The Jaw-Dropping Plot Twist You Can't Miss in Killers of the Flower Moon: Martin Scorsese Reveals the Shocking Truth Behind Bill Hale's Jail Scene & Ernest Burkhart's Betrayal

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Killers of the Flower Moon

Summary

The conclusion of Killers of the Flower Moon reveals that there are no heroes in this tale. Burkhart testifies against Hale not out of altruism, but rather as a means to safeguard his own well-being and ensure his family's protection. However, even with his testimony, Burkhart remains unable to completely redeem himself as he fails to shield his own image and conceals the truth regarding his involvement in his wife's poisoning, ultimately resulting in their divorce.

Following the events of the movie, Burkhart's life takes on a solitary tone as he is estranged from his wife and children, illustrating that the character ultimately receives the consequences he deserves.

Martin Scorsese, the director of Killers of the Flower Moon, explains the film's conclusion. Towards the end, Ernest Burkhart (portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio) betrays William King Hale (played by Robert De Niro) after the death of his daughter, Anna. Hale's lawyer, W.S. Hamilton (depicted by Brendan Fraser), pressures Burkhart to not testify against Hale, alleging that Burkhart had been subjected to torture by BOI agent Tom White (acted by Jesse Plemons). However, Burkhart has a change of heart and decides to testify after witnessing the suffering that Hale has inflicted upon the Osage people when one of his own children passes away.

In an interview with IndieWire, Scorsese discusses the pivotal scene where Burkhart becomes aware of his actions and decides to testify. The filmmaker points out that neither character can be classified as the "good guy," likening the scene to a tense divorce where Burkhart is hesitant to reveal the whole truth. Here is what he had to say about the scene:

Ultimately, we were questioning when the anticipated confrontation between the antagonist and protagonist would occur. But here's the thing: there's no clear-cut hero. So, what kind of confrontation are we looking at? Initially, we considered the idea of them both being locked up in the same prison cell, engaging in a physical brawl. However, that felt too conventional – and I'm not knocking formulaic movies; I just felt this particular film required something different, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Then we thought, what if Bob's character is incarcerated while Leo's character lingers outside, and they desperately reach for each other through the bars? That seemed slightly better. But why are they grasping each other? It goes beyond mere physical violence. It's a symbol of finality. It brings to mind the moment when Joe Pesci's character looks at Bob De Niro's character in Howard Johnson's near the end of "The Irishman," and remarks on the inescapability of the impending murder, saying, "It's unavoidable. It's fallen upon us." That's the quiet power we wanted to capture.

After countless hours of work on the scene, we finally perfected the dialogue. In the days leading up to filming, we patiently waited as the jail area was constructed. This allowed us to tackle the other scenes first. As we eased into the scene, Leo approached and uttered the words, "Well, you know, I'm going to have to testify." It was almost like a heartbreaking breakup or a divorce, where he attempted to maintain a cordial relationship. Although I'm not sure if such a thing exists, people's emotions are involved. However, he was fearful of directly confronting Bill and instead used his family as an excuse, stating, "I need to prioritize my family now." It was at this moment that Bill played his final card, professing, "I love you, my son."

Ernest Burkhart Has No Redemption in Killers of the Flower Moon

While the aforementioned sequence can be interpreted as a form of redemption for Ernest Burkhart, it occurs before his downfall. Burkhart is willing to offer testimony against Hale in order to protect himself and his family, yet he is unable to shield his personal reputation. Moreover, he is unwilling to divulge to his wife, Mollie (Lily Gladstone), the nature of the harmful substances he has been administering to her throughout the years. At the outset of Killers of the Flower Moon, it becomes evident that Mollie suffers from diabetes, a condition severe enough to necessitate experimentation with insulin.

However, Hale and the town's doctors request Ernest to merge the insulin with an unidentified substance, causing her constant sickness and gradual poisoning. In the film's final sequence, just before switching to a radio broadcast, Mollie inquires what Ernest injected her with. Ernest replies, "It's merely insulin," prompting Mollie to depart, divorcing him and leading a separate life with their remaining children. Ernest was subsequently sentenced to life in prison but was eventually released on parole due to his testimony.

Ernest Burkhart may have evaded imprisonment but ultimately spent the remainder of his life in solitude, never reuniting with his wife and children. While the movie provides Burkhart with a chance for redemption in the prison scene, it fails to follow through because, as Scorsese stated, there are no "heroes" in this tale, and they ultimately receive their just desserts. The conclusion of Killers of the Flower Moon has already sparked various interpretations, and viewers can form their own conclusions about what Scorsese truly intended, as the film is currently being screened in theaters.

Source: IndieWire