“Landman” will likely last for a long time given its popularity. For now, though fans are eagerly awaiting the third season of the series. Luckily, there are plenty of oil dramas just waiting to fill the void and “The Stars Fell on Henrietta” is one, Clint Eastwood-produced example. Unlike the Paramount+ series, this 1995 movie isn’t set in the modern day. But it contains all the drama you could want as well as a charismatic lead performance from the great Robert Duvall.
“Landman” has become a mega-hit for Paramount+ (much to the shock of star Billy Bob Thornton). It comes courtesy of the man who seemingly never misses, Taylor Sheridan, whose writing seems to be irresistible to large swathes of the population. Another big part of the show’s appeal is, of course, Thornton himself, who as oil man Tommy Norris is as charmingly charismatic and cocky as he’s ever been. But the oil aspect of this oil drama also contributes to the allure. Turns out the ongoing scramble over black gold makes for some highly compelling drama, which is why “The Stars Fell on Henrietta” might well satiate fans of Sheridan’s latest small screen hit.
The film follows a beleaguered oil prospector who becomes convinced a farmer’s land is home to a vast subterranean sea of oil. His attempts to extract it lead him to some extreme places, but his unwavering faith that he’ll soon strike it rich carries him through. It’s not quite the melodrama of “Landman,” but “The Stars Fell on Henrietta” has plenty to keep fans of the Paramount+ series engaged. Like that show, the film is set in Texas and was overseen by a man who represented the very essence of the American West: Clint Eastwood.
Read more: 12 Best Unofficial Movie Trilogies Of All Time, Ranked
The Stars Fell on Henrietta is like a 1935-set Landman
Robert Duvall’s Mr. Cox stands alongside his cat on a rural road in The Stars Fell in Henrietta – Warner Bros.
Clint Eastwood parlayed his success as an actor into one of the most impressive directorial careers in Hollywood history. Many of the legend’s directorial efforts starred the man himself, but every now and then he took a step back and directed films that didn’t feature his instantly-recognizable visage. He did it in 2024 with “Juror #2,” an intense courtroom drama that, despite being vintage Eastwood, was somewhat overlooked after Warner Bros. declined a wide theatrical release. Rarer still are the times when Eastwood produced a movie that he neither directed nor starred in, as was the case with “The Stars Fell on Henrietta.”
In many ways, the film — directed by James Keach — is a 1935 version of “Landman.” It’s centered around an oil boom, features a commanding lead performance, and was shot on-location in Texas. Robert Duvall stars as Mr. Cox, an oil wildcatter who’s very much down on his luck. After he travels to the town of Henrietta he convinces a local farmer, Don Day (Aidan Quinn) that his land hides vast quantities of oil. The only problem is nobody has any money to establish an exploratory well, so Cox seeks help from local oil baron Big Dave (Brian Dennehy), who isn’t exactly eager to help.
“The Stars Fell on Henrietta” is really about Duvall’s performance, which received widespread critical praise even while the film itself struggled. Cox’s unwavering ambition in pursuit of the American Dream is sort of moving in its own way, especially when rendered by a man of Duvall’s talents. It might not be the endlessly entertaining cockiness of Billy Bob Thornton, but it’s more than enough to make “The Stars Fell on Henrietta” worth a watch — especially if you can’t wait for Tommy Norris’ return.
Critics were split on The Stars Fell on Henrietta
The town of Henrietta is seen with oil rigs visible in the distance in The Stars Fell in Henrietta – Warner Bros.
“The Stars Fell on Henrietta” was the first film produced by Clint Eastwood’s Malpaso production company that wasn’t directed by and didn’t star Eastwood himself. Based on how it was received, you might be tempted to argue that the screen legend should have taken on at least one of those roles, but Robert Duvall is so good in the film that it really could only have benefitted from Eastwood’s direction.
“The Stars Fell on Henrietta” currently bears a less than impressive 45% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 11 reviews – one of which came from the late, great Roger Ebert. Unfortunately, Ebert wasn’t all that impressed with the film, which in his two-star review, he described as “truncated.” He was convinced there was an entire scene missing from the movie that was hastily explained away via voiceover. Still, even Ebert had to commend Duvall for his lead performance, which he described as “wonderful” and “touching.” The Chicago Sun-Times critics’ longtime collaborator Gene Siskel was even more complimentary. In his Chicago Tribune review, Siskel praised director James Keach for telling “a slightly darker story than you might expect” and for “delay[ing] the inevitable to the point of genuine entertainment.”
One thing we can say is that while we await “Landman” season 3 (which will feature Billy Bob Thornton despite reports that he’s leaving the series), “The Stars Fell on Henrietta” is at least worth a look. Otherwise there’s “Boomtown,” “Superman” star Rachel Brosnahan’s 2017 drama that similarly explores the oil industry’s effects on a local community.
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