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Local Hero

Turkish title: Yerel Kahraman

“A BEAUTIFUL COASTLINE... A RICH OIL MAN WANTS TO DEVELOP IT. A POOR BEACH BUM WANTS TO LIVE ON IT. AN ENTIRE TOWN WANTS TO PROFIT BY IT. AND A REAL-LIVE MERMAID WANTS TO SAVE IT... ONLY ONE OF THEM WILL GET THEIR WAY.”

1983 · 1 h 51 min
Directed by Bill Forsyth
ComedyDrama

Cast

Burt Lancaster Peter Riegert Denis Lawson

Credits

Written by: Bill Forsyth

Plot

An American oil company sends a young executive, Mac, to buy up a Scottish fishing village, which they want for a refinery. He finds the villagers surprisingly willing to sell, but is slowly charmed by the beauty of the place and its eccentric inhabitants. Bill Forsyth's 1983 film, with Burt Lancaster, Peter Riegert and a score by Mark Knopfler, is a gentle, warm comedy that is loved by many.

Sinekatalog’s take

Bill Forsyth's Scottish comedy about an oil man charmed by a fishing village is gentle and magical. Mark Knopfler's score and the quirky locals make it a warm, whimsical favourite.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.

Ratings

IMDb: 7.3 / 10 (30,536 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.

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