Within the first scene of Taylor Sheridan’s newest drama collection “Landman,” Tommy Norris sits in an empty hangar with a bag over his head. We do not see his face, and we solely hear his voice. In that second, he is making an attempt to speak his method out of getting killed by a Mexican cartel member. In fact, we all know that Tommy is performed by veteran actor Billy Bob Thornton, however even earlier than we get to try his rugged visage, we sense (via his voice) that this position — of an alcoholic, chain-smoking, and no-BS landman — was tailored for him. It is as if Thornton all of a sudden had modified careers and determined to trip his ultimate years out within the scorching warmth of West Texas, bossing roughnecks round, and fixing points for billionaire oil males who run the business.
Commercial
Half of that’s true. Based on the interview that Thornton gave for The Day by day Beast’s Obsessed, Sheridan wrote the main position particularly with him in thoughts earlier than he even requested the actor whether or not he’d be inquisitive about taking part in it. For the reason that two had labored collectively briefly on the western miniseries “1883” prior, the writer-producer knew precisely find out how to form the character to make him sound like Thornton.
So when Sheridan shared all this with the actor throughout a dinner in Vegas, Thornton was instantly intrigued by the half and the premise of the present, and likened it to George Stevens’s basic 1956 western-drama, “Big”:
“You do not see the interior workings of the oil enterprise a lot in a film or a TV present. I like ‘Big,’ the film was Rock Hudson, James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor, so I believed it had the potential to be that … Then after I learn it, it is like, yeah, it form of is ‘Big,’ solely extra harmful and extra edgy.”
Commercial
Big was an epic saga led by a trio of Hollywood legends
Thornton cherished the resemblance to Stevens’ drama a lot that he mentioned sure to taking part in Norris even earlier than studying the script. Though “Landman” would possibly take after “Big” in sure features, the film is unquestionably the product of a bygone period with its personal distinctive dynamics and variations. The function follows the well-to-do household of Texas ranger Jordan ‘Bick’ Benedict (Rock Hudson), his newly-found love and spouse, Leslie Lynnton (Elizabeth Taylor), and the teenager ranch hand, Jett Rink (James Dean), who works on the Benedicts’ property. Sprawling over a number of a long time, “Big” delves into sophisticated household relationships, ranching, the oil enterprise, turbulent amorous affairs, and the advanced legacies one can go away behind.
Commercial
In 1957, “Big” was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, however solely Stevens had the prospect to elevate up the golden trophy he acquired for Finest Director. The movie was additionally James Dean’s final function main position (he was nominated for an Oscar, too), however as a result of his tragic, premature demise in 1955, he by no means noticed the film launched. No matter what number of awards it gained, “Big” acquired one of many greatest honours in 2005 from the Library of Congress to be preserved within the Nationwide Movie Registry for its “cultural, historic, and aesthetic significance.”
