I also enjoyed the Arabian adventure film Black Gold which poses the question
would the life and culture of desert city and nomadic living Arabs have been
better if they had not embraced the offer of modernity by entering into
contracts with oil exploitation firms. The French produced film also called
known as Day of the Falcon and Black Thirst was disastrous at the Box Office
and with the critics despite featuring the excellent actors Mark Strong and Antonio
Banderas.
The story centres on two ruling families who have gone to
war for many years over disputed territory between their two cities drawing in
support from the nomadic tribes who also live in the area. In order to seal the
peace agreement, the father of one agrees that his two young sons should be
brought up in the household of the other. The two boys have very different
personalities with the younger sensitive and bookish and establish a close friendship
with the daughter of the household Princess Leyla until she reaches puberty and
is hidden away with the women.
Then the balance is disturbed when the Emir (Banderas)
bringing up the sons of the other is persuaded to allow those working for Texan
oil to commence drilling in the area of disputed territory thus breaking the
agreement. Arsing from the first successful drilling, prosperity begins to
reach his city and he makes one of the adopted sons a senior office in his army
and the other head of a new Library, while the daughter looks on admiringly. By
a mixture of bribes and promises he gets the leaders on the nomadic tribes to
support the oil extraction and then sends an envoy to try and bring his former enemy
into the deal sharing in the opportunities for hospitals, schools and other
social benefits.
Amar (Mark Strong) remains a traditionalist Sultan and
hostile to progress and refuses the offer of a percentage of the profits. His
eldest son Prince Saleh believe he can persuade his father and leaves the other
Palace but kills one of his minders in doing so and he is captured and killed.
The Emir decides to allow his daughter to marry her life long friend Prince
Auda as a means to prevent war and shortly after the marriage sends his son in
law to try and convince his father.
Instead Auda is persuaded that there is much in favour of his
father especially on learning that only 5% of the profits had been offered. He
meets up with the tribal leaders and persuades them that their way of life is
threatened although he opposes the slavery operated by one group, rescuing the
daughter of another leader which results in gaining the man’s support when she
is returned.
The Emir has used his new wealth to purchase planes and tanks,
machines guns and other modern weapons which creates a tremendous imbalance
between the two forces. Audi’s father hits on a plan in which he leads the
official army in the straight route to the city while his son and the tribes attempt
to cross the desert and attack the Emir from an unexpected quarter. They and the camels barely survive the travel
from a lack of water but just when all appears lost Auda works out that there
are fresh water springs just off shore so they are able to find drinking water
for themselves and their animals. Auda also appears killed in a battle but survives
turning him into a god which has the benefit of inspiring the others to take on
the planes and the tanks which are ineffective in the desert conditions.
The consequence is that are able to come to city which has become
poorly defended. In the battles and skirmishes which take place, the Emir loses
his son and Auda’s father is killed.
Princess Leyla who has refused to divorce her husband as the Emir has
wanted joins her husband as they become leaders of the two cities. But what to
do about the Emir? Auda has the brilliant idea of using the father in law’s cunning
and diplomatic skills to act as the representatives of the new combined states
to negotiate the best terms with the companies for the exploitation of the oil.
And the film closes with everyone gaining from the agreements reached.
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