I also need a new pair of pants. Was in sOliver store yesterday and man they got expensive lately-85€ for a pair of pants. No thank you.Braddock wrote:
I need to buy a new pair of jeans tomorrow actually... got a big old rip in the arse of my old pair.FatherTed wrote:
More importantly, where do you buy your jeans?Braddock wrote:
My take on it... It's a metaphorical tale about the battle between cut-throat capitalism and religion for the soul of America.
Day-Lewis is the oil prospector who represents Capitalism, his quest is an almost obsessive desire to accrue wealth and power in the form of 'black gold' deep down in the earth - the metaphor here being that he is digging into hell or into the darkness of the human soul. His character does not care how many people under him might die in this process and he even suggests he would stoop so low as to masquerade an orphan baby as his own son in order to convince the people of his family-oriented nature. The limits to which his cut-throat capitalism go are apparent near the end of the film when he disowns his son for attempting to start up his own oil business because he would now be his 'competition'.
Daniel the priest represents religion. He is just as morally corrupt as Day-Lewis as it is apparent to the viewer that he is a phony and is driven by wealth and greed every bit as much as Day-Lewis's character. The final scene, which many viewers complain is too abrupt and open-ended, is perfectly logical in my opinion. It symbolizes the very nature of cut throat capitalism i.e. it is not enough to simply better your opponent, one must utterly destroy them... hence Day Lewis's final line in the movie after killing Daniel the priest: "I'm finished".
A great film on every level.
