What Happened to Mollie Burkhart? Who is Elizabeth Burkhart and James Cowboy Burkhart? How Accurate is Killers of the Flower Moon?
by Ayisha | Updated Oct 30, 2023
What Happened to Mollie Burkhart?
Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman in the 1920s, faced heartbreaking tragedies within her family. Her relatives, including her sisters and mother, were targeted for their oil wealth, leading to a series of mysterious deaths. The movie "Killers of the Flower Moon" showcases how Mollie's family members were murdered in different ways, from illnesses to staged accidents, orchestrated by her husband, Ernest, and his uncle, William King Hale.
The film portrays Mollie's suspicion of being slowly poisoned through insulin injections, adding a layer of mystery to her own health. In reality, Mollie had concerns about her well-being and expressed fears that someone was deliberately poisoning her. After discovering the truth about her husband's involvement in the murders, she divorced Ernest and remarried.
Despite the tragic events that unfolded, Mollie's fate after the turmoil remained relatively quiet and less suspicious. She passed away in 1937, and her death was not considered suspicious. The story of Mollie Burkhart, as depicted in the film and based on historical events, showcases the disturbing series of crimes committed against her family and the challenges she faced while trying to seek justice and rebuild her life after the devastating loss of her loved ones.
Who is Elizabeth Burkhart and James Cowboy Burkhart?
Elizabeth Burkhart and James "Cowboy" Burkhart were the children of Mollie Burkhart, central figures in the tragic events depicted in "Killers of the Flower Moon." Not much is known about Elizabeth's life following the tumultuous period of the murders targeting her family for their oil wealth. She remained in Osage, Oklahoma, before later relocating to Fairfax, although specific details about her fate and later life are sparse. Elizabeth's life after the turbulent events remains largely unexplored.
James, known as "Cowboy," had a more documented existence post the events depicted in the movie. He married and became a father to two daughters, Doris and Margie. Despite being described as a loving father, James carried a quick temper and struggled with alcoholism. The turmoil of his family's past, including the imprisonment of his father, Ernest, for his involvement in the murders, had a profound impact on James, contributing to his challenges and behavior throughout his life.
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How Accurate is Killers of the Flower Moon?
The movie "Killers of the Flower Moon," directed by Martin Scorsese, portrays the true story of the Osage murders in the 1920s. While the film captures the essence of the historical events, it simplifies and focuses on specific aspects, such as centralizing the crimes around particular characters like William Hale and Ernest Burkhart.
The actual occurrences were far more intricate, involving numerous individuals from different professions participating in the murders of the Osage people for their oil wealth. The movie tends to streamline this complexity for the sake of narrative clarity, which leaves out the broader network of complicity in these crimes.
David Grann's book, which inspired the film, meticulously detailed the Osage murders. However, there are some differences between the book and the movie. The on-screen portrayal simplifies and dramatizes events to create a more straightforward narrative, while the reality of these historical events was more convoluted and involved the complicity of various people. Although the movie captures the essence of the shocking events and the wealth of the Osage people, it does not fully represent the complexity and extent of the conspiracy that lay behind the murders, simplifying the story for cinematic purposes.
Killers of the Flower Moon Overview
Killers of the Flower Moon is a movie directed by Martin Scorsese, based on a true story from the 1920s in Oklahoma. It follows the murders of Osage Indians after they became rich from oil discovered on their land. The movie's focus is on the conflicts between the Osage tribe members and white individuals seeking to claim their wealth. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone, the film depicts the historical events surrounding the Osage murders and the involvement of federal investigators from the Bureau of Investigation (which later became the FBI).
The storyline showcases the struggles faced by the Osage tribe due to their sudden wealth from oil discoveries. These events led to deceit, betrayal, and a series of killings as whites attempted to steal the tribe's riches. The movie portrays the complex and tragic history of the time, shedding light on the heinous crimes committed against the Osage people, revealing both the wealth that attracted greed and the violent crimes that followed.
What Was Ernest Giving Mollie?
Ernest Burkhart, Mollie Burkhart's husband, was portrayed in the movie "Killers of the Flower Moon" as being involved in a scheme to target her family for their oil wealth. In the film, Ernest is seen administering insulin injections to Mollie, ostensibly to treat her diabetes. However, the movie suggests there was something sinister about these injections, hinting that they might have been poisoned. Ernest's role in providing Mollie with the insulin injections is depicted as a part of a larger plot to harm her and her family.
In reality, there were suspicions surrounding the injections given to Mollie. Reports and testimonies suggested that Mollie was slowly being poisoned through her insulin injections, indicating that these treatments might have been intentionally tampered with to harm her.
These suspicions contributed to a sense of danger felt by Mollie, as she feared for her life and suspected foul play. The details of what exactly was in the injections and who was responsible for tampering with them were not explicitly clear, but suspicions of poisoning surrounded this part of the tragic events faced by Mollie Burkhart.
Killers of the Flower Moon Cast
Actor
Role
Leonardo DiCaprio
Ernest Burkhart
Robert De Niro
William King Hale, Ernest's uncle
Lily Gladstone
Mollie Kyle, Ernest's wife
Jesse Plemons
Thomas Bruce White Sr., a BOI agent leading the murder investigation
Tantoo Cardinal
Lizzie Q, Mollie's mother
John Lithgow
Prosecutor Peter Leaward in the trials of Hale and Burkhart
Brendan Fraser
W. S. Hamilton, Hale's attorney
Cara Jade Myers
Anna Brown, Mollie's sister
JaNae Collins
Rita, Mollie's sister
Jillian Dion
Minnie, Mollie's sister
Jason Isbell
Bill Smith, Minnie's husband
William Belleau
Henry Roan, Mollie's first husband and close friend and later victim of Hale
Louis Cancelmi
Kelsie Morrison, an acquaintance and accomplice of Burkhart and Hale
Scott Shepherd
Byron Burkhart, Ernest's younger brother
Everett Waller
Paul Red Eagle
Talee Redcorn
Non-Hon-Zhin-Ga/Traditional Leader
Yancey Red Corn
Chief Bonnicastle
Tatanka Means
John Wren, a Native American undercover BOI agent
Tommy Schultz
Blackie Thompson
Sturgill Simpson
Henry Grammer
Ty Mitchell
John Ramsey
Gary Basaraba
William J. Burns
Charlie Musselwhite
Alvin Reynolds
Pat Healy
John Burger
Steve Witting
Dr. James Shoun
Steve Routman
Dr. David Shoun
Michael Abbott Jr.
Frank Smith
Randy Houser
Scott Mathis
Jack White
Radio Show Actor
Pete Yorn
Acie Kirby, explosives expert
Larry Sellers
Non-Hon-Zhin-Ga
Barry Corbin
Undertaker Turton
Steve Eastin
Judge Pollock
Katherine Willis
Myrtle Hale
Elden Henson
Duke Burkhart
Gene Jones
Pitts Beatty
Larry Fessenden
Radio Voice
Martin Scorsese
Radio Show Producer
Mollie Burkhart Net Worth
Mollie Burkhart was a wealthy Osage woman in the 1920s due to the vast oil deposits found on Osage tribal lands. As one of the Osage tribe members, she and her family received substantial wealth from the oil reserves on their reservation, becoming among the richest people per capita globally during that time.
The oil payments to the tribe, including Mollie, amounted to millions of dollars, equivalent to approximately $500 million in today's currency. Her wealth enabled her to afford numerous cars and several servants, a stark contrast to the financial situation of many Americans during the early 20th century.
What Happened to Mollie Burkhart? - FAQs
Mollie's family members were targeted and murdered due to their oil wealth, facing mysterious deaths, including her sisters and mother, orchestrated by her husband and his uncle.
Yes, she expressed fears of being slowly poisoned, suspecting insulin injections, adding a layer of mystery to her own health and well-being.
She divorced Ernest and remarried, trying to rebuild her life after discovering her husband's involvement in the crimes.
Despite the devastating events, Mollie's life remained relatively quiet and less suspicious. She passed away in 1937, and her death wasn't considered suspicious.