Local Hero: an academic reading

This is an academic approach I took to the great 1983 film, Local Hero.

Mac, the hotshot executive for Knox Oil, is the main character. Although there are some very interesting side characters and subplots, he is the protagonist. Mac wants to close the deal for his company so he will impress his boss and get ahead. Mac really needs to get away from the office and his fast-paced life, as he comes to discover.

The inciting incident is Mac going to Scotland in the first place. Mac’s world is disrupted by his assignment, because he’s usually a guy who does his work by telephone. This face-to-face travel is new to him, and he isn’t even Scottish, so it presents a challenge.

The second act tension centers around whether or not Mac and Gordon can make a deal for the town to build the refinery. It begins when Mac first makes an offer to Gordon, when he realizes that Gordon is also the accountant. It resolves with Ben rejecting them- Mac and Gordon cannot get a deal together at that point, but Mr. Happer may be able to.

The third act tension is, basically, can Mr. Happer fix things? Can he make Ben come to an agreement? He does, but not as expected.

It seems like this film is making a joke at the idea of small town pastoralism. Mac discovers that he yearns for the simple life that Gordon has with Stella, but as the townspeople show, they are not a bunch of sentimental fools- they want cash. Ben and Mr. Happer (and maybe Marina) seem to be the only ones who “get it.” Nature is very important is this film, as is love, and the two are connected throughout the film. I guess the theme, on a basic level, could be that money can’t buy happiness.

The subplot of Olsen and Marina comes into play nicely at the end. He uses her knowledge to impress Mr. Happer, and he then uses Mr. Happer’s plans for a observatory to impress her. Mac’s longing for Stella underscores his true desire to live a simpler life. Mr. Happer’s eccentric obsession with the sky underscores the importance of nature in the film, and it allows him to connect with Ben.

Mac goes from a skeptical, curious company man to a wannabe local. At first, he is uptight and wary of the area. He asks for a telephone and a charger for his briefcase and is shocked by the locals’ reaction to it. He admires the meteor showers and Northern lights with awe. As he learns to love the town, he relaxes. His leaves his watch with the annoying alarm in the sea. He tries to impress the locals with his toast. He tells Gordon very directly that he wants to switch places with him. He finally pronounces Gordon’s last name correctly. When he gets back to his apartment in Houston, he hangs up photos of his trip and looks at them longingly.

Gordon’s introduction sets up his character nicely. We instantly get a sense of him and his life. We know that he’s a relaxed hotel owner who has a very sensual relationship with his wife. We know that he has a good relationship with the townspeople. We know that he laughs at Mac’s formal requests and that he doesn’t take him too seriously.

First off, the scientists that Mac and Olsen visit early on seem to provide a goofy scene, but the introduction of Marina is important. They tell Mac and Olsen that she works in the area and to look out for her, which is what Olsen does later. Secondly, Mac’s initial meeting with Mr. Happer sets up the idea of nature and leaving a legacy. Mr. Happer wants to discover a comet to name after himself, but in the end he realizes that he can do more by funding the observatory.

A great example of dramatic irony comes with the townsfolk. We know that they are eager to sell and financially knowledgeable, but Mac does not. Besides giving the film humor, it makes us sympathize with Mac, knowing he is in for more than he bargained for. We also feel better for the townspeople, knowing they will not be fleeced by an important American corporation.

Forsyth does not waste time in setting up the world of the film. Within the first few minutes, we know the purpose of his assignment, the Texas business world he lives in, and the eccentricities of his boss. His back story, and Mr. Happer’s back story about the company and his eccentricities, gives us lots of information about the problems Mac will face. His character introduction, a young hotshot who’s good with over-the-phone deals but awkward with women, is apparent easily.