Local Hero at HOME
Tom Grieve, Cinema EditorOne of the loveliest films in all of cinema, Bill Forsyth’s 1983 Local Hero gets a welcome big screen revival at HOME this May. Peter Riegert (Crossing Delancy) stars as Texan oil exec Mac, who is sent to the west coast of Scotland by his boss (Burt Lancaster) to buy the town of Ferness in order for the development of a refinery.
Chosen for this mission in large part due to the fact his surname sounds Scottish, Mac is greeted by a colleague (Peter Capaldi) and introduced to the small fishing village. With Mark Knopfler’s entrancing score ringing out, we watch as he falls under the spell of the town and its community.
Considering the existential stakes of the set-up, Forsyth (Gregory’s Girl) lets the scenario play out gently, content to indulge in the locals’ whisky soaked dances and gorgeous scenery. But that is not to mischaracterise this low-key work as unambitious. With quiet humour, Forsyth sneaks up on you, covertly using his small film to ask the big questions, with magical results.