202 LAST OF THE MOHICANS, THE
The soldiers are all killed or injured, and Heyward and the women in his care are
saved by a Mohican chief named Chingachgook (Russell Means), his son Uncas
(Eric Schweig), and his white, adopted son “Hawkeye” (Daniel Day- Lewis). All who
ambushed the group are eliminated, excepting Magua, who escapes. The trio agrees
to escort the women and Heyward to the fort. En route through the forest, Cora
and Hawkeye form an attraction, as do Uncas and Alice. When they arrive near
the fort, they find that it is under siege by the French and their Huron allies. The
small party evades enemy soldiers and enters the fort where they are greeted by
Col. Munro, who asks Major Heyward about the reinforcements he has requested
but is disappointed to discover that his plea for help never made it to Fort Edward.
Cora and Hawkeye sneak away for a private embrace, and Cora is forced to tell a
jealous Heyward that she will not be able to become his wife. Munro denies his
soldiers leave to defend their families during the fighting, but Hawkeye sets up their
return journeys anyway. Hawkeye himself stays to be close to Cora and, though
sentenced to death, is saved by a stroke of fate. During a parlay, French General
Louis- Joseph de Montcalm (Patrice Chéreau) gives the British soldiers a chance to
leave their fort honorably and return home without their guns. Munro assents to
Montcalm’s terms, but Magua rails against the decision. The following day, Col.
Munro, his soldiers, and their women and children leave the fort and march away
in a long column when Magua and his Huron warriors ambush them from the sur-
rounding woods. Magua kills Munro and cuts out his heart. Hawkeye and the
Mohicans battle through, leading Cora, Alice, and Heyward to temporary safety.
Later, however, Magua and his braves capture the major and the women in a cave
behind a waterfall (Hawkeye, Chingachgook, and Uncas escape by diving into the
rushing waterfall— a feat of toughness and athleticism that is too much for their
British companions— but Hawkeye vows to come back for them). Magua brings
his captives to a Huron settlement and asks its sachem (Mike Phillips) to dictate
their fates— and is interrupted by Hawkeye, who has come in alone to plead for
their lives. The sachem rules that Heyward must be returned to the British, Alice
given to Magua, and Cora burned alive. Hawkeye’s bravery allows him to leave
unscathed. However, Hawkeye tells translator Heyward to beg the sachem to let
him (Hawkeye) take Cora’s place. But instead, Heyward swaps his own life for Cora’s
life. After Cora and Hawkeye are at a safe distance, Hawkeye shoots Heyward to
put him out of his misery as he burns at the stake. Chingachgook, Uncas, and
Hawkeye then go after Magua’s party to try and free Alice. Uncas fights Magua,
but is killed by his enemy. Alice chooses to step off the cliff in an act of suicide.
While Hawkeye holds Magua’s remaining men at bay, Chingachgook slays Magua
and avenges his son. With Hawkeye and Cora by his side, Chingachgook prays to
the Great Spirit to receive Uncas, calling himself “the last of the Mohicans.”Reception
The world premiere of The Last of the Mohicans was in Paris (where James Feni-
more Cooper lived from 1826–1833) on 26 August 1992. The film had its U.S.
premiere in Los Angeles on 24 September 1992. After a 12- week theatrical run