Killers of the Flower Moon: Read the Book or See the Film?

It’s unlikely that you are not aware of Killers of the Flower Moon. The book was published in 2017 and became a national best seller. However the film, which was released several weeks ago to critical acclaim, has renewed interest. Harriet and I read the book as it was one of our book club selections. We thought it would be interesting to compare it to the film version. Let us give you some of our insights which may help you make your decision: to read or to watch?

The Book

Assuming that you don’t know the story covered in Killing of the Flower Moon, a brief synopsis is in order. David Grann’s 2017 is a work of non-fiction which focuses on the “Reign of Terror,” which describes the murders of as many as 60 Osage community members in the late 1920s. The Osage were forced from their homes in Kansas and sent to Oklahoma to a reservation the federal government secured for them. The group purchased the land and shortly thereafter struck oil, making them extraordinarily wealthy. At the time, the Osage were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. Grann’s carefully researched book describes the systematic murders of members of the tribe by a white community leader, William Hale, and his nephews in order to secure the rights to the Osage land and ultimately steal from the people he pretends to love and protect. As reviewed by the Boston Globe, “A masterful work of literary journalism crafted with the urgency of a mystery…Contained within Grann's mesmerizing storytelling lies something more than a brisk, satisfying read. Killers of the Flower Moon offers up the Osage killings as emblematic of America's relationship with its indigenous peoples and the 'culture of killing' that has forever marred that tie.”

Although Harriet and I are smiling in the pics above, Killers of the Flower Moon is not an uplifting or happy story. It has many characters and many different layers, but it primarily focuses on Mollie Burkhart and her family. Each of her siblings are murdered in order for all of their land to pass to Mollie. Mollie is married to Ernest Burkhart, William Hale’s nephew, and ultimately everything would go to him upon Mollie’s death. Reading about the family, the manner in which they are murdered and the devious and diabolical plans to inherit the Osage family money is devastating. Grann also discusses the murders of several other tribespeople, the unscrupulous community members who are preying on the Native Americans, and the eventual involvement of the FBI to solve the murders.

Mollie Burkhart and Her Sisters

William “King” Hale

Ernest and Mollie Burkhart

The Osage Nation

The Pros and Cons of the Book

• Grann is a New York Times staff writer; his research is meticulous. He spent a decade researching the story.

• The story reads almost like a crime thriller although it is in fact true. Thus it keeps your interest

• It is an important story as it surfaces many injustices faced by the Osage

• It highlights the beginning of the FBI and touches on J. Edgar Hoover

• It can be challenging to read as it includes violence, greed, murder and racial injustice

• We found it difficult to put down but also emotionally devastating

• The research on the Burkhart family, William Hale and Ernest Burkhart is incredibly compelling. We found the background on the FBI less interesting.

• There are many characters in the Grann book. It was difficult to follow so many stories.

• Although it is an excellent piece of narrative non-fiction, it obviously has to stick to Grann’s research. As such, some of the members of the book club found the writing to be difficult.

• The last portion of the book, Chronicle Three, follows up on the lives of the families after the FBI convicted Hale and those involved in the plot to steal from the Osage. For history buffs, this may be very compelling; however, for Harriet and me, we found it less interesting than the rest of the book.

The Film

The Pros and Cons of the Film

• Killers of the Flower Moon is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro and Lily Gladstone. It is an extraordinary cast.

• The film focuses on Mollie Burkhart and her family but also includes the murders of several other tribe members. It is much easier to follow the specifics of the multiple Osage deaths in the film.

• Shot by Rodrigo Prieto on the Osage land, the film is visually stunning.

• The focus of the film is on the actual murders of the Osage people. There is less focus on the FBI which was a positive for us.

• The acting is compelling thus the film moves along beautifully; however, 3 and 1/2 hours is a very long time to sit through a film.

• It is a comprehensive telling of the story but we felt it could have been told just as successfully in a shorter period of time.

• Undoubtedly the film will be nominated for multiple awards; if you are a film buff it is a must see.

So which is it: film or book? Honestly that depends on your own perspective. We read the book first, then saw the film. Harriet felt that the film was even more difficult to watch because we already knew what was coming. Neither the book nor the film is easy as the subject matter is so dark. Honestly the story is difficult but an important piece of history that should not be forgotten.