![]() ![]() Like Tarantino, I initially brushed it off the first time I saw it. I initially saw the film in theaters in 2007 before I knew how to analyze film. that someone who rose to the top like that, or at least the extreme version, would have to be something like Daniel in his relationships towards earth and human beings (major echos of Chinatown, also an essentially socialist critique). This, I believe, is a socialist critique, at least considering how vague the term socialism is: i.e. We're not supposed to sympathize with Daniel (obviously we like him as an anti-hero) but he is just a brutal person with no redeeming qualities, he cares only about money (not even really status or hedonism, just the physical extraction of wealth) and has no empathy for humans. It's also partially a test, and it's the last time Plainview shows any desire to feel empathy. When Daniel asks Noah about the peach tree dance, he already knows it's a con, but it's the only time he tries to relate to someone on a personal level. I don't know about "the toll it takes" part but I agree about it being a character study of the type of person, the type of dilemmas faced by someone who succeeds at the very top of big business. ![]() But Daniel’s the protagonist so the emphasis is clearly on his goals as a capitalist. In the second it leads only to self destruction. In the first case, for all its false promises of peace and serenity, it’s a delusion built on a foundation of sand. TWBB also clearly draws parallels between the pursuit of God and pursuit of money, having little good to say about either. Once Daniel brakes Eli spiritually he can finally claim victory over his greatest foe. He probably considers Eli his greatest rival. Daniel’s a monomaniacal self made capitalist. Daniel and Eli are clearly enemies, but they may also share the closest bond in the film, even if that bond isn’t necessarily friendship. But once trust is broken Daniel must crush him like everyone else.įinally there’s Eli. I think he’s just a guy who’s down on his luck who saw an opportunity to make a living. I don’t think he’s out to swindle Daniel. I believe Noah when he says they’re friends and he means no harm. It reinforces everything Daniel already suspected about the world and there’s no turning back. What does he get for finally trusting someone? Betrayal. He cries when he reads his dead brother’s journal. This is the only time in the movie Daniel shows real vulnerability. This similarly happens with Noah, the man who claims to be his brother. He severs all claim as his father when H.W. He sends him away until he’s able to function again without hearing. is only as deep as H.W.’s utility for business. At first, Daniel enthusiastically embraces H.W., not only because he needed a “sweet face to buy land” be he saw a lifelong business partner and his legacy. I want no one else to succeed.” This means sacrificing every personal relationship. I think it’s no coincidence that the final section of the film occurs in 1927, in the final months of the financial boom of the 1920s when the crash is right around the corner. My understanding of TWBB differs from USOutpost31’s in that it’s more a character study of an individual succeeding in a pure capitalistic society and the toll it takes. But my understanding is that the film is only loosely based on “Oil”, so I would be careful about interpreting the book and movie as one and the same. ![]() Whatever analysis is inadequate because I haven’t read Sinclair’s novel. While I agree it does explore the battle between Religion and Business, I’m less convinced it’s an outright socialist manifesto. Incidentally, I also happened to re-watch TWBB recently. I have more thoughts on the film, about the seven deadly sins and the nature of evil, but for now, I'm curious as to what someone else thinks about my theory. He never surrenders information, often repeating what other characters say to him, and because of this, he always has the upper hand. Daniel is the most powerful person because he, as he told Eli before murdering him, is smarter than everyone. One thing I really latched on to from the film is, obviously, power, but also how knowledge creates power, and how knowledge is abused in order to gain power. Also, I did not read everyone's comments-there are a ton-so if I repeat something, someone else has said, I apologize. I do not have much (or any) background in philosophy or religion, so I'll try and articulate my thoughts on the philosophically religious adequately. I just finished re-watching the movie, so I'm still pondering, processing and trying to organize all of my thoughts into a cohesive statement. ![]()
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