The sucking sound you hear is not "Oil."

Rating: 1/10 (4 August 2008)

Unfortunately for me, I read "Oil" by Upton Sinclair before I saw the movie. There is nothing in this movie that is remotely similar to the novel except oil - so it could have taken place in Saudi Arabia with Peter O'Toole on a camel. 1. The names have all been changed except for the Watkins siblings. 2. The son is the main character, not dad. 3. The son is an actual son who also has an older sister. 4. The son does not go deaf and is certainly not sent away. 5.Paul does not tell about oil on the Watkins land. 6. The son is 13 at the start of the novel. 7. When the son is a young man he dates several interesting women including a movie star. 8. Dad is basically a good guy who does bribe people to get what he wants, but also has a good business sense. 9. A main feature of the novel is the unionization of the workers and the son's involvement in socialism. 10. Paul is a major character, almost the perfect person, who cares about the needs of people and their working conditions. 11. Paul is killed in the end when hit over the head during a union busting riot. 12. Eli, although a charlatan, never renounces his faith. 13. The church of the third revelation was a joke set up by dad, but Eli took it and ran with it. 14. The son does not marry a Watkins. Although attracted to Ruth, he is also put off by Ruth's unhealthy devotion to Paul. 15. The son does marry Rachel who is also a socialist and together they found a school for others of like belief. 16. Dad is never baptized. 17. Dad never kills anyone. 18. Dad marries a psychic and dies a few days later setting up a fight over his estate. 19. Dad's partner ends up with most of the money. 20. Dad and son love each other very much. I realize that movies are not books, but this was torture. I might add that the music sounded awful. Suntne