Local Hero (1983)
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An oil billionaire becomes more obsessed with the comet he might glimpse through his telescope than the deal he sent a man across the ocean to close.
LOCAL HERO (1983) follows Mac MacIntyre, played by Peter Riegert, an American executive dispatched by his Houston employer to buy up a small Scottish coastal village for a new refinery. The company's eccentric chairman, Felix Happer, played by Burt Lancaster, cares more about astronomy than profit margins, and gives Mac strange instructions about the night sky before he even leaves the office.
Once in the village of Ferness, Mac finds the locals surprisingly eager to sell, led by Gordon Urquhart, played by Denis Lawson, who runs the hotel, the pub, and the accounts for half the town. The only holdout is Ben Knox, played by Fulton Mackay, an old beachcomber who owns the stretch of sand the refinery needs most.
Bill Forsyth wrote and directed, letting the negotiations slow into something closer to a meditation on landscape, community, and what money cannot touch. Peter Capaldi, early in his career, plays the junior executive sent along with Mac. Jenny Seagrove plays Marina, a marine researcher who may or may not be something stranger.
Physical Media
DVDCriterion CollectionUPC 715515234719
Adam added 10/6/2026 · edited 10/7/2026
Blu-rayCriterion CollectionUPC 715515234610
Adam added 10/6/2026 · edited 10/7/2026
DVDSony PicturesUPC 085391130727
Adam added 10/6/2026 · edited 10/7/2026
About the Film
A BEAUTIFUL COASTLINE... A RICH OIL MAN WANTS TO DEVELOP IT. A POOR BEACH BUM WANTS TO LIVE ON IT. AN ENTIRE TOWN WANTS TO PROFIT BY IT. AND A REAL-LIVE MERMAID WANTS TO SAVE IT... ONLY ONE OF THEM WILL GET THEIR WAY.
- Directed By
- Bill Forsyth
- Runtime
- 111 minutes
- Released
- February 17, 1983
- Certification
- PG
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Starring
- Burt Lancaster, Peter Riegert, Denis Lawson, Fulton Mackay, Peter Capaldi
More Credits
- Genres
- Comedy, Drama
- Language
- Russian, Japanese, English
- Origin
- GB
- Studios
- Enigma Productions, Goldcrest Films International, Celandine Films
- Written By
- Bill Forsyth
- Produced By
- David Puttnam
- Cinematography
- Chris Menges
- Music
- Mark Knopfler
- Also Starring
- Jennifer Black, Jenny Seagrove, Norman Chancer, Rikki Fulton, Alex Norton
- Budget
- $4,200,000
- Box Office
- $5,900,000
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One of the quietly greatest films of all time.
Mark Knopflers soundtrack is lovely
Ellen DeBruyn I was just reading online that Mark Knopfler mention that playing the ending theme at the end of the shows was one thing that he missed because the audience went totally nuts. I saw one of their shows on TV and he was not exaggerating! I was shocked when I saw their reaction.
Perfect.
Great film
This movie is my cinematic happy place!
An all time favorite. Greatly influenced my life and priorities in my 20s.
Maria Spelleri absolutely did for me too.
Definitely one of the Top Ten Comedy Films ever made.
Fantastic film. Watched it again recently.
One of my favorite films!!
Just a great film
Love this film.
“‘We have an injured rabbit, also’.”
In my Top Ten all time favorites.
Watch out Ricky is out tonight!
I love how Ricky is so many shots, way off in the background or in the margins, putt-putting around on his bike. So funny.
“I’m a Telex man.” Lol, lots of laid back humor in this film.
Love this movie. Mark Knopfler’s score is a magical accompaniment.
Bill Meyer absolutely, just love this movie!
both wedge antilles and dr. who were there to keep things straight …
Mere words cannot describe how much I love this one.
I love love this movie!!
Happer is a mother f cker