Black Gold, "Oil" That Is

Rating: 8/10 (9 May 2019)

Anderson creates another masterful drama and does Upton Sinclair's novel, "Oil" justice. This film has excellent direction, score, cinematography, screenplay, editing and acting. The entire cast deliver superb performances. Day-Lewis and Dano are sensational. The plot revolves around a former silver miner, Daniel Plainview turned ruthless oil baron. Plainview adopts a son H.W. to project a family man image but more importantly to help him in the conning of local landowners who don't realize the value of the property they own. When a local preacher Eli Sunday becomes suspicious of the oil man, a life long battle ensues which threatens each man's life. Day-Lewis creates one of the most cunning, vicious and hateful villains ever on film. The film does an outstanding job examining the affects of greed and power. Is wealth the key to a fulfilled life or is it the key to a self absorbed life and insanity? The film also scrutinizes family dynamics within the Plainviews. The plot is dark, clever, psychological, unique, violent, insightful, harrowing and has a brutally duplicitous ending. This is one of Anderson's top three films and is an ingenious film in it's genre.