The Gold Digger

Author(s): George
Location: Atlanta

“The Gold Digger”

Director: Sam Mendes
Written by: John Logan
Music by: James Horner

Principal Cast:

Leonardo DiCaprio as John D. Rockefeller
Cate Blanchett as Laura Celestia "Cettie" Rockefeller
John C. Reilly as Charles Pratt
Michael Sheen as Henry H. Rogers
Phyllis Somerville as Ida Tarbell
Michael Gambon as Justice Harvey
Freddie Highmore as John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Tagline: “He discovered something more precious than gold”

Synopsis: A hardly fictional account of the richest man in the world, John D. Rockefeller, and his forty year struggle to keep his amazingly successful oil company, Standard Oil, from going into bankruptcy or against legal and personal accusations. The film starts at his discovery of oil in Houston Texas and, as one searches for gold, he searched and searched and searched and grew an empire in the oil industry. Rockefeller grew extremely rich and yet more distant from his wife, Cettie. He always remained generous to his kids and especially to his son, John Rockefeller Jr. During the reign of his company he was persecuted by every other businessman including Charles Pratt and Henry H. Rogers. He was also put into a bad light by author Ida Tarbell entitled THE HISTORY OF THE STANDARD COMPNAY, and then was held in front of the Supreme Court and Justice Harvey for illegal activities. Standard Oil was forced to split up into 34 separate companies. The film takes an in-depth look and the somewhat unknown personal life of Rockefeller and this almost one-man show follows him to his death.

What the press would say:

This amazing and epic look at one of the most interesting men in American history. DiCaprio is phenomenal as Rockefeller and knows his character inside and out. his mannerisms and behavior is exactly as Rockefeller and you know it is Rockefeller, not someone playing Rockefeller. He has a very in-depth personal life in the film and his wife, Cettie, is brilliantly played by Cate Blanchett and gets more distant from her husband every time you meet her. The sets and costumes and everything make you feel like you are actually in the late 1800's/early 1900's. Michael Sheen and John C. Reilly are very good as Pratt and Rogers, but it is Phyllis Somerville that really gives a great performance. Her wisdom and good intentions are painfully expressed in her emotions during the whole Rockefeller scandal and it makes feel a little sympathy for her even if she does start the downfall of Rockefeller. Overall, this is an amazing film and is one of the best of the year.

Nominations:

Best Picture
Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio)
Best Actress (Cate Blanchett)
Best Supporting Actress (Phyllis Somerville)
Best Director (Sam Mendes)
Best Original Screenplay (John Logan)
Best Score (James Horner)
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design
Best Make-Up