The Last of the Mohicans

Your majesty, North America isn't worth the trouble.

Let Montcalm invade it, withdraw our forces...

and concentrate our armies here in Europe, the main theater of war.

Newcastle wants to give the country back to the Indian, what do you propose Mr. Pitt?

To reinforce Colonel Munro at Albany Sire. Move General Webb in support...

and drive the French out of North America as we are doing in India.

- For a wilderness? - For the raw material of an empire Sire.

And what is it the Duke says?

I agree with Mr. Pitt entirely sire.

Is the war office prepared?

Major Heyward is ready to take the next frigate to the Americas.

He will carry our dispatches, and remain there...

as second in command to Colonel Munro.

Do you think you'll find any difficulty in adapting yourself...

to a new country, Major?

The British army has always adapted a new country to England sire.

You may proceed, Mr. Pi. You have cane Blanche.

Thanks, your majesty.

Your majesty, Pitt is as mad as a hatter.

Mad, is he?

I wish he'd fight some of my other ministers.

Ah, you, direct me to Colonel Munro.

Well, you'll likely find him at the platoon's house, a dancing.

Oh, thank you.

Are you in the habit of addressing officers with a pipe in your mouth?

No, sometimes I chew snuff.

We'll give you a lift, soldier.

Your presence, Miss Cora, changes this Dutch village into paradise.

Sir, you're so impetuous, you frighten the wits out of me.

This is the first time I have seen your daughter Cora so gay,

so carefree, Colonel.

Yes, mind her.

The girl had a sad experience.

Young lad she was to marry, lost at sea in a naval engagement.

I thought this trip might help her to forget.

Pardon me, there is an officer to see the Colonel.

Duncan Heyward, why, what wind blows you to America?

Good to see you sir.

So, you bedeviled Munro to grant you fellow, after all.

No sir, important dispatches.

Oh, excellent last, I'm in need of a thrush with the French.

It's still as ditch-water here.

I suppose you know what this says.

Yes, well, you're looking very well yourself sir.

Oh, alright, I see, go and find Alice.

- Report back to me in half an hour. - Thank you sir.

Last time I saw her, she was in the garden,

with a very attractive young captain.

Well, I arrived in the nick of time, didn't I?

Looking for someone, Major Heyward?

Alice.

Jove, I've looked forward to this.

You haven't changed a bit, Duncan.

Can you blame me?

You've no right to look so beautiful.

And gallant as ever.

You're just as cruel.

After I've braved the wide Atlantic to be by your side.

Yes, I suppose you do deserve a reward, don't you?

Well, that's a very small kiss after such a long journey.

You know, I had hoped you might have changed your mind about me.

I haven't, Duncan, I'm sorry.

There's no chance that someday it might be different?

It isn't fair to ask you to wait.

See, a British officer never gives in without a struggle.

Spoken like a true Britain sir.

And, Miss Munro, you may consider yourself in a permanent state of siege.

I shall welcome it.

Come on, let's find Cora, she'll be delighted to see you.

Oh, yes, how is your sister?

Oh, ever so much happier here.

Gentlemen of the regiment, attention.

Your Colonel has orders.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry,

but all arbiters must report to their quarters at once,

we march tomorrow.

How are you, Colonel?

How are you, Winthrop?

This is Major Heyward.

Mr. Winthrop sir.

How do you do, Major?

Colonel, I think you're going to be a little short handed.

My men seem to think this is all your fight and none of theirs.

Winthrop, my orders are to advance my entire command to Fort William Henry.

Engage Montcalm until we reinforce General Webb.

What I didn't realize was that half my command were colonials,

however, we march today with or without you.

Whether we go or not is for my men to decide.

Sound the assembly, we'll talk to them.

Yes sir.

Howdy, Hawkeye, haven't seen you in a dunes age.

Hi, Hank. Hello, Zeke.

What brings you to town?

I've been traveling up on the border.

What have you boys turned out for?

British want us to march up to Fort William Henry with them.

Yeah? What's the matter, haven't you enough trouble here at home?

Men, Colonel Munro has asked me to say a few words.

Having just arrived from England, I can assure you that his majesty,

King George, is eager for your support.

I feel sure that as loyal subjects to the crown,

you'll be glad to render this valuable service to your king.

Just how far from the settlement will this campaign take us, Major?

To the main outpost, Fort William Henry.

Why, that's a good two days march, maybe more.

It should be enough to remind you that France is our enemy.

Your enemy, not ours.

Yeah, we ain't fighting France, you are.

We ain't fighting no one, except Indians.

I ain't fighting them if I can help it.

Wait a minute, this isn't war, this is merely a skirmish.

Then you'd better get ready to skirmish because I've just come...

from trapping on Lake George, and a Huron war party...

is a canoeing down from the border.

That's all the more reason then for you colonials to join us.

You can do what you want with your own scalps, Major,

but don't start telling us what to do with ours.

Hey, where are you going, Indian?

Me Magua scout, come to see big white chief Munro.

You colonials, by helping us to defeat Montcalm,

are helping yourselves to defeat the Hurons,

who are allies of the French.

Yeah, and while these men are cooped up at Fort William Henry,

let the Indians burn their homes, butcher their families.

I come from Ticonderoga, see Montcalm.

Montcalm? Why that means the French are...

Men, I've just learned the French are advancing on Fort William Henry.

You know what that means, if they break through, they and the Indians...

will loot and pillage every settlement this side of Lake George.

Are you going to let that happen or are you going to help us...

stop them at Fort William Henry?

Wait a minute, boys.

I believe the men will enlist sir, on one condition,

if the Hurons break through, they can come back and protect their homes.

How about it, boys?

Alright, agreed.

What do you say, men?

What do you say, Hawkeye?

I had my say.

Well, you've learned your first lesson about the colonial.

You play the game, so long as you don't try to make rules for them.

We're lucky to get out of that.

Yes, you need a bit of luck in this country, my boy.

Who was that man talking back to Duncan?

Oh, a fellow the Indians called Hawkeye, he's a scout, a pretty good one...

I understand, why?

I thought we hang traitors.

Yeah, so did I.

Well, this is a country of forests, but I doubt it there would be enough trees...

to go around if we started hanging people for speaking their minds.

Well, go on and pack.

When you keep one man waiting it's coquetry,

but a thousand, treason.

Oh, Magua.

Take this to the quartermaster, and give this to Dubago.

Southern beggar that.

He's the best scout I have.

He's a Mohawk, I had to give him a taste of the cane once,

but it made a man out of him.

Yes, he probably deserved it.

Magua, I wonder what that weasel is doing here.

Him scout for Yangeze, Mohawks take him in tribe,

make him blood brother.

More, he was born a Huron.

I bet a rifle against a powder-horn, he's still a Huron.

Come on, we'd better warn Munro.

It's the petticoats that make it so full.

Nothing like a woman's modesty to take up space.

Well?

I want to talk to the Colonel, they told me he was here.

Colonel Munro is not here.

It's awful important, ma'am.

You doubt my word?

No, of course not, only I want to...

I'm sure the Colonel would not be interested in anything...

that you might have to say.

He'd be an awful fool then, ma'am. I came hereto be of service to him.

You of service?

If you want to be of service, why aren't you in uniform?

Maybe I've got too much sense to wear a red coat in the woods.

Perhaps you'd be interested to know that the Colonel is my father.

I'm not, ma'am, not a bit. You see, I wanted to...

I said the Colonel is not here.

You're sure of that?

I'm positive.

- Here come two. - Yes.

You think it's safe sir?

Oh, they're seasoned campaigners, my boy.

Magua know short trail.

No good for army, good for small party.

Splendid, you hear that, Heyward?

If you don't mind sir, I'd like to accompany the young ladies.

Oh, that's one way to enjoy a walk.

Come along.

Short trail here.

- Goodbye, dear. - Goodbye.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye.

Give my regards to the Commodore.

You'll be there hours before we are.