Local Hero

  • Bill Forsyth
  • UK
  • 1983
  • 111'

Local Hero is a loving and funny portrait of a small Scottish town and its encounter with a giant oil company. It features Burt Lancaster as Texas oil baron Felix Happer, CEO of Knox Oil and Gas in Houston, who dispatches one of his young executives, “Mac” MacIntyre on a mission to the small Scottish fishing village of Ferness. He will need to negotiate the buy of the entire town, so Happer can drill for oil in the North Sea. Much to Mac’s surprise, the entire town is happy to sell itself for big money, but a wrinkle appears in the deal when an old man who lives in a shack on the beach refuses to sell. Music was written by Mark Knopfler, while Bill Forsyth won the BAFTA Award for Best Director in 1984.

Subtitles: HR

Bill Forsyth

An acclaimed Scottish director of regional dramatic comedies – That Sinking Feeling (1979), Gregory’s Girl (1981), Local Hero (1983) and Comfort and Joy (1984). He won Best Screenplay in BAFTA Awards for Gregory’s Girl and Best Director for Local Hero, which is often rated in the top films of the 1980s. He also worked in the US and the 1987 film Housekeeping is his American debut.

Local Hero

Director
Bill Forsyth
Screenplay
Bill Forsyth
Cast
Burt Lancaster, Peter Riegert, Peter Capaldi, Fulton Mackay, Denis Lawson
DOP
Chris Menges
Editing
Michael Bradsell
Producer
David Putnam
Production
Enigma Productions, Goldcrest Films
Festivals & Awards
Cannes Film 1983 – Directors’ Fortnight; National Board of Review 1983 – Best Film; New York Film Critics Circle Awards 1983 – Best Screenplay; BAFTA 1984 – Best Director & 6 more nominations

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