There Will Be Blood (2007)

A story of family, religion, hatred, oil and madness, focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business.

Director:

Paul Thomas Anderson

Writers:

Paul Thomas Anderson (written for the screen by), Upton Sinclair (novel)

Stars:

Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Ciarán Hinds

Top Rated Movies #143 | Won 2 Oscars. Another 115 wins & 136 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Daniel Plainview
Martin Stringer	...	Silver Assay Worker
Matthew Braden Stringer	...	Silver Assay Worker
Jacob Stringer	...	Silver Assay Worker
Joseph Mussey	...	Silver Assay Worker
Barry Del Sherman	...	H.B. Ailman
Harrison Taylor	...	Baby HW
Stockton Taylor	...	Baby HW
Paul F. Tompkins	...	Prescott
Dillon Freasier	...	HW
Kevin Breznahan	...	Signal Hill Man
Jim Meskimen	...	Signal Hill Married Man
Erica Sullivan	...	Signal Hill Woman
Randall Carver	...	Mr. Bankside
Coco Leigh	...	Mrs. Bankside

Storyline

The intersecting life stories of Daniel Plainview and Eli Sunday in early twentieth century California is presented. Miner turn oilman Daniel Plainview is a driven man who will do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. He works hard but he also takes advantage of those around him at their expense if need be. His business partner is his son H.W., who in reality he "acquired" when H.W.'s biological single father, who worked on one of Daniel's rigs, got killed in a workplace accident. Daniel is deeply protective of H.W. if only for what H.W. brings to the partnership. Eli Sunday is one in a pair of twins, whose family farm Daniel purchases for the major oil deposit located on it. Eli, the local preacher and a self-proclaimed faith healer, wants the money from the sale of the property to finance his own church. The lives of the two competitive men often clash as Daniel pumps oil off the property and tries to acquire all the surrounding land at bargain prices to be able to build a ...

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Plot Keywords:

oil | misanthrope | loss of hearing | 1910s | prospector | 

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Taglines:

When Ambition Meets Faith

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Last of Paul Thomas Anderson's films to be shot in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The rest of his films are in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

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Goofs

While laying the pipeline toward the ocean, the pipe is being joined so that the female end flows into the male end. The male end should flow into the female end.

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Quotes

Prescott: [Plainview has just left a town meeting] Mr. Plainview! No! Where are you going?
Plainview: I don't need the lease, thank you.
Prescott: We need you, we need you to...
Plainview: Too much confusion! Thank you for your time.
Prescott: No, no, no! There's no confusion! If you just...
Plainview: [stops in his tracks, stares down Prescott] I wouldn't take the lease if you gave it to me as a gift.

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits, except for the title.

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Connections

Referenced in Rifftrax Shorts: Christmas Rhapsody (2009)

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Soundtracks

Smear
Composed by Jonny Greenwood
Performed by London Sinfonietta (as The London Sinfonietta)
Conducted by Martyn Brabbins
Ondes Martenot Solos by Valérie Hartmann-Claverie & Bruno Perrault
Recorded for Broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 25th June 2005
Licensed courtesy of BBC Worldwide

User Reviews

Unapologetic Tour de Force

PT Anderson's name already means something, or I should say something else. His self assuredness alone gives me shivers. A modern artist with such clear and severe vision of the world. Boogie Nights, Magnolia, even Punch Drunk Love have an Wellesian disregard for what's in or out. His films are landmarks that may infuriate some, confuse others and mesmerize the rest of us. Here, with the rigorous tale of an impervious oil man, PT Anderson outdoes himself. He has Daniel Day Lewis as his accomplice in a performance that would be as difficult to match as it is difficult to describe. There is a monstrous beauty here that not even a broken nose can disguise. The saga is filled with long silent moments of tension that take place in a cinematic canvas and an actor's head. PT Anderson must have known that this was going to be, not only not a mainstream opus but a hard pill to swallow. I for one stand up to applaud his daringness.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English American Sign Language

Release Date:

25 January 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Oil!

Filming Locations:

Shafter, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$190,739, 30 December 2007

Gross USA:

$40,222,514

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$76,181,545

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Vantage, Miramax, Ghoulardi Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

158 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1