Even though PR narratives push the idea that Scorsese made consultations with the Osage people to ensure as much authenticity as possible, it seems this authenticity extended only to the costumes and portrayal of some rituals. The fact remains that DiCaprio and DeNiro hogged the screen time, about 80% of it, and the native characters are reduced to either “noble savage” or “helpless victim” tropes. I don’t know why most of the narrative and camerawork focuses on Ernest, a completely uninteresting and disgusting character. They had the audacity to make DiCaprio the main character and stick him on some kind of redemption arc and make Molly so passive but try to cover it up with PR stories or saying all the right things in interviews.
But what is disingenuous is news stories announcing Leo’s huge salary for a film that is about white oppressors forcibly stealing the wealth of the Osage community. Add to that no mention of what his Native American co-star was paid. It is abhorrent considering the subject matter of the film, it makes his lip service to, what he refers to as “the plight of the Osage community”, seem like mockery. If he keeps the movie royalties…that is blood money, sir.
The making of this movie was not the time for Scorsese and DiCaprio to indulge their egos. They miscalculated the artistic angle they took for being creative or novel. The film drastically reduced the weight of the flesh and blood of the real story in favor of crafting an award vehicle for Leonardo. It’s a self promoting stunt at the expense of real people by completely hollowing out the real suffering of the Osage people. The self interest motivation is so evident and embarrassing because there is no depth in any of the protagonists.
reply
share