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Last of the Mohicans, The
Any time there are multiple cinematic adaptations of a famous literary work, endless discussions are generated from scholars and admirers of the book as to which film is the most "faithful" to the original source material. Certainly that's been the case with James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel, The Last of the Mohicans. Whenever I read those arguments, my first thought is always, "faithful in what way?" Faithful to the main plot (which is usually the main bone of contention with most viewers)? Faithful to the intent of the author's message or purpose? Or faithful to the actual form and style of the author's work? Any one of those considerations could differ greatly among adaptations. Ultimately, the notion of comparing a work of literary fiction to its film adaptation is a lost cause to begin with; both art forms are so vastly different not only in their constructions, but in the ways that viewers and readers experience them, that it's pointless to compare these artistic apples and oranges.
That being said, Koch Vision's two-disc, eight-part 1971 BBC production, The Last of the Mohicans, is the best adaptation of Cooper's novel (got ya!). Sorry; couldn't resist that. Actually, this mammoth, almost six hour version, originally shown here in the States on Masterpiece Theatre in 1972, is quite good at capturing more of the details of Cooper's work, certainly in showing more of the plot, and in getting across Cooper's intention of illustrating the cultural skirmishes that were working beneath the French and Indian wars during the 1750s. It's less successful in creating a believable, sustained historical milieu (the common English TV practice of switching from video to film totally destroys that atmosphere), or in creating memorable set pieces (about the only thing worthwhile in the 1992 version). Thankfully, this BBC effort isn't doggedly "faithful" to Cooper's somewhat turgid literary style (which Mark Twain famously lampooned). And the acting is first-rate, with a memorable bad guy performance by Dr. Who alumnus Philip Madoc as Magua, and an equally memorable interpretation of America's first literary superhero, Hawkeye Bumppo, by Kenneth Ives.
Without giving away too much of the plot (because Cooper did know how to plot his works like a Saturday afternoon serial), The Last of the Mohicans tells the exciting story of Natty 'Hawkeye' Bumppo, the intrepid frontiersman, his Indian friend Chingachgook, and Chingachgook's son, Uncas, as they try to guide British half-sisters Cora and Alice Munro through hostile French and Indian territory, to Fort William Henry where their father, Commander Munro, waits for them. Aiding the rescue party is British Major Duncan Heyward, a staid, uptight officer who understands little of his surroundings or the Indian culture, and musician David Gamut. Initially leading the party was "trusted" Indian guide Magua, who traitorously leads the party astray and then mounts assault after assault with his fellow Huron Indians to recapture the Commander's daughters.
I actually remember seeing The Last of the Mohicans back in 1972. I was seven, and we were faithful PBS watchers back then. PBS was big in the early 1970s; its content hadn't become so politically one-sided, and its flagship show, Masterpiece Theatre, with Alistair Cooke as the host, was one of the few (if not only) places that American viewers could catch British programming on a regular basis. We thought this particular adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans was exciting as hell, and we tuned in faithfully each week for two months to see how it turned out. Watching The Last of the Mohicans now, I can see the evident care that went into this miniseries, particularly with the level of acting, and the observant script. But there's no denying that the actual production does falter at times, particularly when it goes indoors. British television production back during those years had a technical habit of shooting exteriors in 16mm film, and interiors on videotape (for cost-cutting reasons, mostly). To American audiences who, let's face it, are used to the very best in television and cinematic technical achievements (a statement echoed by every impoverished British director who came to work for the various lavish American movie studios), it's a jarring visual clash, and it serves The Last of the Mohicans poorly. One of the great strengths of Cooper's original work is the feel for the natural, wild, untamed world of the early America that he brings to the reader. And when this miniseries sticks to the outdoors, even though it was filmed in the Scottish Highlands, it does quite a good job of convincing us that we're back in 1757 America.
However, when Natty Bumppo approaches a quite realistic looking fort mock-up on the banks of a beautiful lake (shot on 16mm film), and then enters a teeny, tiny, laughably fake triangle of a set that's supposed to represent a fort battlement -- complete with no sky behind him and what looks to be plastic, mock-log walls, all shot on cheap-looking video -- the historical illusion is utterly destroyed. This happens again and again throughout the show, with fake caves, fake forest sets, and fake trails. Of course, Hollywood films used faked interior sets to represent the outdoors, but at least they were shot on the same kind of film stock, lessening the gap between location and set. However, the use of video here whenever these mock-ups are used, just heightens the gimcracked nature of the production. I understand this is how these films were made by British TV back then, and it may be pointless to criticize The Last of the Mohicans because of that, but right or wrong, this constant flip-flopping discrepancy in the look of the film does detract enormously from the overall effectiveness of the film.
Given that, there's still much to enjoy in The Last of the Mohicans, particularly the acting. Kenneth Ives, whom I seem to remember from The Lion in Winter, is quite effective as the intrepid Hawkeye. Commanding, resourceful, and yet in synch with his Indian brothers, Hawkeye understands that to live in the forest, one must know the rules first, and obey them, and Ives gets across these complexities of this seminal character in American literature (some might say Hawkeye is our single most influential American literary figure), very well. Madoc as Magua is malevolence personified, but as did Cooper, Madoc is adept at making us understand the pressures that have been put upon this outright villain, and, in the process, if not mitigating his crime of treachery, then at least adding a layer of understanding for his actions -- as well as serving as a memorable fountain of some pithy commentary on the British occupying forces that neither care nor want to understand the forces they're fighting.
The DVD:
The Video:
Unfortunately, the full frame print used here for The Last of the Mohicans is not in the best shape. There's a rumor out there that the BBC "wiped" the original master tapes for this and other productions from the 1970s, but I haven't been able to confirm that. What we are left with is a badly muddied, faded, scratched transfer which even has a few video blips. I remember it looking much better when originally broadcast, so don't expect DVD miracles here: it's the source materials, not the transfer.
The Audio:
The Dolby Digital mono soundtrack is again, not entirely up to snuff, owing to the less-than-perfect source materials. Dialogue is frequently muddled. Koch could have fixed this by at least providing close-captioning, but alas....
The Extras:
There are no extras for The Last of the Mohicans; as well, the original introductions with Alistair Cooke are missing.
Final Thoughts:
There are definite technical drawbacks to this 1971 BBC production of The Last of the Mohicans -- from a standpoint of both the original method of shooting the miniseries, and the source material that Koch has to work with for this DVD release. Still, it probably gets closer to the novel than any other version I've seen -- if that's important to you -- and provides an exciting, thoughtful actioner that your whole family will enjoy. Given all the technical drawbacks, I'm still recommending The Last of the Mohicans because of the fine acting, the layered script, and its epic feel.
Paul Mavis is an internationally published film and television historian, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, and the author of The Espionage Filmography.
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