotelier and village taxi driver who is handling the negotiations on behalf of the villagers. The more time Mac spends in the village, the more he gets to like to pace of life and wonderful night sky such as the Northern lights.
Mac is later told that an old man who lives in a hut on the beach, Ben Knox (Fulton Mackay) actually owns the beach that is important to the deal. It leads Happer to come to Scotland to negotiate personally with Ben.
Director Bill Forsyth has gone for a small scale charming film. It has some surrealism. Is Marina actually a mermaid as she managed to swim to Ferness Bay and she has webbed feet. Also, who is the father of that crying baby.
It is a world where a corporation boss is not evil but just eccentric. Happer is harassed by his own therapist. Mac wants to trade in his Porsche and live a simple life in the village knowing he has come to destroy it and its way of life.
The weak link is actually Reigert. This was a big leap for him and he is rather bland compared to the Scottish actors and of course Burt Lancaster. The one who steals the movie is Fulton Mackay. I still remember the line after all these years, his offer to sale for the grains of sand he holds in his hand.
American oil tycoon and keen astronomer Felix Happer (Burt Lancaster) wants to buy an entire Scottish fishing village in Ferness Bay so he can build an oil refinery.
Mac (Peter Riegert) is sent over to negotiate the deal with the villagers because he has a Scots sounding name.
When he arrives, Mac liaises with a local rep Danny (Peter Capaldi.) Both meet Marina (Jenny Seagrove) who is a marine biologist working for the Scottish branch of the oil company. She thinks that the company are going to build a marine sanctuary.
The locals are happy to sell as they eye riches and the chance to leave their hard life. To them Mac is the local hero who will give them lots of cash.
Gordon Urquhart (Denis Lawson) is the local accountant, hotelier and village taxi driver who is handling the negotiations on behalf of the villagers. The more time Mac spends in the village, the more he gets to like to pace of life and wonderful night sky such as the Northern lights.
Mac is later told that an old man who lives in a hut on the beach, Ben Knox (Fulton Mackay) actually owns the beach that is important to the deal. It leads Happer to come to Scotland to negotiate personally with Ben.
Director Bill Forsyth has gone for a small scale charming film. It has some surrealism. Is Marina actually a mermaid as she managed to swim to Ferness Bay and she has webbed feet. Also, who is the father of that crying baby.
It is a world where a corporation boss is not evil but just eccentric. Happer is harassed by his own therapist. Mac wants to trade in his Porsche and live a simple life in the village knowing he has come to destroy it and its way of life.
The weak link is actually Reigert. This was a big leap for him and he is rather bland compared to the Scottish actors and of course Burt Lancaster. The one who steals the movie is Fulton Mackay. I still remember the line after all these years, his offer to sale for the grains of sand he holds in his hand.