Ruthless silver miner, turned oil prospector, Daniel Plainview, moves to oil-rich California. Using his son to project a trustworthy, family-man image, Plainview cons local landowners into selling him their valuable properties for a pittance. However, local preacher Eli Sunday suspects Plainview's motives and intentions, starting a slow-burning feud that threatens both their lives.
Acting
Day-Lewis disappeared so completely he probably still thinks he's an oil man.
Score
Jonny Greenwood's strings sound like anxiety having a panic attack.
Direction
Anderson frames power like a horror director frames monsters.
Director
Paul Thomas Anderson
Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Plainview
Paul Dano
Paul Sunday / Eli Sunday
Kevin J. O'Connor
Henry
Ciarán Hinds
Fletcher Hamilton
Dillon Freasier
H.W. Plainview
Hope Elizabeth Reeves
Elizabeth
Colleen Foy
Mary Sunday
Barry Del Sherman
H. B. Ailman
David Willis
Abel Sunday
Paul F. Tompkins
Prescott
Kevin Breznahan
Signal Hill Man
Jim Meskimen
Signal Hill Married Man
Erica Sullivan
Signal Hill Woman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Day-Lewis stayed in character for the entire shoot, refusing to speak to anyone except as Plainview. Paul Dano was originally cast as Paul Sunday only; Eli was played by another actor who was fired after two weeks, forcing Dano to learn both roles with no rehearsal.
The film loosely adapts Upton Sinclair's 'Oil!' but Anderson stripped the socialist politics to focus on pure American psychopathy—making Plainview capitalism itself rather than its victim.
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