There Will Be Blood - Plot

Plot

In 1902, Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis), a mineral prospector, discovers oil and establishes a small drilling company. Following the death of one of his workers in an accident, Plainview adopts the man's orphaned son. The boy, named H.W. (Freasier), becomes his nominal business "partner".

Nine years later, Plainview is approached by Paul Sunday (Dano), who tells him about the oil deposit under his family's property in Little Boston, California. Plainview attempts to buy the farm at a bargain price but Paul's twin brother Eli (also Dano), wise to Plainview's plan, holds out for $5,000, wanting the money to fund the local church, of which he is the pastor. Plainview has Eli's father agree to the bargain price instead, and goes on to acquire the available land in the area, except for one holdout, William Bandy (Howes). Oil production begins. Later, an on-site accident kills a worker, and later still, a large explosion robs H.W. of his hearing.

One day, a visitor (O'Connor) arrives on Plainview's doorstep claiming to be his half-brother, Henry, seeking work. Plainview takes the stranger in, and though H.W. discovers flaws in his story, he keeps the news to himself; the boy then attempts to kill Henry by setting his bed linen alight. Angered at his son's behavior, Plainview sends the boy away to a school in San Francisco. A representative from Standard Oil offers to buy out Plainview's local interests, but Plainview elects to strike a deal with Union Oil and construct a pipeline to the California coast, though the Bandy ranch remains an impediment. After spending more time with Henry, Plainview also becomes suspicious; Henry confesses that he was actually a friend of the real Henry, who had died from tuberculosis. Plainview kills the imposter and buries his body.

The next morning, Plainview is awakened by Mr. Bandy, who appears to be aware of the previous night's events. Bandy agrees to Plainview's deal but only on the provision that the latter mend his ways and join the Church of the Third Revelation, where Eli coerces him to confess as part of his initiation. Plainview soon reunites with H.W., and Eli eventually leaves town to perform missionary work.

In 1927, a much older H.W. (Harvard) marries his childhood sweetheart, Mary Sunday (Foy). By this time his father, now an alcoholic but extremely wealthy, is living in a mansion with only a servant for company. H. W. asks his father (through an interpreter) to dissolve their partnership so he can establish his own business. Plainview mocks his son's deafness and tells him of his true origins an orphan, and H.W. leaves.

Eli, now a radio host and the head of a larger church, visits Plainview. Eli, in dire financial straits, explains that Mr. Bandy has died, and offers to broker a deal on his land. Plainview agrees to the deal if Eli confesses, "I am a false prophet; God is a superstition," which he does. Plainview then reveals that he had already drained the oil from the property through surrounding wells. Eli begs for money anyway, and Plainview goes into a rage, chases Eli about the room, and then beats him to death with a bowling pin. When Plainview's butler comes down to check on him, Plainview says "I'm finished."