MOVIE NEWS – The new Scorsese film called Strangled Flowers was originally supposed to be mainly about how an FBI agent uncovers a series of infamous murders in Oklahoma in the 1920s, the victims of which were the indigenous Osage tribe had members who had to die because their land hid oil.

The protagonist of the film was originally supposed to be Jack White, an FBI investigator, and the viewer would have learned the story from his point of view. Scorsese entrusted this role to one of his favorite actors, Leonardo DiCaprio, who, however, shook his head after reading the script.

“He didn’t feel like he could capture the essence,” said the Oscar-winning actor in an interview with the British Vogue magazine. “We didn’t delve into the history of the Osages.” It was all revealed in the small scene where Mollie and Ernest meet. This part evoked so many emotions in us that we began to dig deeper, exactly what it could be, because a bizarre connection arose in front of us that we had not encountered before.”

Mollie is a member of the Osage tribe, several of whose relatives were murdered at the beginning of the film, and Ernest, with whom they fell in love and married, is part of the conspiracy.

After the first script was discarded, a new one was written, which now focuses on the relationship between Mollie (Lily Gladstone) and Ernest (DiCaprio). FBI agent Tom White became a supporting character, played by Jesse Plemons.

“At one point, I realized myself that the film in its original form would be about white criminals,” Scorsese told Time magazine about why he supported a complete rewrite of the script. “In other words, I would try to spy on the inside from the outside, which is not my habit.”

The great discovery of the film is Lily Gladstone, who is almost unknown to the general public, and who herself is of Native American origin, her ancestors belong to the Blackfoot tribe. The actress was chosen by Scorsese based on her photo, by intuition. “He had such sincerity in his eyes that it even came through on the monitor,” says DiCaprio. “I don’t know if it’s ever happened to anyone else that Marty (Scorsese) knew immediately instinctively that he had the man.”

Gladstone is considered a potential runner-up for the next Oscars. The only question is in which category: formally, she would be awarded the title of best supporting actress, but due to the weight of the character and the power of the performance, it is more of a leading role. It will soon be decided in which field the actress can start.

(Killers of the Flower Moon – domestic premiere: October 19, 2023)

Source: UIP