Local Hero


1h 51m 1983
Local Hero

Brief Synopsis

An American executive gets involved with the inhabitants of a Scottish village he's scouting for a new refinery.

Photos & Videos

Film Details

MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Drama
Release Date
1983
Location
Camusdarach, Morar, Scotland, United Kingdom; Scotland, United Kingdom; The Ship Inn, Banff, Scotland, United Kingdom; Loch Eilt, Scotland, United Kingdom; Pennan, Scotland, United Kingdom

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 51m

Synopsis

Good-natured Texas oil billionaire Felix Happer sends two representatives to Scotland to buy the fishing village of Ferness as a base for drilling in the North Sea. Surprisingly, the citizens are happy to sell their town, and the mayor works with the U.S. team to negotiate the deal. The lone dissenter is old Ben Knox. His family has owned the beach shack he lives in for centuries, and he refuses to sell it. When Happer flies in to oversee the problem, he hits it off with Ben, and this leads to the villagers and the Americans coming to a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Film Details

MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Drama
Release Date
1983
Location
Camusdarach, Morar, Scotland, United Kingdom; Scotland, United Kingdom; The Ship Inn, Banff, Scotland, United Kingdom; Loch Eilt, Scotland, United Kingdom; Pennan, Scotland, United Kingdom

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 51m

Articles

Local Hero


Mac (Peter Riegert) is a successful oil company executive who is sent to Scotland to purchase an idyllic seaside village and for oil-drilling purposes. Surprisingly, the local residents are not hostile to the idea of relocating as long as there is a generous financial settlement for them. While Mac is busy with his negotiations, however, he begins to succumb to the charm and natural beauty of the region and begins to have second thoughts about returning to his corporate existence in Houston, Texas.

In the grand tradition of such Scotland based films as I Know Where I'm Going! (1945), directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and Alexander Mackendrick's Tight Little Island (1949), Local Hero (1983) is a sly, comic sleeper of a movie and confirmed Bill Forsyth's promise as a director after the critically acclaimed Gregory's Girl (1981), the first of his features to receive a wide U.S. release. Decidedly small in scale and featuring a cast of mostly unknown Scottish actors with the exception of New York native Peter Riegert, the film is particularly notable for the presence of Burt Lancaster in a supporting role.

Lancaster was in the middle of a career renaissance at the time, having just been nominated the previous year for a Best Actor Oscar for his work in Atlantic City (1980). Continuing his quest for unique and offbeat roles, the actor fell in love with Forsyth's screenplay for Local Hero and was particularly fond of the eccentric, star-gazing millionaire who sets the whole plot in motion, even though he wasn't the main character. To Forsyth's amazement, Lancaster agreed to do the film for less than his standard fee.

Having Lancaster on location in Pennan (near Inverlochy Castle in northeast Scotland) was like a dream come true for the local cast and crew. In Burt Lancaster: An American Life (Alfred A. Knopf), author Kate Buford wrote: "Twenty-three at the time, and in his first movie, (Peter) Capaldi remembered the star mainly...from Birdman of Alcatraz. 'No one really believed that this Hollywood star was going to appear in our midst,' he said. 'And when he did, he exuded such charm and openness that people just fell all over themselves to be around him.' He was still the old Lancaster, however. He told Capaldi, who speaks in the film....in a distinct Glasgow accent: 'I gotta tell you kid, you've fabulous instinct. But I can't understand a f*cking word you say.' He ribbed Forsyth as the director who spoke 'no known language.'"

Lancaster's biographer also concludes that there was "a Brigadoon aura about the filming of Local Hero. Lancaster appeared out of the Hollywood sky, telling Tinseltown tales to a rapt audience, picking up checks, answering questions about Birdman of Alcatraz from the locals for whom it was as fresh and vivid as a new release. He liked and trusted Forsyth...When he left the production, 'we were all quite sad,' recalled Capaldi....They don't make these roles any longer...These men who can be trusted to help. We were all brought up with that. The movies told us that there was always a guy who could sort it all out. I think it was wrong that it was always a guy, but that's just the way it was.'

It's true that Local Hero seems to belong to another place and time and there is a beguiling quality about the setting that makes some viewers want to chuck their current responsibilities and retreat to this magical place, far removed from the rat race. For this reason alone, Local Hero has developed a strong and loyal cult following. The soundtrack by former Dire Straits member, Mark Knopfler, was also popular and helped launch Knopfler's career as a film composer. He has since composed the movie scores for such films as Cal (1984), The Princess Bride (1987), and Wag the Dog (1997).

Producer: David Puttnam, Iain Smith (associate producer)
Director/Screenplay: Bill Forsyth
Production Design: Roger Murray-Leach
Cinematography: Chris Menges
Costume Design: Penny Rose
Film Editing: Michael Bradsell
Original Music: Guy Fletcher, Mark Knopfler
Principal Cast: Burt Lancaster (Felix Happer), Peter Riegert (Mac MacIntyre), Fulton Mackay (Ben Knox), Denis Lawson (Gordon Urquhart), Norman Chancer (Moritz), Jenny Seagrove (Marina), Peter Capaldi (Danny Oldsen).
C-112m. Letterboxed.

By Jeff Stafford

Local Hero

Local Hero

Mac (Peter Riegert) is a successful oil company executive who is sent to Scotland to purchase an idyllic seaside village and for oil-drilling purposes. Surprisingly, the local residents are not hostile to the idea of relocating as long as there is a generous financial settlement for them. While Mac is busy with his negotiations, however, he begins to succumb to the charm and natural beauty of the region and begins to have second thoughts about returning to his corporate existence in Houston, Texas. In the grand tradition of such Scotland based films as I Know Where I'm Going! (1945), directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and Alexander Mackendrick's Tight Little Island (1949), Local Hero (1983) is a sly, comic sleeper of a movie and confirmed Bill Forsyth's promise as a director after the critically acclaimed Gregory's Girl (1981), the first of his features to receive a wide U.S. release. Decidedly small in scale and featuring a cast of mostly unknown Scottish actors with the exception of New York native Peter Riegert, the film is particularly notable for the presence of Burt Lancaster in a supporting role. Lancaster was in the middle of a career renaissance at the time, having just been nominated the previous year for a Best Actor Oscar for his work in Atlantic City (1980). Continuing his quest for unique and offbeat roles, the actor fell in love with Forsyth's screenplay for Local Hero and was particularly fond of the eccentric, star-gazing millionaire who sets the whole plot in motion, even though he wasn't the main character. To Forsyth's amazement, Lancaster agreed to do the film for less than his standard fee. Having Lancaster on location in Pennan (near Inverlochy Castle in northeast Scotland) was like a dream come true for the local cast and crew. In Burt Lancaster: An American Life (Alfred A. Knopf), author Kate Buford wrote: "Twenty-three at the time, and in his first movie, (Peter) Capaldi remembered the star mainly...from Birdman of Alcatraz. 'No one really believed that this Hollywood star was going to appear in our midst,' he said. 'And when he did, he exuded such charm and openness that people just fell all over themselves to be around him.' He was still the old Lancaster, however. He told Capaldi, who speaks in the film....in a distinct Glasgow accent: 'I gotta tell you kid, you've fabulous instinct. But I can't understand a f*cking word you say.' He ribbed Forsyth as the director who spoke 'no known language.'" Lancaster's biographer also concludes that there was "a Brigadoon aura about the filming of Local Hero. Lancaster appeared out of the Hollywood sky, telling Tinseltown tales to a rapt audience, picking up checks, answering questions about Birdman of Alcatraz from the locals for whom it was as fresh and vivid as a new release. He liked and trusted Forsyth...When he left the production, 'we were all quite sad,' recalled Capaldi....They don't make these roles any longer...These men who can be trusted to help. We were all brought up with that. The movies told us that there was always a guy who could sort it all out. I think it was wrong that it was always a guy, but that's just the way it was.' It's true that Local Hero seems to belong to another place and time and there is a beguiling quality about the setting that makes some viewers want to chuck their current responsibilities and retreat to this magical place, far removed from the rat race. For this reason alone, Local Hero has developed a strong and loyal cult following. The soundtrack by former Dire Straits member, Mark Knopfler, was also popular and helped launch Knopfler's career as a film composer. He has since composed the movie scores for such films as Cal (1984), The Princess Bride (1987), and Wag the Dog (1997). Producer: David Puttnam, Iain Smith (associate producer) Director/Screenplay: Bill Forsyth Production Design: Roger Murray-Leach Cinematography: Chris Menges Costume Design: Penny Rose Film Editing: Michael Bradsell Original Music: Guy Fletcher, Mark Knopfler Principal Cast: Burt Lancaster (Felix Happer), Peter Riegert (Mac MacIntyre), Fulton Mackay (Ben Knox), Denis Lawson (Gordon Urquhart), Norman Chancer (Moritz), Jenny Seagrove (Marina), Peter Capaldi (Danny Oldsen). C-112m. Letterboxed. By Jeff Stafford

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Shown at New York City Sierra Club Film & Video Festival April 17-19, 1998.

Released in United States April 1998

Released in United States Winter February 17, 1983

Released in United States Winter February 17, 1983

Released in United States April 1998 (Shown at New York City Sierra Club Film & Video Festival April 17-19, 1998.)