LOCAL HERO

UK, 1983, 111 minutes, Colour.
Burt Lancaster, Peter Reigert, Denis Lawson, Fulton Mackay, Peter Capaldi, Jenny Seagrove.
Directed by Bill Forsythe.

Local Hero is an entertaining and charming film. Written and directed by Bill Forsythe, it makes him an international director after his success with That Sinking Feeling and, especially, Gregory's Girl. He has the happy knack of being able to present the Scots and their landscapes and questions with a comic charm. There is irony and criticism ? but gently done. The film echoes the Ealing comedies like Whiskey Galore and The Maggie from the late '40s and early '50s where the Scots were presented with whimsy - and ironically shown to be as greedy as any of their neighbours, especially when confronted with trade and easy gain. This film, however, while echoing the past is firmly anchored in the capital and greed questions of the '80s.

Burt Lancaster enjoys himself as an eccentric industrialist - who has a mad analyst and who is an amateur astronomer. Peter Reigert is very good as the innocent abroad - the seemingly wise American who is no match for the canny Scots and who falls in love with the people and their remote culture. Dennis Lawson is excellent as the canny and worldly wise Gordon. There is a good performance also from Peter Capaldi as the local hero Danny Oldsen. John Gordon Sinclair who was Gregory in Gregory's Girl also makes a guest appearance. There is excellent support from the cast led by Fulton Mackay.

There is a great deal of visual and verbal humour in Local Hero and a great gallery of comic and romantic characters. There is a blend of realism (Houston with all its urban noise and hurry) and the fairy tale, especially in the marine biologist marina who is the modern equivalent of the mermaid. Produced by David Putnam (Midnight Express, Chariots of Fire etc.), the film was an international success.

1. An entertaining and charming film? The work of Bill Forsyth and Scottish film? The entrepreneurial skill of David Putnam? The appeal to the universal audience?

2. An American/Scottish co-production? A fruitful interaction of the two cultures? Comparisons, contrasts? The international cast and its appeal?

3. The American world: Houston and its urban sprawl. the oil and gas company, board meetings (with the Chairman asleep), the incessant phone calls - even from one room to the other with Mac? Executives, junior executives upwardly mobile? The yes-men? The mad and aggressive psychiatrist? Financial deals done in America for the rest of the world? The proprietorial attitude towards the rest of the world? The blend of noise, glamour - Mac's car, apartment, but his inability to find a date? Cantankerous relationships? his phone call to his ex-girlfriend and the talk about her being a kleptomaniac? The eccentricity of America? Criticism - with the humorously gentle touch?

4. Burt Lancaster's presence at Felix Happer? His memories of his father buying out from Knox? The inherited wealth, empire? His sleeping during the meeting? His plans? His love for the Scots and talk to McIntyre? Colonial attitude towards deals? Amateur astronomer, his astrodome, his preoccupation with comets? His advice to McIntyre? about the stars? The phone calls throughout the film? His quiet private life and the psychiatrist's intrusion? The psychiatrist and the need for one? Aggression, humiliation? The scatty humour of the phone calls, the swearing on the skyscraper window? Genial but American? The phone calls and Happer's contact with McIntyre? His going to Scotland? Taking control? Plans, meals? The discussions with Ben and the visit to his shanty? Sharing humour? Changing perspective and orders? Mac to return to the United States? An amiable sketch of the multinational enemy: the executive, eccentricity, characteristics, even a local hero?

5. The contrast with McIntyre? His Hungarian origins and his explanations, the Scottish name? The young executive and his hopes? Phoning his secretary? No good with girls? His apartment, love for his car? His ambitions? The typical young American - canny but naive? The flight, arrival in Scotland, the going to the laboratory? Friendship with Danny, the ride and the comparisons with America? Saving the rabbit? The irony of their being served the rabbit for a meal? His watch and The Yellow Rose of Texas - eventually drowning? His change of attitude after encountering the Scots? Bewilderment by Gordon, growing friendship? Preoccupation with Gordon and Stella and their marriage, sexual relationship and his falling in love with her? The meals at the hotel, the talk about the deals, meeting the people? Exploring the beach, the countryside? His change of pace? Taking off his shoes and socks and paddling, collecting shells, losing his watch? The frequent encounters with the motor cyclist? The preparation for the Ceilidh? Talk about deals, drinking, dancing with Stella? Puzzled by Victor? Talking with him, beginning to understand him? Finally wanting to change places with Gordon? Happer's arrival, the return to quick pace, the change of plan? His being whisked off by helicopter to Houston? The drab return home? His shells? And the final sequence of his ringing the phone box? A local hero?

6. The proposition: American expansion, the need for oil and gas? American presumptions, techniques? Aberdeen and the model tanks? The research about property values? Experiments and hopes? The exploration, deals ? the unwillingness to haggle, merely to take over and recompense? The American style compared with the Scots and their knowingness, memories of seaweed industries, poverty, changes over the centuries? Greed? The range of types wondering about the money e.g. the old men at the Ceilidh? The meetings in the church? The anger against Ben ? and their seeming to be a lynching party? Their having to make do at the end? The importance of oil? The loss of the beach and the harbour? Ben and his wee plot of land prevailing? The change to the experimentation and marine biology, the heavens and the stars?

7. The character of Danny: at the airport, shyness, at the tank, the infatuation with Marina, preoccupation with girls, Scottish awkwardness, gangliness? His explaining the customs? Knowledge of languages and his use of Japanese later? His friendship with Mac, accompanying him on the beach, relationship with Gordon? The walks and the new discovery of Marina? Going to meet her, kissing her? his mermaid; even to the webbed feet! The punk girl trying to dance with him because he was 'different'? His giving the plan to Happer and his becoming the local hero? The advertisements for the film highlighting him as the local hero?

8. Gordon: Dennis Lawson and his cocky presence and style? Greeting the guests, surliness, cheekiness? Stella and his love for her and the earthy scenes between them? Breakfast, serving up the rabbit for the meal? His becoming an accountant? Advice, plans, smooth talking? Persuading the people in the church? Serving in the bar? Wanting to haggle? His capitalistic advice for Victor's investments? His canniness? Mac wanting to change with him? His finally being resigned about what was to happen and making do? The symbol of the modern Scotsman?

9. Stella and her charm, love for her husband, dancing with Mac, the object of Mac's love? Symbolising Furness and Scotland for Mac? Her farewell to him?

10. Marina and her skill, beauty, knowledge? Danny's infatuation? Her investigations in the tank, in the sea? The mermaid talk and her webbed feet? Her appearing in the gown for the dance? The happy ending and her being in the sea with Danny?

11. Victor and 'the Russians are coming'! The background of Victor in Russia, working the seas, visits to Japan? His interest in capitalism in the West, stereo. investments? His vigorous charm and the ladies' infatuation? The dance? His song at the dance? Discussions with Mac and the meeting of East and West? His participating in the diplomacy with Ben?

12. The humour of finding the Reverend Mac Pherson to be a black minister his studies in England and his staying in Scotland? His congregation? His contribution to the diplomacy?

13. Ben and the Knox family name, the recluse, his plot of beach? His isolation? The party and his taking the food? The huge meal that he was treated to? His unwillingness to sell? His tricking Mac with the number of grains of sand in his hand? Shared experiences with Happer? Securing the future for Furness - a local hero?

14. The variety of types presented: the boat sign painter, the mender of the roof, the incessant bikie. the irony of the out of place punk girl, the drinkers in the bar, the helpers at the telephone box. the local band, the villagers, the old men and their talking about the millions? The presentation of people enjoying the Ceilidh? Their being able to be turned into a mod against Ben?

15. Themes of avarice and greed? Smooth talk, pressures?

16. The contrast with the beauty of Scotland: the highlands, the mists, the bays. the beaches, remoteness? Shells? The sky and the Aurora Borealis ? and the helicopter like a comet coming through the sky?

17. Machines, technology? The contrast with Houston and the remote village? Unlocked doors? Fogs, hills, sea?

18. The use of machines like helicopters, telephones ? the Houston answering service and the use of coins in the exchange telephone box?

19. A charming fable for the '80s?