Nel Texas cadevano le stelle

I saw this movie, because I'm a big fan of the produced Clint Eastwood. I did not expect too much though, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's not anything big, but it describes the time period in a convincing manner, and Duvall is good as the ever unlucky oil man. The important thing to me is that I was in a good mood when the movie was over. (7/10)

I was born and raised in Henrietta. I graduated from there. I still visit often because I have family there. My granddad was born there as well as my dad. The actual events/people, I don't think happened. Having said that it is true that for many years no one believed there was oil there. Not until some somebody managed to find it. So while the people are different and the situations, I think that it has to be basically a true story if only loosely. But let me tell you that the real history and the real "stars" of that area are the old folks. If you listen to their stories, they will take you back to a different time with them. The only problem is that since they have lived in such a small place for such a long time, you might get a full genealogy report on half the county. LOL. Its just the way the culture is. Its nice (and more than a little amazing) to see a movie about my little hometown, I have to admit.

I also regret this movie not being in wide release. The oil derricks were authentic for the period. I was part of the security for this film. Some interesting facts were that during one night an old barn owl made it into the set, and the interior of the house had to be re-blocked. A severe thunderstorm also damaged some of the vintage cars that were parked under a tent. The production crew were wonderful and very hospitable. Malpaso Productions is a first rate organization. The producer, Clint Eastwood was very personable and great to work for. I only wish this film was released in wide release. Maybe at some point it will be on DVD.

Set in the 1930s at Henrietta, Texas, near Wichita Falls. Don Day is a farmer. He and his family are surviving on cornbread. Robert Duvall plays Mr. Cox, an oil prospecting expert. A realistic dust storm is shown. Mr. Cox tells Don Day that there is oil under his land, although the area is thought to be dry by the oil drilling industry. Don Day bets everything he has on striking oil. He pulls a drilling rig home with his Fordson. Mr. Cox is a decent sort of a man, but the oil drilling industry has some unsavory characters in it. They do strike oil, and pressure blows the pipes out of the ground. Don't know if this is a true story, but seems like it could have been.

This was an enjoyable Depression era drama and it had more to it than I expected. Set in 1935 it was refreshing to see a story about ordinary farming people struggling with adversary, whose lives are transformed with the arrival of a wildcat oil prospector. There was no sickly sentimentality and characterization was believable with excellent period-piece detail. If you're a fan of Robert Duvall's you'll find that he doesn't let you down in this film. He is well supported by Aidan Quinn, Frances Fisher and Brian Dennehy, a cast which attracted my attention in the first place. I was interested, too, to discover that Clint Eastwood's daughter (Francesca Ruth Eastwood by Frances Fisher)played the role of Miss Fisher's daughter in the film. It's a shame the film did not have a wider distribution.