Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, and Robert De Niro are on a collision course headed for cinematic greatness
A tale of greed, true crime, and a twisted romance, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is the latest from the mind of Martin Scorsese.
Based on a true story and David Grann’s novel, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” the upcoming three-hour film details the harrowing murders of the Osage tribe during the 1920s.
The Osage tribe was sent to take up residence in a plot of land that was thought to be barren. However, with the sudden discovery of oil in the area, the Native Americans surprisingly became some of the wealthiest people in the world. Surrounded by those disapproving of their newfound success, outsiders flock to their land to either drive them away or inherit their fortune.
Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, takes both approaches, entering a romance with Mollie Burkhart, played by Lily Gladstone, an indigenous woman from the tribe.
And little by little, Burkhart and his uncle William “Bill” Hale, played by Robert De Niro, masterfully deliver a masterclass on deception and betrayal. As Ben Rolph from Discussing Film puts, “One can’t help but feel attached to Gladstone and her awful predicament, we suffer while watching the two male leads slowly kill off her entire family.”
The film’s synopsis reads:
“At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder. Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal.”
The film also stars Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, and Jillian Dion. “Killers of the Flower Moon” is directed by Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese from a screenplay by Eric Roth and Scorsese, based on David Grann’s best-selling book.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” premieres in theaters nationwide on October 18 and will stream on Apple TV+ at a later date.