I hold this little gem of a film up there with the great epics: 2001 A Space Odyssey, Citizen Kane and The Godfather. Whereas Citizen Kane may be compared to Michelangelo's "Sistine Chapel ceiling" in its scope and grandeur, Local Hero is like Vermeer's "Girl with a Pitcher" -- small, intimate and just as transforming.
Writer and director, Bill Forsyth (Gregory's Girl, Being Human) has created a world of mystery and wonder. You probably never heard of this film. That's because it was in and out of the U.S. theaters in the winter/spring of 1983 with rave reviews but low distribution and small advertising budget. However it did gain a small following through word of mouth. There are even pilgrimages to the town of Pennan in the Northeastern coast of Scotland where most of the film was shot.
The tone of the film is very understated with wit and charm surrounded by beautiful scenes of rural Scotland shot during the "magic hours" when the sky seem to glow just before the sunsets and the haunting soundtrack by Dire Straits lead man, Mark Knopfler. Along the way we meet a Russian, a punk girl, a hermit (or two) and even a mermaid -- all totally logical in this world. Some scenes, I think, are absolutely sublime in their symbolism. I will write more on this later.
Story
A rich oil company in Houston discovers that a small village in Scotland was "suitable" to build an oil refinery. They send Mac MacIntyre (Peter Riegert), to negotiate the purchase. But unbeknownst to the businessmen, the villagers are eager to sell.
Mac is what we would call a yuppie with his corporate job, condo and fancy car. He handles all his business accounts on the telephone and telex machines so the last thing he wanted to do was to travel to a small town in the middle of nowhere. But his boss, the eccentric billionaire Felix Happer (Burt Lancaster), being more interested in a comet in the sky than making more money, insists that he go and report back "anything out of the ordinary" in the sky.
Mac reluctantly goes and joins up with Danny Oldsen (Peter Capaldi) from the local Scottish branch of the company, who happens to be a prolific linguist. Together with a rabbit with two names, they literally drive into a dream-like world of thick mist. "Where are we?" Mac wonders.
Aside from Burt Lancaster (From Here to Eternity, Birdman of Alcatraz) and Peter Riegert (Diner, Animal House), the cast is of relatively unknown talent as well as local people from Scotland, like the house band, The Ace Tones. However, the constellation of the ensemble is just perfect. We care about each and every character and sometimes see ourselves through them.
Rent the film or buy it (hint, hint) and let me know what you think. Send to review (at) kuodesign (dot) com
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