My book club read Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann and went to see the movie premier in October of 2023. I approached the 3.26 hour runtime of the film with a mix of anticipation and concern. Surprisingly, once the movie started, time flew by, and I never once glanced at my watch.
After attending the screening alongside my book club members, we shared a collective feeling that the film left out significant details. We felt it would be challenging for those who hadn’t read the book to fully grasp the nuances of the story. To aid those planning to watch the movie without reading the book, here are what I think are important insights:
- Osage Journey to Oklahoma: The Osage tribe, originally residing in the Ohio Valley, faced multiple forced relocations due to government policies, white settlers encroaching on their land and conflicts with other tribes. By the late 1800s, through treaties with the U.S. government, they were moved to a reservation in northeastern Oklahoma.
- Osage Response to Oil Discovery: When the Osage initially settled in Oklahoma, they may have been relieved and assessed there was some level of security in their new home. When oil was discovered on their land, they had mixed feelings. While it brought significant wealth, it also invited exploitation, greed, and ultimately tragic consequences.
- Becoming ‘Incompetents’ and Caste Relation: The designation of Osage individuals as ‘incompetents’ was historically used for Native Americans by the US government. Adult Native American were assigned white guardians to manage their finances and their land. It was a calculated move aimed at keeping them from managing their wealth independently. This parallels themes in Elizabeth Wilkerson’s ‘Caste,’ and highlights how threats to white supremacy often stem from the success and empowerment of people who have been deemed marginalized. Along with prejudice there was ‘fantastic’ jealousy of the Osage and their newfound wealth.
- FBI Involvement: The FBI’s arrival in Oklahoma came after many appeals from the Osage tribe for an investigation into the suspicious deaths that affected their community. His plea for help had been initially overlooked and ignored by local and state officials. The FBI was in its infancy and the Osage Murders investigation was the first big case for the agency. J. Edgar Hoover was the newly appointed Director of the FBI and committed to proving that this new agency could be effective .
- Children Taken from Families: The unsettling practice of separating Osage children, especially girls, from their families was part of a broader attempt to dismantle the social fabric and stability within the tribe. This was done under the guise of civilizing these young people. In the book Gran writes about the justification for this ‘training’ that “a US government official stated…..It is the women who cling most tenaciously to heathen rites and superstitions, and perpetuate them by their instructions to the children”. One cannot think of anything more heathenous than the systematic killing of the members of the Osage tribe. As this was done by white men I wonder who would have been said to be responsible for this behavior.
While the movie captured the essence of the story, it was the consensus of our group that these crucial facts did not receive the attention they deserved on the screen. Understanding these details can help to put the different scenes in more context. I definitely believe that this story is worthy of a mini-series.
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