LOCAL HERO is a humorous film of how the siting of an oil terminal changes the lives of the inhabitants of Ferness, a Western Highland village, and of the oilman involved in the deal.
and his distinctive style glows from every inch of its footage.
MacIntyre successful executive with the US multinational KnOX Oil, wno nas buy the coastline surrounding Furness for an oil terminal.
However he does not reckon on the cunning of the inhabitants who know OI the dovance through the local accoun tant and hoteller. Gordon Urquhart. Under Urquart's leadership they up the price by delaying selling their land.
It is during the period that Macintyre waits for their final answer that he It is the Scots director Bill Forsyth's third film begins to fall in love with the village and gradually appears more unshaven in MacIntyre each knows he is successful with als expensive house car, but a personal life that is as empty as his wall to wall carpeted flat.
The close knit munity or a small vilage gives him a greater identity than the multinational ne works for. This despite his clear role in the company and the immense power he wields when compared to have more than one job yet verv little real power The film's idealisation of rural life is a sore point with me. It made me think back to the problems caused bus didn't arrive or when missed the last L1 alli 7.10pm out of the village I lived in, or the ridiculous paid for basic essentials which knew were much cheaper thirty miles away in the city.
Benefits Fortunately the film realises that in some respects people are similar to townsfolk in LUCI modern conveniences and cultures with punk rockers and motor-cycle maniacs periodically appearing on the scene.
While the Ferness people want the benetits that their newly found wealth now falling over themselves bring andrier helpings one e aliveisary Argentinian invasion.
Everything Port •Stanley's first fish chip van to soldiers them the stanbehaviour that wealth when the men are oscussine tic au vantages disadvantages between RollsRoyce or a Maserati when one points out: 'You can't put four lambing ewes in a Maserati.' The film is really a 19th century morality tale dressed in 20th century clothing by a skilled tailor. It would be too superficial to say that it is harking back to some agricultura. utopia ignoring the benefits that industrialisation brings.
Rather it points out something that all too often forget which mercasille wealth alone is not sufficient improve 'quality of life'. To do that social relations also have become richer fuller. with blown off feet copwith life not regretting a bit of it.
What's missing, of course, is any reflection on the politics of the war. That could be just too embarrassing.