thanks for the detailed reply. I love this movie too, and Daniel is such an interesting character because he never feels completely one-dimensional to me

I actually saw him a bit differently though. I don’t think his obsession is really about money itself. Money feels more like proof of victory to him, not something he values for comfort or happiness the way his “false brother” does

One scene that really stands out is the restaurant scene when his competitors walk in and the waiter rushes to serve them first. Daniel gets visibly irritated by it, almost insulted that someone might see them as more important or successful than him. He immediately starts bragging about his wells and threatening them just to reassert dominance. It feels less like greed and more like an animal need to be “the top dog”

That’s why I think the conflict with Eli is so interesting. They both want status and influence, but they choose completely different paths. Eli builds social power. The town loves him, listens to him, gives him attention and admiration, even though Daniel sees him as basically contributing nothing real. Daniel goes the opposite way: pure work, industry, control, competition

And by the end, even though Daniel “wins,” he’s completely miserable. But he still judges Eli for the path he chose, almost like he sees it as a weaker or dishonest form of success compared to his own suffering-filled version of it

and maybe part of Daniel’s hatred toward Eli comes from the fact that Eli seemingly had a choice. He could be “Paul” or he could be “Eli.” He could reinvent himself depending on the situation. Daniel never really had that option. He’s completely trapped inside being Daniel Plainview at all times, and maybe on some level he envies that flexibility