The Last of the Mohicans

"Hawkeye guards the Munro sisters on the frontier."

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About this film

Maurice Tourneur's silent adaptation follows Hawkeye and the Mohicans escorting the Munro sisters through frontier warfare against the vengeful Huron warrior Magua.

More about this film

About the production

Release date1920-01-01

Themes

Frontier conflictLoyaltyColonial warfareLiterary adaptation

Themes & topics

Last of the MohicansCooperTourneursilent Western1920

Historical background

Released in 1920 during the late silent period, The Last of the Mohicans reached audiences when exhibitors were still defining programming conventions. The narrative hook—Maurice Tourneur's silent adaptation follows Hawkeye and the Mohicans…—reflects what contemporary producers thought would draw viewers.

Why this film matters

The Last of the Mohicans remains discussed by archivists tracing how screen stories of its period represented work, desire, conflict, and social order. Its central situation—Maurice Tourneur's silent adaptation follows Hawkeye and the Mohicans…—still prompts questions about genre conventions and audience expectations.

What critics said

Trade and newspaper notices for The Last of the Mohicans generally emphasized casting, spectacle, and program fit rather than extended aesthetic argument. Retrospective screenings and archival notes continue to shape how viewers evaluate The Last of the Mohicans today.

Did you know?

  • Directed by Maurice Tourneur for Pathé
  • Based on James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel
  • Stars Barbara Bedford, Wallace Beery, and Alan Roscoe
  • One of multiple silent and sound adaptations of the Cooper novel

Where to watch

  • Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/LASTOFTHEMOHICANS1920WallaceBeeryBarbaraBedfordDirByM.TourneurClarenceBrown