Local Hero [1983]

Peter Riegert is cast as MacIntyre, a young Houston exec of Knox Oil, packed off by CEO Felix Happer, colorfully played by Burt Lancaster, to Furness, a remote Scottish coastal village. His mission - to buy the town and adjacent beach, thus acquiring the land upon which Knox Oil plans to build a sprawling facility to receive North Sea crude. On site, MacIntyre finds himself dealing with a canny townsman named Urquhart, delightfully portrayed by Denis Lawson. (Urquhart, with his wholesomely sexy wife, owns the town's only hotel and only pub, and is apparently the local gentleman of influence when arranging matters of such great import.) Unforeseen complications in the negotiations arise, necessitating Happer's clattering arrival by helicopter late in the game. As it turns out, title to the village is of no use without the beach, and the latter is owned by a crusty, old beachcomber named, as luck and bloodlines would have it, Knox.

LOCAL HERO exhibits that quirkiness of characters and circumstance that has made British comedies so appealing. Eccentricities abound. Take, for example, the sleepy hamlet's only street, which is always deserted except whenever MacIntyre needs to cross it, at which time he is almost run down by a yokel whizzing by on a motor scooter. Or, the Soviet fishing boat captain that makes periodic, illegal landfall at Furness to check on his very non-communist financial investments made through Urquhart. And, the baby that seems to belong to nobody, but is unconcernedly cared for by the town at large. Furness seems just ever so slightly askew - but only if you're an outsider.

The fictional community of Furness is actually Pennan, north of Aberdeen on Moray Firth, and the Furness beach is actually Camusdarach Beach 150 miles distant on the western coast. Notwithstanding the filmmaker's magic in rearranging geography, anyone who has visited the breathtakingly beautiful shores of northern Scotland will understand the changes that occur in MacIntyre as he becomes exposed to the serene grandeur of his environment. What is the allure of Houston, or any other soulless place, when one could walk barefoot on Scottish sands under magnificent sunsets and collect seashells? The ending, which is supremely satisfying, should give anyone involved in a day-to-day rat race second thought about what gives life meaning.


Slow paced comedy that might not be for everyone.   March 13, 2005
37 out of 41 found this review helpful

Anyone with a taste for incidental jokes that are there for you to see but not thrust in your face should like this film. It focuses heavily on character development rather than plot development but this works in it's favour, matching the sleepy nature of the scottish villiage featured. With the focus being placed so heavily on the characters you really get involved with the film and when the plot does certain things toward the end of the film it generates a lot of empathy for Mac (the main character). As several other reviewers mention, the soundtrack is fantastica and complements the film pefectly and the fact that the film's "theme" is called going home makes me well up.

I think the thing that makes this film as goot as it is is it's ending. Half the people who I have talked to about this film consider the ending to be warm and uplifting, the other half I've talked to and I myself consider it deeply sad. Give Local Hero a go and see what you think.


one of the best   February 5, 2006
Peter Carr
32 out of 33 found this review helpful

A film made with huge affection Bill Forsyths Local Hero is an almost uncanny sumliminal tribute to another scottish classic Whiskey Galore.The utopian scots scene versus the misguided outside world.Almost plotless it relies on character and charicature to carry it along.The funniest parts are almost unnoticeble first time around such is the subtlety of wry observation.in one scene a drunk fails to coordinate leaning down to clap a passing dog ...all filmed at the back of another shot in the foreground.
There are quite a few in jokes to spot as well..The ceilidh section has some of the best silent comedy ever and captures the dry quintessence of scottish humour.
The ending is I believe meant to be wistful rather than sad....as the character looks out and listens to depersonalised urban America the music juxtaposes it with the unspoiled idyll of Furness.Its a cracker of a film


Warm, Funny, Beautiful!   May 21, 2006
Pennan Heaven (UK)
31 out of 32 found this review helpful

I will be the fist to admit that not every one is going to "get" this film - nor does it leave you rolling in the aisles. But for me personnally, this is an absolute gem of a movie! The music is wonderful - including Mark Knopler and Gerry Rafferty, the scenery truly beautiful and the cast superb - even if the talents of John Gordon Sinclair are slightly wasted. I have watched this movie numerous times and never tire of this. This is one of my favourite movies! If you enjoy subtle warm comedies - you will love this movie! Make sure when you buy this you also buy a good single malt to go with it - a perfect companion!


A wonderful film, and an excellent new version on DVD   February 25, 2001
29 out of 31 found this review helpful

The English film critic Barry Norman once listed his top ten films to include Bill Forsyth's "Gregory's Girl" at number 2. Given some of the competition this was heady praise indeed. I would say that "Local Hero", by the same director, has the better claim to be in many people's top ten. This is not a film for those looking exclusively for sex, violence and the substitution of special effects for any semblance of plot, dialogue, characterisation or subtlety. For those of who want a change, it's a real gem.

The basic premise, of efficient and aggressive US businessmen coming up against the slower tempo and local quirkiness of the Europeans, has been worked several times before. (If you enjoy Local Hero you really ought to see Avanti, a much under-rated film in a similar vein by Billy Wilder).

In Local Hero, the format is applied to an American oil company who despatch a clever young executive to negotiate the purchase of a small Scottish fishing village so that it can be destroyed to build an oil terminal. Trying to complete his deal, he is gradually entranced and absorbed by the community, discovering his own true values in the process.

There are many wonderful characters and marvellous moments - I must have seen this over a dozen times and I discover something new in every viewing. The final long shot in the film, in which nothing happens at all, is one of the most moving I have seen in the cinema - I won't say more!

A rare treat and highly recommended. When you feel that the inanity of corporate life has got you down and caused you to lose your way, send the children out to walk the dog, pour a glass of single malt, put on the DVD, put your feet up, and you will restore the balance - it should be available on NHS prescription.

The DVD does the film full justice. Some minor quibbles - the sleeve notes are essentially non-existent, and although the film is marked as "16:9", the aspect ratio is in fact 2.35:1, which is fine. The production companies (and Amazon) could help out the increasing number of us who own widescreen TV's by being more specific about what they mean by "Widescreen". For example, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in DVD is billed as widescreen, but is a very crude and cropped 16:9 version and quite disappointing.

I suppose the big question must be, given that this is such a good film, why did none of those involved go on to become big-name stars? But maybe that's the point. Final thing - cracking score by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. Enjoy.