Der letzte Mohikaner

Arguably the best version of the Cooper Classic. Great production values, a fine cast and fast paced direction move this tale of Colonial America along to a breath-taking climax. This one's been done many times, but never done better than this.

I will admit that I knew James Fenimore Cooper wrote the classic book, but I never read it. And I knew and loved the excitement of the 1992 film version starring Daniel-Day Lewis, but didn't know that it did not follow the book. And I knew about the Statler Bros song "Whatever happened to Randolph Scott?", but I had never seen one of his movies.

So I decided to watch this version starring Randolph Scott in B/W and of course not as much special effects as today's movies. The acting is really quite well, except for the fake dying when actors are shot.

This version is equally exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. And if you, like me, liked the 1992 version, you will like this knowing an idea of the story, but with a different ending.

Although I am a committed movie buff of many decades experience now, I had somehow never seen this famous old adventure flick until I acquired the excellent Hen's Tooth DVD of it for Christmas.

It proved to be a delightful surprise and far better than I was expecting. As an independent production, it may have lacked the big budget production values of a Warner or MGM film, but it still managed to look impressive, with some clever use of glass shots, hanging miniatures and other film tricks.

It is only 92 minutes long yet packs an astonishing amount of incident for its length, all helped along by a throbbing music score that relies heavily on judicious borrowings from Max Steiner's famous score for KING KONG, which surprisingly fits the action rather well.

An excellent cast of 1930s favourites is led by a young Randolph Scott who makes a terrific Hawkeye and clearly enjoys himself in the role.

1936 was an interesting year for him. Not yet typecast in "oaters", he made, in rapid succession, a big musical (Follow the Fleet with Astaire and Rogers) a sexy comedy (Go West Young Man with Mae West)and this, which was a logical follow-up to the previous year's SHE. He was a much better actor and more versatile than he is usually given credit for and in this role, he may well have found his career best.

The DVD offers what is probably the best surviving print of this old movie and it is rather variable in quality, though it does get better after the 3rd reel. I would love to have seen a restored print but I am guessing this would be impossible now unless an original nitrate can be found.

George B. Seitz directs the whole show with flair and keeps things moving at a considerable pace. The film easily bears comparison to better known films in the genre, such as BEAU GESTE, GUNGA DIN and THE FOUR FEATHERS.

In short, it's a grand old fashioned adventure film, the kind Hollywood turned out with ease and great skill and long before the inflated budgets, running times and CGi of today.

The kids back in 1936 must have been on the edge of their seats....I know I was, in 2017!

Those who enjoyed the 1992 Michael Mann/Daniel Day-Lewis version of this American classic might also like to take a look at this older Hollywood production and contrast the two. Randolph Scott plays Hawkeye as a much more affable, almost happy-go-lucky character than does the famously intense Mr. Day-Lewis. The Indian roles are played by palefaces here, but at least they're not egregiously insulting to native Americans.

It still surprises me from time to time when I see how well movies were made so long ago, when the art form didn't have that long of a tradition behind it. Techniques and temperaments change over the years, but the world is big enough for more than one good version of 'The Last of the Mohicans.'

James Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans has been an American classic for several years. It's still considered to have set the standard for writing about the French and Indian war period. More people get their knowledge from that novel as opposed to a serious historical study like Francis Parkman's.

Major Duncan Heyward played by Henry Wilcoxon is charged with escorting the two daughters of his commanding officer to their father at Fort William Henry. The daughters are a pair of beauties, Binnie Barnes and Heather Angel. Along to blaze the trail are white scout Hawkeye and a father and son team of Mohican Indians, Robert Barrat and Phillip Reed as Chingachgook and Uncas.

The trip might better never been made because when they get there the fort is under siege from the French army under General Montcalm and from the Huron Indians as well.

The reason why The Last of the Mohicans holds up so well even today is that Cooper invests his Indian characters with dignity and strength. Even the villainous Magua played by Bruce Cabot makes it plain he's an equal ally of the French not a retainer. Of course he shows his independence of them in a most savage way.

Randolph Scott has one of his best early roles as Hawkeye as does Henry Wilcoxon in one of his few non-DeMille screen appearances of note.

Also the theme of interracial love was daring in its time to be written. Phillip Reed and Heather Angel are a pair of frontier Romeo and Juliet types, we really feel for their tragedy.

Though a big budget version with Daniel Day-Lewis is out there and more people are familiar with it, this version of The Last of the Mohicans still holds up well today.