There Will Be Blood
An epic portrait starring Daniel Day-Lewis as a ruthless oilman in early 20th-century America. Greed and faith collide in a raw, intense masterpiece about the dark side of the American Dream.
Ruthless and courageous were the words used by American film critics to describe this film by Paul Thomas Anderson, which topped many year-end lists in 2007. There Will Be Blood is based on the 1927 novel Oil by Upton Sinclair; about oil magnate Daniel Plainview, who maniacally expands his empire. When he meets opposition in a village by local priest Eli Sunday, his advance seems to be stalled, with the emphasis on ‘seems’. For the oil tycoon is used to getting his way, one way or another.
Plainview is played by Daniel Day-Lewis, whose commanding performance holds the viewer spellbound. There Will Be Blood was nominated for eight Oscars, and won in the categories of Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Best Cinematography (Robert Elswit). (jc)