Killers of the * * * * ½ Flower Moon

I'm late in seeing this film, but I was going to be a lot later.  Given it's arrogant length I was of a mind to boycott it until it was shown on television where it can be watched practically.  Three and a half hours without a break, is not much fun and is more likely to diminish rather than enhance the experience if you ask me.  And then for director Martin Scorsese to come out and mock anyone who objected! Indeed! He's in his eighties now so I'd like to see him try it!

Anyway, all is forgiven because I managed to get through it without missing five minutes whilst I ran out to the mens room, or worse disgracing myself.  And I have to say it's magnificent. A beautiful work and a powerful but infuriating story well told. Nevertheless one would be wise to read an overview of the events before seeing the film.  Any "spoilers" you uncover will not undermine it.  I knew basically what it was about but it does become rather heavily populated toward the middle and I did get a touch of the four W's: "Who?/What?/ When?/Why?", especially when some of the characters were dispensed with. I wished I'd read more before I saw it (not about the film, so much as the events).

The principal characters are rancher William Hale,  played by Robert De Niro, Ernest Burkart his opportunistic nephew, played by Leonardo Di Caprio, Molly his "Squaw wife" (sic) and FBI investigator White, played excellently by Jesse Plemons.  I read that De Caprio was supposed to be the good guy but when he read the script he was more fascinated by playing the rogue Ernest. With his downturned mouth and "coyote eyes" (as noted by Molly) he does a great job.  As for Molly Burkart, I don't know if it's the dignity of the character or the screen presence of actress Lily Gladstone, but she is mightily impressive. Against these three formidable male characters she is frequently our major focus.

Ernest getting ready to take
Molly for a ride

It's based on the book of the same name, which, despite these rich characters, is not a work of fiction. These people really existed and they really were that bad - and good.

Briefly, about a hundred years ago in Osage County Oklahoma the Native American tribe who lived there found oil beneath their land.  Suddenly this small tribe of people were to become the richest people in the world per-capita.  Needless to say the jackals, buzzards and parasites could not descend on this tribe fast enough. Laws were passed.  It was assumed that it's all too much money for these uneducated natives and their funds must be managed by caring administrators.  Thousands of people moved into Fairfax, the central town.  The luckiest might marry an "Indian", but for the rest there was well paid work a plenty on the oil fields.   

A senior man in the town (Hale) had a long association with the Osage people and in many ways he seemed like a good, protective and respectful friend to them. But we soon discover the other side of  him.  Just as bad was his nephew who maneuvers his way from being her chaufer to marrying Molly, an Osage Indian woman and beneficiary of her family's wealth.   

This is when the murders started: Suddenly the Osage people were dying quickly - especially when their rich inheritance had been assigned. The FBI are called in, charges are laid and facts uncovered.  

And that is a rather poor description of all the events absent of its nuances and many other facts and factors.  I mean this thing is rich! Robberies, duplicity, lying, cheating, loving caring, forgiving, shonky medics, shonky lawyers, hit men. It's one heck of a ride.  Then there is the way it looks: Traditional weddings, funerals, festivals,exquisite shots of the plains, the costumes of the Osage, the dark timber, golden light interiors.  Let's just say this huge sweeping drama cannot be summed up on flippantfilmthoughts.  

Put your bladder and numbed arse to the test or wait until it streams (probably at the end of this year), but for heaven's sake don't miss it!