There Will Be Greed. There Will Be Vengeance.|Dec. 28, 2007|United States|158 Min.|R
Genre: Drama
Description: In 1898, Daniel Plainview, a silver prospector, mines a promising ore vein in New Mexico. While dynamiting the lode, he falls, breaks his leg, but manages to salvage a silver sample. He drags himself to an assay office and secures a silver and gold certificate claim. By 1902, he discovers oil near Los Angeles and establishes a drilling company. After a worker dies in an accident, Daniel adopts the man’s orphaned son, H.W., who becomes his nominal business partner, helping Daniel portray himself as a family man to potential investors.
In 1911, Paul Sunday approaches Daniel about an oil deposit beneath his family’s property in Little Boston, California. Daniel attempts to buy the land cheaply but is thwarted by Eli, Paul’s twin brother and a local preacher. Eli demands $10,000 for his church in exchange for the property rights. Daniel agrees and acquires most of the surrounding land, except for one holdout: William Bandy.
Drilling begins, but a series of tragedies ensue: a worker dies in an accident, and a gas blowout leaves H.W. deaf. Eli blames these disasters on the well not being blessed. When Eli publicly demands the money owed to him, Daniel beats and humiliates him. That night, Eli confronts and berates his father for trusting Daniel.
Later, a man claiming to be Daniel’s half-brother, Henry, arrives. Daniel hires him, and the two grow close. Jealous, H.W. sets their house on fire, intending to kill Henry. Enraged, Daniel sends H.W. to a school for the deaf in San Francisco. Soon after, Standard Oil offers to buy Daniel’s local interests, but he refuses after feeling slighted. Instead, he partners with Union Oil to construct a pipeline to the California coast. However, Bandy’s ranch remains an obstacle.
Cast director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Hope Elizabeth Reeves, Ciarán Hinds, Kevin J. O’Connor, Dillon Freasier, Colleen Foy, Barry Del Sherman, David Willis, Hans Howes
Original name: There Will Be Blood