The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Director:

Michael Mann

Writers (WGA):

James Fenimore Cooper (novel)
John L. Balderston (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

25 September 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance | War

Tagline:

The first American hero.

Plot:

Three trappers protect a British Colonel's daughters in the midst of the French and Indian War.

Plot Keywords:

Mohican | Settler | Battle | Native American | Fort

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Hawkeye (Nathaniel Poe)
Madeleine Stowe	...	Cora Munro
Russell Means	...	Chingachgook
Eric Schweig	...	Uncas
Jodhi May	...	Alice Munro
Steven Waddington	...	Maj. Duncan Heyward
Wes Studi	...	Magua
Maurice Roëves	...	Col. Edmund Munro
Patrice Chéreau	...	Gen Montcalm
Edward Blatchford	...	Jack Winthrop
Terry Kinney	...	John Cameron
Tracey Ellis	...	Alexandra Cameron
Justin M. Rice	...	James Cameron
Dennis Banks	...	Ongewasgone
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Capt. Beams

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

112 min | USA:117 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Mohawk

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #31878) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | France:Unrated | Brazil:12 | UK:15 (video rating) (1993) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:16 | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (edited version)

Filming Locations:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Morgan Creek Productions

Trivia:

Hawkeye's rifle is a beautiful example of the classic Pennsylvania long rifle - which is all too frequently misnamed the "Kentucky" rifle. Considered by many to be among the most beautiful firearms ever crafted, Pennsylvania longrifles often feature a small lock, long, slim, graceful lines, and beautifully carved "tiger" maple stocks. The dramatically down-turned "Roman-nosed" stock is a hallmark of the Allentown-Bethlehem area school, the rifle in the film being very similar to works created by several well-known gunsmiths from that tradition in 18th and early 19th century. Hermann Rupp, John Rupp, and Jacob Kuntz were among some of the well-known practitioners of this style; an excellent and gorgeous example of the Kuntz's craftsmanship can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Telephone pole visible on the left side of the screen when the argument over the burial takes place.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Chingachgook: Great Spirit, Maker of All Life. A warrior goes to you swift and straight as an arrow shot into the sun. Welcome him and let him take his place at the council fire of my people. He is Uncas, my son. Tell them to be patient and ask death for speed; for they are all there but one - I, Chingachgook - Last of the Mohicans.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Animaniacs: Video Review/When Mice Ruled the Earth (#1.47)" (????)

Soundtrack:

THE GAEL

Fierce, bold, and beautiful - "The Last of the Mohicans"

"The Last of the Mohicans" was one of the most popular and acclaimed films of 1992. Its vision of early America, as it was during the French and Indian War, is captured in its utter brutality and beauty, complete with the many driving ambitions and clashing cultures of everyone involved.

This movie has a bit of everything, including action, romance, war, and passionate drama. The director, Michael Mann, knows the story well and does all but completely discard James Fenimore Cooper's source material, which some have dubbed as being racist and totally unfair in its portrait of Native Americans.

The story (and what a story) is all over the place, with three frontier scouts - Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis), Chingachgook (Russell Means), and Uncas (Eric Schweig) - escorting a British colonel's daughters - Cora and Alice Munro (Madeleine Stowe and Jodhi May respectively) - to safety at the besieged Fort William Henry. Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) rivals Hawkeye for Cora's affections and a vengeance-driven Huron named Magua (Wes Studi) seeks to have both daughters killed in retribution for the loss of his own children.

This is by far Mann's best film yet (it ranks #15 on my all-time favorite movies list) and he uses the lush wilderness settings to great effect. He also makes good use of the editing, which actually comes in handy when showcasing the brutal violence that dominates much of the film's action sequences. The film's last 20 minutes are a definite stunner that can only be described as classic and vicious.

This is a great movie that shows America in its infancy, complete with the rivalries, intrigue, and violence that I'm sure was an everyday part of life during this hectic time period.

10/10