Loosely based on the novel Oil!, by Upton Sinclair (1st ed. 1927).
An oil prospector in the turn-of-the-century U.S. makes his way to success. He adopts a son. The social prosperity brought by the oil business favors the appearance of a Christian church between whose leader and the oil magnate a sort of rivalry arises.
A lot of impressive sequences, and a storyline which sheds some light on some sociological truths, e.g. the parasitical quality of religion. The film has limitations, though. The main character seems to solve all his conflicts through murder or violence, in ways that do not seem warranted by the context in which they arise. An intelligent analysis of the film's shortcomings is to be found here. I agree with most of what the reviewer (Dan Sallitt) says, except with his opposition of "charismatic and powerful evil figure" versus "slimy and unattractive one"; these adjectives (except "powerful") are interchangeable here, and as for "evil", I totally reject this simplistic use of this term.
Rating: 60
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