Killers of the Flower Moon

 When it is discovered that the native Indian  town of Gray Horse, held by the Osage Nation in 1920's Oklahoma, contains large reserves of oil, tribe members became among the richest in the world.  

In the nearby Fairfax town of Osage county, William Hale (Robert De Niro) a prosperous cattle rancher and well respected philanthropist, encourages his nephew Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) to marry Mollie (Lily Gladstone), a full headright Osage member, with the scope of inheriting her wealth. 

When people start to inexplicably die, the Bureau of Investigations (the precursor of the FBI) begins a probe.

This epic and unsettling film adaptation by writer director Martin Scorsese, and co-writer Eric Roth (Forrest Gump), 

is based on American journalist David Grann's non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI (2017).

Performances are outstanding. De Niro's towering portrayal of an immoral person whose kind demeanor and disarming smile gains the tribe's confidence. DiCaprio's strong performance of a conflicted character, torn by his love for Mollie and his blind submissiveness to his uncle. Gladstone, the real heroine of the film, is magnetic and powerful in her composed, quiet but effective demeanor. Included is also a brief cameo appearance of Scorsese towards the feature's end.

Killers of the Flower Moon is Scorsese's first gangster with western iconography. Despite its 206 minute duration, it is well paced and packed with talent. Rodrigo Prieto's beautiful cinematography, blends of Bluegrass and Native American rhythms, as well as well developed characters and superb craftsmanship, add to the film's enjoyment. For improved accuracy, Scorsese immersed himself in the Osage culture, language and customs. All native clothes are period authentic and made by Osage designers.

Killers of the Flower Moon is a monumental achievement as well as a relevant and well crafted legacy.