Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
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A chilling exploration of greed and conspiracy unfolds in 1920s Oklahoma as the Osage Nation's wealth becomes a target for a deadly conspiracy.
The story
Set in 1920s Oklahoma, the film follows the Osage Nation, who become wealthy after oil is discovered on their land. However, the tribe's wealth attracts the attention of a corrupt local political boss who seeks to steal their riches. The narrative centers on the relationship between Ernest Burkhart, an American war veteran, and Mollie Kyle, an Osage woman whose family owns oil headrights. As the local authorities and community are manipulated by a powerful figure, the couple's marriage and the safety of the Osage people are put at risk by a conspiracy fueled by greed and the desire to seize their mineral rights.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1919, Ernest Burkhart marries Mollie Kyle, an Osage woman whose family owns valuable oil headrights. Their marriage is orchestrated by Mollie's uncle, William King Hale, a powerful man who uses his influence to manipulate the situation. Hale orchestrates a series of murders of Mollie's family members to ensure Ernest inherits more headrights. As the plot thickens, the local authorities, including the sheriff and judges, are in Hale's pocket, allowing the crimes to go uninvestigated. The situation escalates as Mollie's sisters are killed or poisoned, and a federal investigation eventually begins. Bureau of Investigation Agent Thomas White is tasked with uncovering the truth. The film concludes with a series of revelations: the Shoun brothers were implicated in other deaths but never prosecuted; Hale and Ernest were eventually paroled; and Mollie died of complications in 1937, her obituary notably omitting the history of the murders.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 206
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Osage
- Directors
- Martin Scorsese
- Writers
- Eric Roth · screenplay; Martin Scorsese · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Leonardo DiCaprio · Ernest Burkhart; Robert De Niro · William King Hale; Lily Gladstone · Mollie Kyle; Jesse Plemons · Thomas White; Tantoo Cardinal; John Lithgow; Brendan Fraser
- Genres
- epic crime drama; biographical drama; Western
- Themes
- greed; complicity; cowardice; despoliation; violence
- Premise and plot tags
- true story; historical; crime
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2017 nonfiction book
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews and was praised for its performances, particularly by Lily Gladstone, and its exploration of historical themes.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 89 · scale: 100 · review count: 63; PostTrak · score: 88% · scale: percentage
- Awards and nominations
- Best Film · National Board of Review · win; Best Actress · Screen Actors Guild Award · win; Best Actress · Academy Awards · nomination; Best Picture · Academy Awards · nomination
- Production trivia
- It was the largest amount ever spent on a film shoot in Oklahoma.; It is the sixth feature film collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio.; The film is dedicated to composer Robbie Robertson, who died two months before the release.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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