Nov 27th, 2025
There Will Be Blood…
Hmmm… I still remember the first time I watched this film. It happened completely by accident back in my university days. A friend had copied some movies into my USB, and without me knowing, There Will Be Blood was among them.
I watched it with zero expectations, I didn’t even know who Daniel Day-Lewis was at the time. I just remember running out of things to watch, scrolling through my folders, and finding this “masterpiece” sitting there untouched. So… there I went.
At first, I thought, This might be boring… let’s see how long I can stay tune. But then came the film’s first monologue, the salesman introduction, and something clicked. I was confused, of course. I knew nothing about mining, drilling, or oil. The drama wasn’t flashy like most movies. But the ‘slow’ pacing, the atmosphere, the way the camera captured the landscape, and the incredible presence of the actors slowly pulled me in.
The moment that truly captivated me was the introduction speech. Until today, I still find myself memorizing and mimicking it! It’s just so beautifully delivered. And then,another one! The second oilman introduction speech, which I loved even more. I don’t know whether it’s the monologue or the character that makes it so awe-inspiring … probably both.
Daniel Plainview (played by Daniel Day-Lewis), the protagonist, is an oilman whose passion is tied entirely to drilling for oil. Set in early 20th-century America, when oil was booming, the film shows how Daniel’s life revolves around ambition, deception, and greed.
He wasn’t born rich. Everything he gained came from pain, sacrifice, and relentless hard work. And I think that’s what made his character so compelling for me. After clawing his way to the top, there’s no way he would let anyone take what he believed was his. I can say that what made this character so well portrayed is his worldview feels brutally real, you do whatever it takes to succeed, even if it means standing alone, trusting no one, and cutting off anyone who gets in your way.
Audiences often call Daniel Plainview a psychopath or a villain. But honestly? In my defense, he’s not. He’s just a human being trying to survive in a world that demands ruthlessness. He even ends up taking care of H.W., the orphaned son of his coworker who died in an accident, and later on, H.W. becomes deaf because of another drilling accident. Whether Daniel first took him in as a business tactic or something else, the film shows glimpses of his genuine affection for H.W.; small moments that prove he actually cares
Then there’s Eli Sunday (played by Paul Dano), an equally fascinating character. Twin to Paul Sunday, the man who first reveals the hidden oil in Little Boston. Daniel’s conflict with Eli begins with a simple land sale and grows into a battle of belief systems: Eli, the self-proclaimed church man, constantly reminding Daniel of religion, blessings, and debts owed. Meanwhile Daniel, a man driven entirely by logic and ambition, couldn’t care less about superstition.
There’s a deleted scene I recently found on YouTube where Daniel and his men are struggling to retrieve some drilling tools, a process called “fishing.” Abel Sunday, Eli’s father, visits and suggests that Daniel ask Eli to bless the well. Daniel refuses, of course… but moments later, the fishing succeeds. Daniel’s reaction in this scene says so much: the hate, the sarcasm, the satisfaction. He even tells Abel straight to his face that Eli is a lunatic, how he hates Abel, and how glad he is that he can take care of Abel’s land when Abel can’t. From this scene, you can really see Daniel’s patience snapping and how he finally expresses what he truly thinks of both Abel and Eli. You can see the same kind of emotional explosion near the end of the movie, accompanied by one of the greatest lines in cinema history: “I drink your milkshake.” (Don’t worry, I won’t spoil anything!)
To keep it short, I truly love this movie. It’s easily in my top five, probably even number one. I’ve watched it countless times over the years, occasionally coming back to it because it’s just that good. Anyway… here’s another wandering monologue from a movie that decided to live rent-free in my brain.
If you’ve seen it, great — I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
If you haven’t… watch it!
Wandering Monologues 