Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) Prohibition and Murder: This overly long, or perhaps epic length film, is a revealing look at the greedy decimation of the Osage tribe in the 1920s. The Osage discovered wealth in abundance in the wasteland the government moved them to. Other Native American tribes pushed onto America’s barren scrubland, the Jicarilla and the Mescalero Apache tribes, apparently escaped a similar fate.
Director Martin Scorsese teams up with six time collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert De Niro. De Niro has the distinction of working with Scorsese a staggering 11 times. They bring to life this true tale of greed set during prohibition. Multiple murder in Oklahoma at a time when oil outclassed gold as the most sought after commodity.
The Film
This Apple + film uses the original local locations to film both the interiors and exteriors of this sad story. Shot mostly in the Osage tribal lands, it features many Native American actors in lead roles. Lily Gladstone plays Mollie an Osage woman who has to declare herself “incompetent” each time she needs to withdraw her oil earnings.
The film is adapted from David Gann‘s book of the same name. Scorsese and Eric Roth wrote the screenplay. Science fiction fans will no doubt recognise Roth for his contribution to Dune (2021).
The Killers
DiCaprio plays Ernest Burkhart a transparently avarice driven simpleton. De Niro brings to life William “King” Hale. Hale refers to himself as “A friend to the Osage” as he arranges their deaths on an unholy scale. Prohibition may have increased illegal booze consumption, but oil increased the murder of Native Americans tenfold.
Hale managed to also kill any of the local white population who helped the real owners of the mineral rights. Burkhart played his part just as fully as his uncle Hale. There were other players in this world of greed and death. Most of these callous killers went scot free. The amount of death involved in Oklahoma helped to create the F.B.I.
The FBI
Agent Tom White (Jesse Plemons) and his crew of newly created agents descend upon this world of murder amid prohibition. One of these agents is Pat Healy, a Mike’s Film Talk favourite. The small team of government men work hard to get at the truth.
Everything Else
The cast list is impressive it ranges from John Lithgow to Barry Corbin and Brendan Fraser in a blink and you will miss it cameo. Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) may be about murder amidst prohibition but it looks glorious. Like a rich tapestry set against earth tones, each frame pulls the viewer in.
Despite the mind numbing length of this opus to greed and untimely death, this is a true Scorsese masterpiece. 5 stars to this upsetting yet beautiful film. Check the trailer below and rush to Apple + and watch the movie.
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