Martin Scorsese, the legendary director of classics such as The Godfather, Taxi Driver, and The Irishman, is back with a new film that promises to be a thrilling and tragic story of greed, murder, and justice. Killers of the Flower Moon, based on a non-fiction book by David Grann, chronicles the shocking events that took place in Oklahoma in the 1920s, when dozens of members of the Osage tribe were killed by their white neighbors who coveted their oil-rich land.
The film stars Scorsese’s frequent collaborators Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, who play Ernest Burkhart and his uncle Bill Hale, respectively. Burkhart is an Oklahoma resident who married Osage woman Mollie (Lily Gladstone), while Hale is a ruthless schemer who is involved in the killings. Jesse Plemons plays Tom White, an FBI agent who is sent by J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the case, which becomes one of the first major assignments for the bureau.
The film premiered at Cannes Film Festival and received a nine-minute standing ovation from the audience. Critics praised the film as a likely Oscar contender and a masterful depiction of historical erasure with echoes in today’s political climate. The Hollywood Reporter called it “an escalating tragedy that never loosens its grip.”
Scorsese said that he was drawn to the story by Grann’s book, which he said he had to make into a movie. He also said that he was inspired by the values of the Osage tribe, which he described as “about love, respect and loving the earth.” He added that he needed actors who were brave enough to play very complicated central characters, and that he found them in Gladstone, DiCaprio, and De Niro.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the film is the use of wolves as a metaphor for the predators who preyed on the Osage people. In the trailer, Burkhart asks Mollie, “Can you find the wolves in this picture?” The film also features a scene where DiCaprio’s character is attacked by a wolf in a barn.
Killers of the Flower Moon will be released in select theaters on Oct. 6 and Oct. 20, and then stream worldwide on Apple TV+. The film is expected to be a major contender for awards season and a must-see for fans of Scorsese and true crime stories.
Relevant articles:
– ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ Trailer: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro & Lily Gladstone Star In Martin Scorsese Film From Apple Studios, Deadline, 7/5/2023
– Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Trailer Puts Osage Murders Center Stage (Video), The Wrap, 7/5/2023
– Killers of the Flower Moon looks a lot more like a Martin Scorsese film in its new trailer, BGR, 7/5/2023
– The True Story of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Explained, Collider, 7/4/2023