La Dinastia del petrolio

Well looking at some comments I thought it prudent to add mine in the defence of a remarkable film.

Unlike some location flicks and despite the efforts of dramatic scenery this film is failed by it's casting. A film about a Scot in Canada and not a Scot or Canadian accent in site!There is however a strong British cast assembled for filming abroad, a rare treat for Bogarde and co in post war austere Britain and a rare treat of course for the audience - colour! So please accept it for what it is. A rare colour British melodrama to cheer and entertain and perhaps re-awaken the declining film audience of the time.

If you are one that enjoyed the old days of an old black and white TV flickering away on a Sunday afternoon playing a comfort film then this is one to watch one day.

I really don't understand what James Robertson Justice is doing in this, despite his Scottish roots he performs out of character (typecasting above all is the problem here),perhaps he should have played to his strengths and played the part as a booming eccentric, a Major perhaps?!. All the rest give their best and stoic Dirk Bogarde of course is excellent!

I like the warm feeling this film brings to the watcher good may or may not triumph over evil here. I leave you to watch and enjoy the really well worked climatic end. Over sentimental at the conclusion? Perhaps! Glad it was made? Definitely! Enjoy a sweet film.

The end.

Out of the blue, Bruce Campbell (Dirk Bogarde) arrives in Canada from Britain. It seems that years ago, Campbell's grandfather was involved in an oil drilling operation in Canada and reportedly stole a lot of folks' money who invested in it. But Bruce insists that his grandfather was not a crook and he's here to try to work the property to prove that there is oil. But there's a problem...they're now building a dam nearby and the property will soon be flooded...so not only do they have to contend with a lot of angry workers on the dam, but they also have to work quickly before the land is forever covered in water.

This is an amazingly 'normal' sort of role for Dirk Bogarde...and not the sort of film he was generally making in this stage of his career. Most of his films were either the lighthearted Doctor films or psychological thrillers. And, despite the change of pace, the film is worth watching. Not exactly brilliant but unique and interesting.

By the way, although the film is set in Canada, there are two interesting things. First, the film begins with the emblazened phrase 'Made at Pinewood Studios'....well, some of it was. A few scenes obviously were made in front of some cheap looking matte paintings. But many of the outdoor scenes were actually filmed in Italy...an odd substitute for Canada. Odd, but understandable as Italian studio space was dirt cheap at the time and a bit closer to the UK. Plus the Italians...well, they also have a lot of mountains.

It deals with a forthright hero called Bruce Campbell, finely interpreted by Dick Bogarde, arrives in Canada from England to take over a land from an inheritace of his recently deceased grandfather, Campbell. Bruce to be aware that a dam is being constructed and It will flood Campbell's Kingdom. Along the way he faces off the new power dam being quickly built, and the ambitious contractor of the company named Morgan: Stanley Baker, who works for Fergus and other ruthless locals. Then Bruce joins various brave men : Michael Craig, James Robertson Justice, Sidney James , and a woman : Barbara Murray, to carry out their purports. Rugged wildcatters fighting the treacherous mighty Canadian Rockies!. Towering adventure in the sky-high-Rockies!

A good adventure drama about ambition, selfishness, corruption, solidarity and fight for land. Being adapted from the novel of the same name by Hammond Innes. Well paced drama, in which filmmaker gives the flick plenty of action and urgency. Including gorgeous location is most attractive, with impressive color cinematography about mountains, being set in Calgary, Canada, but actually shot on location in Dolomites mountains, North Italy .However, the only weak point is its screenplay with silly scenes and some lines with no much sense. Once it moves into action, nevertheless, it is a different yarn altogether. Adding breathtaking images of flood, these scenes were subsequently taken for other fims as "The Castle of Fumanchu" by Jess Frank. This is a creditable UK attempt to make a nimble adventure tale in the best Hollywood tradition. Here a young Dick Bogarde plays compellingly an obstinate man who takes on various challenges, floods and disgruntled villagers. Support cast is pretty good, such as Stanley Baker as a mean, nasty contractor who steals the show , Barbara Murray, Michael Craig, Finlay Currie, James Robertson Justice, Sidney James, Miles Malleson, Maurice Kaufmann, among others.

It contains glimmer and shimmer cinematography by Ernest Steward. And thrilling and moviing musical score by Clifton Parker, conducted by usual Muir Matheson. The motion picture was well directed by Ralph Thomas in mid-budget produced by Betty Box. Thomas was a good Brit craftsman who directed in England nice films as Island rescue, Above us the waves, Doctor in house, The wind cannot read, Upstairs and downstairs, Conspiracy of hearts, The high brights sun, Nobody runs forever, Percy, Percy's progress, The love ban, Quest of love and a remake : 39 steps .Rating 6/10 acceptable and passable. Well worth seeing.

Bruce Campbell" (Dirk Bogarde) inherits his grandfather's land in Canada and is determined to make a go of it. Once he arrives from Scotland, and allied with Barbara Murray and a superb James Robertson Justice, though, he discovers that he faces a few local difficulties. Stanley Baker is prepared to go to any means to drive them from the land so he can build a lucrative hydro-electric dam. This self-adaptation of Hammond Innes' novel is beautifully shot (albeit it in Italy, not Canada) and Bogarde conveys some of the grim determination and persevering spirit of "Campbell" well in the face of this hostility, but the story is presented in just a little too light-weight a fashion with too much chatter and not enough action - until the very end.

I haven't seen this film for a long time. I saw it in the cinema in the late 50's early 60's and over the years since on TV. I think it probably still stands up due to the fact that it is in colour, it's a good clean action film with no heavy violence or strong language, and it has some familiar faces in it. Sid James of course was in Hell Drivers playing a truck driver,with Stanley Baker,who was the hero but, in this one he is the baddie, as he was in Checkpoint which also starred James Robertson Justice who was in the Doctor films with Dirk Bogarde. There are probably other connections, but this and the other films are very straight forward and untaxing to watch.