Cinema Cinema Cinema Cinema Cinema Cinema Cinema Cinema Cine THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS Film THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS 79 BEFORE VIEWING schedfiale 15 Referring to previous Units regarding North America, what do you know about the French and Indian War of 1754-1763? Why was it important in determining the future of the North American continent? A synopsis 1757: the French and Indian War is in progress in the area that will become the northeast of the US and the southeast of Canada. The French wish to dominate the new continent, so they have made alliances with the native Huron tribes particularly with Magua (Wes Studi), who hopes to become rich through this war. The British also wish to dominate, so they try to force settlers in the area to fight in the war an effort which is only partially successful because the colonists need to protect their own homes and because they are already discontented with British rule. Production: USA 1992 Director: Michael Mann Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Jodhi May, Russell Means, Eric Schweig, Wes Studi, Steven Waddington Michael Mann s film is based more on the 1936 film of the same name than on James Fenimore Cooper s 1826 novel. Director Mann says that the reason for this is that the 1936 film is the first he remembers seeing as a child, when he was indelibly impressed with Nathaniel/Hawkeye s heroic actions. Both the 1936 film and the 1992 remake contain significant changes in the plot and character relationships of the original novel. Versions of The Last of the Mohicans before Mann s film include 10 films, 3 plays, 1 opera, 2 TV series, 9 comic books, 2 animated cartoons, 2 radio programmes. Nathaniel/Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) feels no allegiance to any side: although white, he was raised as a son together with Uncas (Eric Schweig), the blood son of Chingachgook (Russell Means), last chief of the dying Mohican tribe. The three of them see a Huron attack on a British squadron accompanying the two daughters, Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Jodhi May), of the commander of Fort William Henry. Hawkeye and his companions accompany the survivors to the fort, where they find it under seige by the French. During this time, love blossoms between Cora and Hawkeye. After a battle by European standards, the victorious French allow the British to leave the fort. The French ally Magua, however, initiates a massacre of those leaving the fort. Hawkeye and his companions manage to save Cora and Alice, plus British officer Duncan Heywood (Steven Waddington) Cora s rejected suitor. Not long afterwards Cora, Alice and Duncan are captured by Magua; Hawkeye, Chingachgook and Uncas escape with the promise to rescue the other three. They follow the captives to the Huron camp and Hawkeye offers himself in return for the freedom of the others, but Duncan sacrifices himself and is burned at the stake, giving the five survivors a slim chance for escape. After a long pursuit by the Hurons, the companions manage to kill Magua but Uncas and Alice are also killed; only Hawkeye, Cora and Chingachgook survive. Chingachgook remains literally The Last of the Mohicans with no descendants to carry on his blood, with only the hope that his adopted son Hawkeye will carry Mohican culture to future generations.