The soundtrack to Local Hero, the first-rate 1983 Scottish film directed by Bill Forsyth that depicted an American oil company with a mission in the fictional village of Ferness on the west coast of Scotland, actually outsold the film itself. It was written by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits (who also scored and performed soundtracks for Comfort and Joy, Cal, and Last Exit to Brooklyn) and is counted as some of his best work. This is such an outstanding film from the ’80s, with simple but witty dialogue, quirky characters, and lots of heart. A little masterpiece even. Though quiet, it’s got real screen magic.
An American oil billionaire named Happer sends Mac to a remote Scottish village to secure property right for an oil refinery, but on the way to closing the deal, the town—its eccentric people, Northern Lights in the night sky, and beautiful scenery—takes hold of Mac, changing his outlook on his job there. He spends time drinking, collecting seashells, meeting a soulful woman, and even throws his calendar watch into the sea. Instead of negotiating the deal, Mac works on one for himself, by trading his high-rise apartment, Porche, and oil-company job for his new friend Gordon’s more fulfilling life of bartender, innkeeper, and community representative. The film is shot forth with both sadness and humor, all which is found portrayed in Knopfler’s winsome, aurora-inspired and yet sometimes heart-wrenching soundtrack.
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