The movie commences as Daniel Plainview, a mineral prospector, discovers oil and establishes a small drilling company. Daniel Plainview, along with many from his mold at that time period are seeking to take advantage of Oil during the early parts of the 1900’s

As the movie progresses, Plainview is approached by a young boy by the name of Paul Sunday, who teasingly tells him about what he believes in an on oil deposit under his family’s property in Little Boston, California. Plainview begins to portray the type of character he is as he rudely proposes a ridiculously small amount for the property hoping the family doesn’t know about the Oil. Paul’s brother Eli however does know about the oil and rejects the bargain bid and demands $5000 to fund the local church, of which he is the pastor. As Eli’s dad agrees with Plainview’s bargain price, Eli’s views on Plainview seem ever more skeptical as Plainview illustrates himself as very mistrusting and selfish. An example of why he seems to distrust Plainview is the way in which Plainview completely disregarded Eli’s attempt to bless the up and coming oil extraction point.

Furthermore as Oil production begins, an on-site accident kills a worker. Eli is first to blame the event as a result of not blessing the site.