The Killers of the Flower Moon: A Saga of Violent Accumulation with White Saviour Syndrome
Md Nazmul Arefin[1]
Karl Marx succinctly captured the underlying dynamics of capitalist social relationships with his famous quote, "Accumulate, accumulate! That is Moses and the Prophets." Capitalists have essentially adopted this approach of idolizing accumulation or plundering from the time of European settler colonialists[ii]. The emergence of global capitalist economies and European colonial expansion shared a similar structural logic. And that is ‘accumulation by dispossession’. The current capitalist development in the Western world we see today is nothing but built upon the historical process of primitive accumulation by European settler colonialists across the globe[ii]
After experiencing Martin Scorsese's latest film 'The Killers of the Flower Moon' at the theatre, the above Marxian perspective holds significant relevance for discussion. The narrative presented in this film by Scorsese is rooted in actual occurrences. The Osage nation lived in the US state of Oklahoma. They had the highest per capita income, making them the wealthiest community globally. This is because the Osages possessed the most significant oil fields in the United States during that period. The value of the 1923 lease for that oil exceeds $400 million in present times. It is evident that a significant number of Osages resided in luxurious homes and owned high-end vehicles. Whites were employed as chauffeurs for those vehicles. The Osages' happiness was met with intolerance from the whites. Despite being settlers on Native American lands, they developed a sense of entitlement as the sole rightful citizens of America and refused to acknowledge the Osages as legitimate owners of the oil. As intended, they proceeded with the targeted elimination of the Osages. The white settlers married Osage women with deceitful intentions and systematically took their lives, all in an effort to seize their valuable possessions. Scorsese skillfully captures the chilling terror and violence of the white American perpetrators in this expansive film. The looting and violence displayed by these white nationalists is beyond comprehension. Observing the brutality for three and a half hours can leave one feeling queasy. I genuinely mean it.
Guided by the ideology of 'accumulation at all costs', the local government, law enforcement, and medical professionals in Oklahoma conspired to deliberately murder more than 60 Osage individuals from 1918 to 1931. The killings were executed using a range of violent methods, such as shooting, family bombings, gradual poisoning, and whatnot!
You can't tolerate the character of Leonardo DiCaprio in this movie. As if he himself embodies settler colonialism! He consistently presents himself as a deeply compassionate husband to Molly, his Native American wife. In reality, even as he engages in kissing her, his thoughts are consumed with the anticipation of the moment when the kissing will cease, allowing him to administer poison into her body once more, thereby asserting his ownership over her property after her demise. What a fascinating juxtaposition of appearances and inner motivations! A sweet mask of humanity and civilization on the face, while there is only capital and greed in the heart!
Now guess, who finally saved these Native Americans from the reign of terror of these white Americans? Any superman? Did the Osages create the struggle themselves? Or the hero Leonardo DiCaprio? Lol No, none. The rescuer here is America itself! The predominantly White FBI team appeared to stop this violent murder. Irrespective of the number of Native Americans wiped out by the crimson hands of the Whites since Christopher Columbus, including the Osages, America remains the supreme saviour!
It is undeniable that Martin Scorsese's 'The Killers of the Flower Moon' is an impressive film in terms of its technical prowess. Lily Gladstone's exceptional portrayal of the Osage protagonist Molly is bound to receive critical acclaim and recognition in the upcoming awards season. It wouldn't be a shock if DiCaprio or Robert De Niro were also to receive an Oscar. Scorsese's lengthy film certainly puts the audience's patience to the test, but it manages to redeem itself with its exceptional music and background score.
Regardless of the artistic excellence of a film, I consistently assert that movies ultimately include political undertones. Scorsese's perspective on politics should be appreciated as an effort to shed light on a lesser-known aspect of American history - the dark chapter of white brutality against Indigenous populations. However, the sociological aspect of this movie was still overshadowed by the persistent presence of the 'White Savior Complex'. The most recent wave of colonialism is the deliberate establishment of the 'White Savior Syndrome'. Hollywood wields significant influence in perpetuating and popularizing the White Savior Syndrome. Did Scorsese's film 'The Killers of the Flower Moon' ultimately cater to this trend?
Audre Lorde said to remember her classic advice when confronting the masters of American society: "The Master's tools will never dismantle the Master's house."
Sorry! Scorsese probably could not remember that at his age!
[1] PhD Student, Centre for Criminological Research (CCR), Department of Sociology, University of Alberta and Member of Decolonizing Alliance.
[ii] Englert, S. (2022). Settler Colonialism. Pluto Press.
About the Author
Md. Nazmul Arefin is a doctoral student in the field of sociology-criminology at the University of Alberta, Canada. His research interests include terrorism and radicalization studies, identity politics, right-wing populism, social justice, Islamophobia, and visual criminology.