Killers of the Flower Moon (film)

Killers of the Flower Moon (film) is a 2023 American epic Western crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and adapted from the non-fiction book of the same name by David Grann. The film chronicles the Osage Indian murders, a series of brutal killings targeting members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma during the 1920s after oil was discovered on their land, making them extraordinarily wealthy. With a screenplay by Scorsese and Eric Roth, the narrative centers on the complex relationship between Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), a naive World War I veteran, his manipulative uncle William Hale (Robert De Niro), and his Osage wife Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), against the backdrop of systemic greed and the nascent FBI.

Plot

Returning to Fairfax, Oklahoma after serving in World War I, Ernest Burkhart is enlisted by his wealthy and influential cattle rancher uncle, William Hale, who presents himself as a benevolent friend to the Osage Nation. Hale orchestrates Ernest's courtship and marriage to Mollie Kyle, an Osage woman from a family with lucrative headrights to oil royalties. As members of Mollie's family and other wealthy Osage begin to die under suspicious circumstances—poisonings, shootings, and bombings—the local authorities prove corrupt and ineffectual. The Bureau of Investigation, led by agent Tom White (Jesse Plemons), eventually介入, unraveling a vast conspiracy orchestrated by Hale to murder Osage people and seize their wealth through inheritance, with Ernest as a willing but conflicted participant.

Cast

* Leonardo DiCaprio as Ernest Burkhart * Robert De Niro as William Hale * Lily Gladstone as Mollie Kyle Burkhart * Jesse Plemons as Tom White * Tantoo Cardinal as Lizzie Q * John Lithgow as Prosecutor Peter Leaward * Brendan Fraser as W.S. Hamilton * Cara Jade Myers as Anna Brown * JaNae Collins as Reta * Jillian Dion as Minnie * William Belleau as Henry Roan * Louis Cancelmi as Kelsie Morrison * Tatanka Means as John Wren * Michael Abbott Jr. as Agent Frank Smith * Pat Healy as Agent John Burger * Scott Shepherd as Byron Burkhart * Gary Basaraba as William J. Burns * Charlie Musselwhite as Alvin Reynolds * Barry Corbin as Undertaker Turton * Gene Jones as Pitts Beatty * Steve Routman as J. Edgar Hoover * Sturgill Simpson as Henry Grammer * Elden Henson as Duke Burkhart * Katherine Willis as Myrtle Hale * Larry Sellers as Non-Hon-Zhin-Ga * Yancey Red Corn as Chief Bonnicastle * Everett Waller as Paul Red Eagle

Production

Development began in 2016 when Imperative Entertainment acquired the rights to David Grann's book, with Martin Scorsese attached to direct. The screenplay, initially focused on the FBI investigation, was extensively rewritten by Scorsese and Eric Roth to center the perspective of the Osage Nation and the marriage between Ernest Burkhart and Mollie. Principal photography took place in Oklahoma, primarily around Pawhuska and Osage County, from April to October 2021. The production worked closely with Osage consultants, including Christopher Cote and Julie O'Keefe, to ensure cultural and historical accuracy, and many Osage language speakers were cast. The film's score was composed by Robbie Robertson, marking his final collaboration with Scorsese before his death.

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2023, receiving a nine-minute standing ovation. It was theatrically released in the United States by Apple Original Films and Paramount Pictures on October 20, 2023, following a limited release on October 6. The international rollout continued through October and November 2023. It began streaming on Apple TV+ on January 12, 2024, following a period of premium video-on-demand availability.

Reception

Upon release, the film received widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise for its direction, screenplay, cinematography, and performances, especially those of Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert De Niro. It grossed over $157 million worldwide against a $200 million budget. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Scorsese, Best Actress for Gladstone, and Best Supporting Actor for De Niro, winning for Best Original Score for the late Robbie Robertson. It also received nine BAFTA nominations and was named one of the top ten films of 2023 by the National Board of Review.

Historical context and themes

The film is a meticulous dramatization of the Osage Indian murders, a true crime spreex (film is aMoon (film)|Osage Nation (film) and the