History vs. Hollywood: The Last of the Mohicans
The Last of the Mohicans is a 1992 film by Michael Mann based events that occurred during 1751 in the French and Indian War. Based on the novel written by James Fennimore, the film features many reported actual events that occurred in this war alongside a few exaggerations of the events that happened. Such differences can be seen in the dramations of the actors, and other factors in the movie.
One of the major shifts from actual event to Hollywood exaggerations was the seizure of fort henry during this war. Fort Henry guarded by British forces lead by General Monro fell to the French forces however the actual battle for the fort is not depicted. After word reached the British forces how their back-up forces were unable to come to their aid at Fort Henry, the British agreed to leave the fort honorably while being escorted to their other fort. In the movie, it shows a brutal one sided massacre of the British by the Indian forces when they were retreated out of the fort. Although this is true to a certain extent, the French forces tried to restrain the Indians rather than turn a blind eye as depicted in the movie. Another difference from the movie to reality is the relationship between Hawkeye and Munro’s daughter. Such relationship was never accounted and is a fabrication of Hollywood stories to add to the original accounts of events that happened during the war.
In contrast, the movie also has unmistakable similarities to actual events that happened during this era. The way of life, the style of speech, the way of fighting is very similar to that