The Unexpected Love Story at the Heart of 'Killers of the Flower Moon': Scorsese Reveals Surprising Twist!

Summary

Martin Scorsese's decision to make Killers of the Flower Moon a love story was influenced by meeting with the Osage people and their connection to the real events in the story.

By centering the narrative around Ernest and Mollie's love story, the film's character development is greatly enhanced, while also effectively introducing a villainous antagonist. Additionally, this shift in focus not only brings the Indigenous people to the forefront, but also enhances the potential for the Native cast to receive recognition and acclaim during awards season.

Martin Scorsese chose to transform Killers of the Flower Moon from a mystery thriller to a love story, based on David Grann's nonfiction novel. The movie centers around a World War I veteran who is asked by his uncle to infiltrate the Osage Nation after they discover oil on their land, resulting in a series of murders. Leonardo DiCaprio leads the cast, which includes Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, and Brendan Fraser. Scorsese explains that the love story between DiCaprio's character, Ernest, and Gladstone's character, Mollie, is the heart of the film and better captures the complexity of the real events.

We recognized that

How Mollie & Ernest's Love Story Elevated Killers of the Flower Moon

truly encapsulated the essence of the film. Our numerous encounters with the Osage community and the insights shared by Margie Burkhart, the great-great-granddaughter of Ernest, shed light on the complexity of the story. She emphasized that it wasn't a mere tale of villains and victims, but that we must also acknowledge the love between Mollie and Ernest. This realization remained with us throughout the development of the script. We knew that if their love was intertwined, we had to demonstrate it as well. However, this proved challenging as we also had to delve into the intricate details of the Bureau investigation. Balancing this love story and the complexities became cumbersome. Then, Leo proposed a game-changing idea. He said, "If I portray Ernest, we can flip the narrative and approach it from a different angle." I wholeheartedly agreed.

Scorsese hinted at it, but it's worth mentioning that Killers of the Flower Moon went through an extensive development process before reaching the big screen. In 2017, Scorsese secured the rights to Grann's novel, all while keeping an eye on DiCaprio and De Niro to lead the project. The director previously collaborated with DiCaprio on six projects and with De Niro on ten. Although it was never officially confirmed, reports suggested that De Niro was initially considered for the role of Tom White, the FBI agent investigating the murders, which eventually went to Plemons. However, De Niro later expressed his desire to portray Ernest instead.

Although Scorsese and DiCaprio had previously achieved success in the genre with Shutter Island, focusing on Ernest and Mollie's love story in the movie was a wiser choice. This decision allowed for better development of the characters' motivations and inner conflicts. Additionally, it effectively portrayed De Niro's William King Hale as a menacing antagonist to both his nephew and the Osage people.

The love story element in Killers of the Flower Moon also has another significant advantage - it brings a stronger focus on the Indigenous people who are at the core of the narrative and highlights the profound impact of Hale's actions. Additionally, the early Oscar buzz surrounding Gladstone's portrayal of Mollie showcases how this different perspective has provided greater opportunities for recognition to the Native cast members, who might not have received the same level of appreciation if they had been confined to supporting roles in White's murder investigation.