The Montgomery Burns Story

Rating: 10/10 (10 February 2008)

This movie, based on the novel 'Oil!' by Upton Sinclair, was excellent but the ending could have been better. The first 140 minutes were riveting, the final 15 minutes unraveled into a mess of psychotic actions on the part of main character, Daniel Plainview. The act of dismissing his adopted son, H.W., might have made some sense, in terms of Plainview's descent into acute alcoholism, but the senseless murder of the Preacher was silly. It really spoiled the movie. When it was finished, the crowd was speechless. The ending was so over the top.
I say the Montgomery Burns story because Plainview was a caricature, and in his mannerisms, his misanthropic ways, his unbridled greed, he seemed to be channeling Monty Burns. If the Simpsons hadn't already done a spoof of Citizen Kane, this movie would provide a good episode, with Bart as H.W., Monty Burns as Plainview, Rev. Lovejoy as Sunday, and Smithers could be Fletcher Hamilton.
The ending aside, as crazy as it was, this was a great movie. Day-Lewis deserves the Oscar for Best Actor. His character, Daniel Plainview, will become an enduring symbol of capitalism and human nature at its worst, which I am sure is how Upton Sinclair would have intended it.