''Mohawk'' is a 1956 American

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

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 ...

romance film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...

directed by Kurt Neumann, starring

Scott Brady Scott Brady (born Gerard Kenneth Tierney; September 13, 1924 – April 16, 1985) was an American film and television actor best known for his roles in Western films and as a ubiquitous television presence. He played the title role in the televi ...

Rita Gam Rita Gam (born Rita Eleanore MacKay, April 2, 1927March 22, 2016) was an American film and television actress and documentary filmmaker. She won the Silver Bear for Best Actress. Background Gam was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the daughte ...

and

Neville Brand Lawrence Neville Brand (August 13, 1920 – April 16, 1992) was an American soldier and actor. He was known for playing villainous or antagonistic character roles in Westerns, crime dramas, and ''films noir'', and was nominated for a BAFTA Awa ...

. The picture is about an 18th century

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

artist sent to the Mohawk Valley to paint landscapes and portraits of Native Americans. Several sections of the plot are taken from the 1939 film ''

Drums Along the Mohawk ''Drums Along the Mohawk'' is a 1939 American historical drama western film based upon a 1936 novel of the same name by American author Walter D. Edmonds. The film was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and directed by John Ford. Henry Fonda and Cla ...

'' and loosely refers to the 1778

Cherry Valley massacre The Cherry Valley massacre was an attack by British and Iroquois forces on a fort and the town of Cherry Valley in central New York on November 11, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. It has been described as one of the most horrific ...

(as does the main antagonist Butler to the historic figure of loyalist officer Walter Butler).

Plot

In late 18th century

upstate New York Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, Upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Is ...

, a quarrelsome white man named Butler seeks to foment war between the Continental Army garrison of Fort Alden and the Indians, to rid the Mohawk Valley of the natives and white settlers he despises. He goes to the

Iroquois The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...

chef Kowanen to warn him about a party of armed white settlers. Kowanen shows no concern, but his son Keoga and brave Rokhawah feel otherwise and plot a raid to steal the settlers' muskets. They are assisted by Keoga's sister Onida, but many Indians end up killed and Onida captured. An artist, Jonathan Adams, has arrived in Fort Alden from Boston, commissioned to do paintings and portraits. He is joined by sweetheart Cynthia Stanhope, a society lady from Boston, and attracted to Greta Jones, a local barmaid. But when he escorts Onida from the fort back to her people, he develops a romantic interest in her instead. Adams also earns the respect and trust of Kowanen as he paints the chief's portrait and Keoga comes to admire Adams' fighting prowess. Kowanen, seeking peace with the white settlers, offers to have his son Keoga accompany Adams back to the fort, as a sign of good faith. As the two peace emissaries are en route to the fort, Butler stages an ambush, shooting and murdering Keoga in Adams' company. Adams does not see who fired the shot. He takes Keoga's body back to his tribe who plan a war. Chief Kowanen's men hold the whites responsible and take Adams captive, and are going to burn him at the stake. Onida kills one of her own tribe and helps him escape. When Adams finally reaches the fort, he confronts Butler and Butler's knowledge of the murder reveals his guilt. As the enraged Indians attack, Butler is cast out of the besieged fort and meets his end in a hail of Indian arrows. A truce is declared, and while Cynthia goes back to Boston with his works of art, Adams remains behind to be with Onida.

Cast

as Jonathan Adams *

as Onida *

as Rokhawah *

Lori Nelson Dixie Kay Nelson (August 15, 1933August 23, 2020), known professionally as Lori Nelson, was an American actress and model mostly active in the 1950s and early 1960s. She had roles in the TV series ''How to Marry a Millionaire (TV series), How to ...

as Cynthia Stanhope * Allison Hayes as Greta Jones *

John Hoyt John Hoyt (born John McArthur Hoysradt; October 5, 1905 – September 15, 1991) was an American actor. He began his acting career on Broadway, later appearing in numerous films and television series. He is perhaps best known for his film and TV ...

as Butler * Rhys Williams as Clem Jones *

Barbara Jo Allen Barbara Jo Allen (born Marian Barbara Henshall; September 2, 1906 – September 14, 1974) was an American actress. She was also known as Vera Vague, the spinster character she created and portrayed on radio and in films during the 1940s and 19 ...

as Aunt Agatha (as Vera Vague) *

Mae Clarke Mae Clarke (born Violet Mary Klotz; August 16, 1910 – April 29, 1992) was an American actress. She is widely remembered for playing Henry Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth, who is chased by Boris Karloff in ''Frankenstein'', and for being o ...

as Minikah * Tommy Cook as Keoga * Ted de Corsia as Indian Chief Kowanen *

Michael Granger Michael Granger (May 14, 1923 – October 22, 1981) was an American actor. Born Milton Grossman in Kansas City, MO, Granger, he appeared in ''The Big Heat'' and in B movies such as '' Creature With The Atom Brain'', as well as on TV shows includ ...

as Priest *

John Hudson John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

as Captain Langley

External links

* * * * {{Kurt Neumann 1956 films American Indian Wars films American historical drama films American Western (genre) films 1956 Western (genre) films Films set in the 18th century Films set in New York (state) Films directed by Kurt Neumann 20th Century Fox films 1950s historical drama films 1956 drama films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films

Plot

Cast

See also

External links