Martin Scorsese’s America

In this episode of Critics at Large, Naomi Fry, Vinson Cunningham, and Alex Schwartz, all staff writers at The New Yorker, delve into Martin Scorsese's new film, Killers of the Flower Moon, a historical epic about the murders of native Osage people in 1920s Oklahoma. They discuss the movie's themes of violence, evil, and corruption, particularly focusing on the love story between Molly, an Osage woman, and Ernest Burkhardt, a white man involved in the conspiracy against her people. The hosts are then joined by David Grann, the author of the book on which the film is based, who shares insights into his research process, the involvement of the Osage community in the film's production, and the ethical considerations of telling such a sensitive story. The discussion further explores the film's portrayal of whiteness, the responsibility of addressing historical wrongs, and the impact of Scorsese's coda, which reflects on the nature of storytelling and representation.