Local Hero

Local Hero (1983) is a British comedy film starring Burt Lancaster, Peter Riegert, Fulton Mackay and Denis Lawson, directed by Bill Forsyth. It was produced by David Puttnam.

Plot

Mac MacIntyre (Peter Riegert) is a typical 1980s hot-shot executive working for Knox Oil and Gas in Houston, Texas. He is firm in his belief that money can buy happiness and his lavish apartment is furnished with all the mod-cons.

Related Topics:
Peter Riegert - 1980s - Houston - Texas - Mod-cons

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It is no surprise, then, that when the chief of the oil company, Felix Happer (Burt Lancaster), decides that he is the right man to send to Scotland to aquire the village of Furness to make way for a refinery, Mac is a little apprehensive about his assignment. He would much rather take care of business over the phone and telex machines.

Related Topics:
Burt Lancaster - Scotland - Telex

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Upon arriving in Scotland, however, Mac begins a slow but steady transformation as he adapts to life in Ferness and the eccentric people who live there, most notably the owner of the hotel, Gordon Urquhart (Denis Lawson) and his wife, Stella.

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As the film progresses, Mac finds himself more and more in conflict with himself as he presses to close the deal which will spell the end of the quaint little village he has come to love. The situation is made even more unusual by the fact that the village people, tired of hard life they lead, are more than eager to sell, even feigning disinterest to try and induce a larger offer from Knox.

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The deal seems to be complete when, at the last moment, Gordon discovers that the old beach-comber, Ben Knox (Fulton Mackay), who lives in a weather-worn drift-wood shack by the shore, actually owns the beach he lives on, through a historical agreement with the King. It is now up to Mac to convince the old man to sell.

Related Topics:
Beach-comber - Fulton Mackay

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