Killers of the Flower Moon shines a light on history that needs repeating. Set in 1920's Oklahoma, fate changes the plight of the Osage Indians, starving on their reservation land as the story begins. Oil bursts from the ground, making members of the once impoverished tribe wealthy. Wiley rancher William Hale, played by Robert De Niro, notices the number of white men marrying Osage women and sharing in their oil rights. Taking his young nephew, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, under his wing, De Niro suggests the young man find a wealthy Osage woman. He finds Mollie, a gentle spirit played by Lily Gladstone. Soon, the couple forms a family. DiNiro makes a great villain, whispering orders to DiCaprio much as Don Corleone whispered to Michael in the Godfather. Killers of the flower Moon recreates 1920's Oklahoma beautifully, providing epic landscapes to an epic story. The much discussed three and a half hour running time feels fine until the last hour. Director Martin Scorsese has produced an epic with moments of brilliance. He wraps with a head scratcher of an ending, breaking the spell so carefully created.
