''Last of the Redskins'' (aka ''Last of the Redmen'') is a 1947 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

George Sherman George Sherman (July 14, 1908 – March 15, 1991) was an American film director and producer of low-budget Western films. One obituary said his "credits rival in number those of anyone in the entertainment industry." Biography George Sherma ...

and starring Joh Hall and Michael O'Shea. The film was shot in Vitacolor but released in

Cinecolor Cinecolor was an early subtractive color-model two-color motion picture process that was based upon the Prizma system of the 1910s and 1920s and the Multicolor system of the late 1920s and the 1930s. It was developed by William T. Crispinel and ...

. Unlike other adaptations the film includes a boy brother of Cora and Alice Munro and does not feature Chingachgook nor does it feature a romance between Uncas and Cora. The battle of Fort William Henry is not shown and most of the characters in the film ride horses rather than moving by foot.

Plot

During the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

in 1757, the family of

Colonel Munro Lieutenant-Colonel George Monro (sometimes spelled "Munro") (1700–1757) was a Scottish-Irish officer in the British Army. He is best remembered for his unsuccessful defense of Fort William Henry in 1757 during the French and Indian War. Afte ...

, daughters Alice and Cora and son Davy come from England to visit their father who is commanding Fort William Henry in the American colonies. The French are masters of the

military intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a ...

situation as they have their loyal Indian allies masquerading as scouts for the English and are able to intercept and kill all runners from the British outposts. General Webb, the commander of Fort Edward where the Munros have arrived has fallen for French ruses by believing that General Montcalm's French and Indian forces are advancing from the South. General Webb's Indian Scout Magua testifies to the truth of this information convincing General Webb to send his forces South and send the Munro family to the believed safety of their father General Munro to the north at Fort William Henry. The only person who does not believe Magua is the Colonial Scout Hawkeye and his Indian companion Uncas. Hawkeye's rough ways, honesty, and vocal common sense has alienated him from the British military command. In reality, Magua was once

flogged Flagellation (Latin , 'whip'), flogging or whipping is the act of beating the human body with special implements such as whips, rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails, the sjambok, the knout, etc. Typically, flogging has been imposed on ...

by General Munro for being drunk and sees the chance to torture and murder the Munro children as a pinnacle of revenge. Leading the Munros accompanied by Major Duncan Heyward and a small British military escort into an

Iroquois The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian Peoples, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Indigenous confederations in North America, confederacy of First Nations in Canada, First Natio ...

ambush, Magua is thwarted by the arrival of Hawkeye and

Uncas Uncas () was a '' sachem'' of the Mohegans who made the Mohegans the leading regional Indian tribe in lower Connecticut, through his alliance with the New England colonists against other Indian tribes. Early life and family Uncas was bor ...

who rescue the Major and the Munros. The Major wins Hawkeye over by declaring that he would be placing his pride over the lives of the party if he didn't give command of the evasion party to the experienced Hawkeye. The group manages to evade Magua's pursuing Indians for a brief period, but Hawkeye arranges for a better chance for escape by having Heyward and the Munros captured then rescued by Hawkeye and Uncas. On their escape from the camp the party runs across the garrison of Fort William Henry who declare that they gave an honourable surrender of the fort to the French and were allowed to keep their arms but not their ammunition. Hawkeye suspects the Indians will massacre the party and organises a defence.

Cast

* Jon Hall as Major Duncan Heyward * Michael O'Shea as Hawk Eye / Natty Bumpo * Evelyn Ankers as Alice Munro *

Julie Bishop Julie Isabel Bishop (born 17 July 1956) is an Australian former politician who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2018 and deputy leader of the Liberal Party from 2007 to 2018. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Curti ...

as Cora Munro *

Buster Crabbe Clarence Linden Crabbe II (; February 7, 1908 – April 23, 1983), known professionally as Buster Crabbe, was an American two-time Olympic swimmer and film and television actor. He won the 1932 Olympic gold medal for 400-meter freestyle swimmi ...

as Magua * Rick Vallin as Uncas * Buzz Henry as Davy Munro *

Guy Hedlund Guy Elmer Hedlund (August 21, 1884 – December 29, 1964) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1906 and 1947. Born in Portland, Connecticut, on August 21, 1884, worked with newspapers, on a c ...

as Gen. Alexander Munro (uncredited)

Production

The film was announced in June 1946. It marked producer Sam Katzman's first feature at Columbia, although he had been making serials for them. He borrowed Jon Hall from Sam Goldwyn. Julie Bishop was signed in August 1946. That month George Sherman was attached to direct.

Reception

The ''New York Times'' said "go to it kids and squirm with excitement the way we once used to do on Saturday afternoon. And don't be too harsh on the actors - they are really nice people trying hard to make a living."' Last of the Redmen,' Remake of Tale by Cooper, Opens at Rialto -- French Film at Ambassador T.M.P. New York Times 30 Aug 1947: 8.

References

External links