The themes of Flower Moon Assassins are deep and complex, but they're also one of the main reasons why the story of Martin Scorsese's 2023 historical drama is so important. Set in the early 20th century, Flower Moon Assassins adapts the novel of the same name by David Grann. Both the book and the film show the suffering of the Osage Nation of American Indians at the hands of the white population of Oklahoma.
There are many themes at play Flower Moon Assassins, and all stem from the shocking and tragic real-life story behind the narrative. The plot covers a period known to the Osage as the Reign of Terror. During this period, which lasted several decades, many people from the Osage Nation were murdered to allow Oklahoma industries to take their land. It's a series of harrowing events, and the central message of Martin Scorsese's film reveals why it's so important to ensure they aren't forgotten.
The Story Behind the Flower Moon Killers Explained
The reign of terror is central to the film's message
Understanding the Assassins of the Flower Moon themes is impossible without historical context, as the real-life events that Martin Scorsese's film adapts are central to its message. The story covers one of the greatest atrocities to occur on American soil during the 20th century – the murders of Osage Indians, known by the Osage themselves as the Reign of Terror.
Occurring in Osage County, Oklahoma between the late 1910s and early 1930s, The Osage Indian killings resulted in the deaths of at least 60 members of the Osage Nation of American Indians. At the time, many of these murders were covered up, but recent evidence suggests that the killings were very deliberate.
Like many atrocities inflicted on Native Americans, the murders of the Osage Indians were arguably a case of attempted genocide.
As pictured in Flower Moon Assassins, The murders of Osage Indians occurred due to local white business magnates and industry leaders using any means necessary to acquire land owned by the Osage people. These lands were incredibly rich in minerals and, especially, in oil. Congress protected the Osage territories with a series of laws, and the murders of the Osage Indians were a ruthless attempt to bypass them and bring these valuable deposits of oil and minerals into white ownership.
Specifically, many of the victims of the Osage Indian murders were high-ranking members of the Osage Nation. This was done so that their children and dependents (those who would inherit the land) would need “guardianship” from a white American. This insidious practice was due to the fact that Oklahoma courts believed that Native Americans were incapable of managing their own lands and finances.
In addition to the murders, several white American men also took Osage wives to inherit their property. This practice was banned in 1925, with many “guardians” found guilty of corruption. Unfortunately, this did little to protect the Osage people, as closing the legal loophole led to more deaths and murders. Like many atrocities inflicted on Native Americans, the murders of the Osage Indians were arguably a case of attempted genocide.
What are the central themes of Killers Of The Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese's film has several important messages
Many themes are at stake Flower Moon Assassins, and some are clearer than others. The most obvious theme in the 2023 film is racism. The treatment of the Osage Nation by the people and institutions of Oklahoma is motivated by racial prejudice on almost every level.
This is present in the callous indifference with which the murders of members of the Osage Nation are planned and carried out, and also in practices such as “guardianship” laws. It is also apparent in attitudes toward Leonardo DiCaprio's Ernest Burkhart, as many of his contemporaries seem unable to comprehend that he genuinely loves his Osage wife, Mollie, and sees her as his equal.
Flower Moon Assassins may be set in the 1920s, but its exploration of corruption, as well as its commentary on the evils of racism, are incredibly moving for modern audiences.
The second central theme of the Flower Moon Assassins is the law. The murders of Osage Indians on which the film is based occurred due to the white elite in Oklahoma believing that the mineral-rich lands of the Osage people rightfully belonged to them and that any means taken to acquire the wealth held by the Indian nation were justified.
It's a level of corruption and greed that almost defies belief, but was (and, unfortunately, in some cases still is) extremely prevalent in the corporate world. Flower Moon Assassins may be set in the 1920s, but its exploration of corruption, as well as its commentary on the evils of racism, are incredibly moving for modern audiences.
The two secondary themes in Flower Moon Assassins they are the legacy and importance of historical truth. The film begins with an Osage tent lamenting the fact that their children are being educated by the local white population. Their customs and their history will be erased, and this is a wound whose depth is difficult to express in words (although shown incredibly well on screen). The Osage know that re-educating their children is an attempt to erase their legacy. Furthermore, it will mean that the memory of all that the nation suffered at the hands of the white population of Oklahoma will disappear.
The last secondary theme is the importance of historical truth. The murders of the Osage Indians were covered up for years, with dozens of deaths attributed to other causes – often ones that placed blame on the victim, such as accidents that occurred while drunk. Martin Scorsese's 2023 film investigates these deliberate attempts to obfuscate the truth and the harm it caused to the people of the Osage Nation, who knew the murder spree was deliberate from the beginning. A key message of the film is the importance of historical truth and recognition of facts when atrocities such as the murders of the Osage Indians occur, as they are essential to healing the afflicted.
What The Killers Of The Flower Moon Title Really Means
The meaning is twofold
The meaning of the title Flower Moon Assassins, which is taken directly from the original novel by David Grann, is two-fold. It pays homage to a specific time of year that was significant to the Osage Nation and the Reign of Terror itself. Many flowering plants die in Oklahoma during May, as this is when the taller, hardier plants begin to reach heights that block them from the sun. To the Osage, this time of year became known as the time of the flower-killing moon.
This is partially where Flower Moon Assassins takes its title from. However, the title is also something of a play on words. The “murderers” in Flower Moon Assassins refers to characters like Robert De Niro's William Hale and several other white residents of Oklahoma. It is a reference to the Reign of Terror and those who committed the murders of the Osage Indians.
Why Martin Scorcese had a cameo at the end of Killers Of The Flower Moon
The final scenes crystallize the themes of Killers Of The Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese makes a cameo at the end of Flower Moon Assassins as a radio program producer. Although it is only a small part, it is also significant when it comes to the themes of Flower Moon Assassins and the importance of its history. The cameo comes during a scene that crystallizes many of its story's central messages, especially when it comes to the importance of historical truth (and the lengths some will go to obfuscate it).
Scorsese's cameo and the radio show his character is producing take place several decades after the Osage Indian murders and the main plot of Flower Moon Assassins. It is revealed that many perpetrators of the atrocity were never convicted due to lack of evidence. Although many years have passed, it has still not been officially recognized that the Reign of Terror occurred.
What's more, those who were prosecuted ended up getting out on parole. It is a final note that highlights the feeling of overwhelming injustice that permeates Flower Moon Assassins, and shows exactly why its central themes and messages are so important even today.