Local Hero (1983)

 

Local Hero

“Local Hero” was an addition to the List in the grand 10th edition revision. It is on the light side so I find it surprising that this would have been added, a discussion I may take up when I get to 1984, but it is also a comedy and as the list is scarce on those, I will take it and be happy.

An American company, “Knox Oil and Gas” wants to build an oil terminal on the north coast of Scotland. There is a little village on the site so “Mac” MacIntyre (Peter Riegert) is sent to Scotland to acquire the land and pay people to move out of the way.

The village of Ferness is a charming little place on a wild and picturesque beach, and already at this point I recognize the template of the outsider arriving at a local place to disturb the peace. According to this template, Mac will, although facing hostility in the beginning with some obligatory faux pas, eventually be converted to the local way of thinking and the crisis be averted. We see that happen here as well. Gordon Urquhart (Denis Lawson), who fills multiple roles as hotel manager, village lawyer and bartender at the pub is not exactly accommodating to Mac when he arrives. Mac and his British assistant Danny Oldson (Peter Capaldi) are met with some suspicion by the locals.

That is, until they find out why he is there. According to the template this should piss them off and that is also what Mac expects. Instead, they are over the moon with joy and happy as on Christmas Eve. The lives these people live are hard and frugal and with all the money Knox oil is going to pay them they are finally free to move away and live they lives they want to live. To the villagers, Mac is not disturbing the peace, but Santa coming with gifts of a lifetime.

While this works well for comedy, it would seem to take away the drama of the story. The only ones who are opposed to the project is the aptly named Marina (Jenny Seagrove), the marine biologist who were led to believe the project is a marine laboratory, and Ben Knox, an old man living in a shed on the beach who happen to own four miles of the coast. And, of course, Mac himself who, getting to know the local village, falls madly in love with life there, so different from the corporate city life he is used to.

The opposition of Ben Knox turns critical when the villagers turn on him for obstructing their windfall and it takes the interference of the equally eccentric Knox oil top dog, Felix Happer (Burt Lancaster), to secure a happy ending.

As I mentioned above, “Local Hero” is close to being a template comedy and the twist here is really all that keeps it from being one. Had it been the locals fighting the corporation this would have been unbearable sweet and romantic, but it adds some bitter spice that what we, the outsiders see as a romantic and original culture, sticks no deeper than their wish to get away from it with money in their pockets. It is nice for us to visit such places, but for those who live there it is not as romantic as all that. I have myself experienced that when working on wind farm projects on remote locations. When you come with a lot of money, the locals are only too happy to get those, and it is outsiders who see it as something lost. Not always, but often enough and who are we to say that is wrong, us with less stake in it?

No doubt the village and the place itself would suffer a great loss if the place would be turned into an oil terminal and Mac, with his outsider’s view, can see how special what these people have is. Where he starts as a high powered, cynical businessman, he becomes more and more reluctant and apathetic as he must proceed towards the inevitable.

It is a charming movie, and the success of this template can always be measured on how well we manage to get under the skin of the locals, both those in focus and those in the background. They never turn ridiculous and despite their very local manners, the movie remains sympathetic towards them, but it also does not become an outright postcard. It is a tight balance, and the balance is well maintained. The only place where the movie tip over is around Felix Happer. His eccentricity makes the portrayal of the locals look like a documentary.

The only part of the script I failed to follow was the role of Russian trawler, Victor (Christopher Rozycki). As a fellow visitor I appreciate the advice he gives Mac, but after that he hangs on and takes part in the negotiations although he has no stake in them. Maybe I missed something.

Mark Knopfler did the score of the movie and even with a rudimentary familiarity with Dire Straits, you will recognize the “Local Hero” theme as one of Dire Straits signature tunes. It works terrific for the movie.

“Local Hero” is easy and pleasant. It is awfully close to being template and light weight but has enough charm and twist and underlying food for thought to stand out and be worth watching. And the List does need more comedies.