Martin Scorsese is one of the best directors of all time. His films continue to tell profound and deeply contemplative stories, and as controversial as his films may be for whatever reason, there’s no doubt he’s one of the most interesting filmmakers in today’s industry, where auteurs are hard to find and often criticized for not following the Hollywood rules. If you’re not a Scorsese fan, chances are you’ve heard of him because of comments he made about the most popular films today. In any case, all we’ll say about that is that his films are certainly unlike anything you’ll find on your local multiplex.
Having won a single Best Director award for The Departed, Scorsese has not won other solo awards. His 2019 film, The Irishman, was nominated for a whopping ten Academy Awards. Unfortunately, The Irishman did not win a single one of its nominations. Scorsese’s latest film, Killers of The Flower Moon, hopes to right that wrong.
Killers of The Flower Moon has been praised since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. When the film was released in theaters, the reaction by audiences was notable, just like it happens with every film Scorsese makes. Killers of the Flower Moon garnered ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Lily Gladstone, and Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro. It also marked a record for Scorsese as it was his tenth Academy Award nomination. Such a response leaves one question remaining as we approach the night of the Oscars. Can Killers of The Flower Moon redeem Scorsese’s 2020 Oscar losses? That is a complicated one, for sure.
Update February 6, 2024: This article has been updated following the recent Academy Award nominations that include Best Director for Martin Scorsese and Best Picture for Killers of the Flower Moon.
It’s a Timeless Tale of Greed
The story of Killers of The Flower Moon is a tale of racial inequality. It was a time in history when Osage Indians had massive wealth and this made them the target of American businessmen. What follows in the book and film is a tale of greed ruining and savagely killing Osage culture. Scorsese’s film focuses on the story of Ernest Burkhart and his uncle, William King Hale. Burkhart is a war veteran who seeks his uncle’s help, and King manipulates everything so that Burkhart unites with Mollie, a woman from the Osage community. When people around them start dying under strange circumstances, people begin to suspect it may have to do with a mastermind.
The film wants audiences to understand the emotional plight that the Osage dealt with, and remember an unknown piece of American history. It is a story of inequality that still plagues society to this day. Scorsese wants audiences to realize the horrors put on the innocent. Dealing with these themes shows a mature way of thinking for Scorsese, which could resonate with Academy Award voters. But resonating with voters is not solely how Scorsese could redeem The Irishman’s losses.
The accuracy of the film has been discussed, and Scorsese has been vocal about trying his best to be accurate. His drive to tell this story stems from concern and regret. To tell this story truthfully, no creative liberties can be taken with this historical tale. But Scorsese’s passion for the subject is not the only way the Academy will take notice. His cast also worked to tell the story in the most realistic and respectful way possible, especially the three main performances.
There Has to Be Emotional Honesty
There’s no doubt that the characters in Killers of the Flower Moon feel credible because of the performers’ ability to convey emotions. These characters’ good and bad qualities have to be shown in an unfiltered way. Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Lily Gladstone have to go to dark and complex places, and their arcs must work. This can only be done with Scorsese’s ability to compress the story in a very long movie. But the massive running time of 206 minutes can be everyone’s biggest asset.
Scorsese has adamantly defended the lengthy running time, which shows his respect for the material. He interprets Osage culture in a historically accurate presentation. Showcasing the community and camaraderie of these people helps viewers connect with their struggles. This is best represented by Lily Gladstone’s amazing performance. Her character, Mollie Burkhart, is deeply ingrained in the Osage community. When the vile murders happen, viewers feel the pain through Gladstone’s performance.
De Niro and DiCaprio’s characters have an entirely different role in this moral battle. They have to showcase the greed of American society. Both characters (who were real people) are meant to represent the vicious side of unregulated business in America. Each character, including the FBI (known as the Bureau of Investigation at that time), was coming into their own and their ability to observe crime wasn’t as mature as it maybe is today. Justice arrives, but it feels late.
At its core, Killers of the Flower Moon is meant to showcase the humanity and wickedness of man and what some did in order to gain power. Such a dichotomy can be compared to the struggles of today’s racially charged climate. There are certain people who look to take advantage of cultures in their entirety. Presenting this complex notion is meant to make audiences think. It is a deep subject that could attract the Academy’s attention. The complex themes and ideas presented (in both the story and performances) could help Scorsese redeem his Oscar losses. But unfortunately, he’s not on the ballots by himself.
Though It’s One of Scorsese’s Best, There Are Worthy Competitors
There’s no doubt a win by Scorsese in the Best Director category would be a shock. All eyes are set on Christopher Nolan, his huge film Oppenheimer, and the fact that he has won on just about every single award show this season. It’s mostly a safe bet, and the Academy always likes to play it safe. Scorsese could see his past snubs be redeemed, but it doesn’t seem likely. Needless to say, it’s not because his film is bad at all. On the contrary, it’s been endlessly acclaimed and won’t stop soon. It has to do with this year’s being Nolan’s.
As grim as that sounds for Scorsese, what’s important is that, even though they’re a huge reference for worldwide audiences, the Oscars are awarded because some members of the Academy voted, and not because Scorsese’s film was not good or Nolan’s direction was better. Most of the time, it has to do with a legacy being recognized. Does anyone really think DiCaprio’s performance in The Revenant was better than the one in Killers of the Flower Moon? He wasn’t even nominated this year.
Killers of the Flower Moon will probably take home an Oscar or two in any of its ten categories, which would certainly be a win over The Irishman going home with notice. Right now, Lily Gladstone is the frontrunner for Best Actress. While Emma Stone has gained considerable traction for Poor Things, Lily Gladstone appears to be the odds on favorite and that would be a huge win not only Killers of the Flower Moon but one a major milestone as she would be the first Native-American to win an Academy Award.
But it’s hard to say whether Scorsese will win. It would be nice to recognize the legacy of his work in cinema, and the Academy loves to do that from time to time. His real fans shouldn’t care about Oscars, Golden Globes or BAFTAs. We want to see him announce his next films. He’s one of the last great living filmmakers from the New Hollywood era, and Oscars or not; we figure that’s the way he wants everyone to celebrate his career and his director’s skills: by going to the cinema and watching his films the way he wants us to. Even without an Oscar win, he is already hard at work on his next film, meaning there is always next year.
You can stream Killers of the Flower Moon on Apple TV+.
Here’s a video about a potential return to cinema by a very important actor who says he might do it if Scorsese’s involved:
