Posted by Elaine on July 14, 1998 at 13:58:41:
In Reply to: Re: American Heros posted by Gayle on July 14, 1998 at 12:08:42:
Elaine: Yes, he improved the man Hawkeye. Made him more sociable, likeable, aggreable, and interesting. But ..... though that served the needs of the romantic woodsman hero, I still don't agree that the change in his character actually improved the story. Mann's version necessitated a complete write out of the Cora/Uncas romance ... and very beautifully depicted (if not worded) death and burial scenes. By creating the new man Hawkeye, Mann also somewhat lessened the "Uncas factor". Not better, by my mind .... just different.
: : And though Cora was, as you say, nothing more than a guide assignment in the eyes of Le Longue Carabine, she was much, much more in the eyes of Uncas. And though Cooper's Cora was certainly presented as well bred, she was more woodsy and less elite. She showed this side of her very early on in Cooper's version.
Gayle: There is no question that we agree.....
Elaine: Thank you, Gayle. I knew you'd see it my way.
Gayle: Cora was in love with Duncan who was in love with Alice.
Elaine: Well now you've gone and made it sound like a Harlotquin novel rather than a classic.
Gayle: It was really the Delaware maidens who envisioned the two of them so magnificently meeting in heaven.
Elaine: Of course! Leave it the Delaware, all will be well.
AND BECAUSE GAYLE IS LOOKING FOR A FIGHT!
Elaine: How the heck is a woman-bound Hawkeye (a la Mann) going to carry on the roaming life and exploits of the ultimate natural loner man (a la Cooper)?????? We either have to have our romanticized Hawkeye stop his wild living and settle down and start a family .... OR we will have our loner continue on, free to be in all those places necessary for the Leatherstocking Tales!
: AND GAYLE WHIPS RIGHT BACK WITH - - (KNOWING FULL WELL SHE AGREES WITH ELAINE BUT MUST DEFEND HER POSITION)
Gayle: Why couldn't he? Daniel Boone certainly made a name for himself with wife Rebecca at his side.
Elaine: WHAT?!! At his side? He left her to hack it out of the wilderness with her own two hands while he was off playng in the woods!
Gayle: Tarzan married Jane ... and Boy .... You ... saw ... one of them with a dish towel in his hand or sitting through a PTA meeting.
Elaine: Yep!
Gayle: In fact, in the Tarzan series, Boy served much the same role as Uncas.
Elaine: Neither Boy nor Uncas was married. Tarzan was an idiot. And none of these guys were "good" husbands. (Though Tarzan did stay around home a bit and overdosed Jane on cheetah-banana casseroles.)
: AND ELAINE ADDED . .
But .... to your question of the Ching/Hawkeye/Cora combo being great material for a sequel .... Yes, I think so.
: SO WE THINK WE HAVE AGREEMENT, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE, BECAUSE GAYLE SAYS . .
: I could see Cooper's Hawkeye and Cora carving out a great set of sequels as a frontier couple, but I question whether Mann's Hawkeye and Cora had enough substance to them to carry the imagination any further than the one movie.
AND ELAINE JUST HAS TO SAY ONE LAST THING ...
I have known you as a gallant antagonist. Please accept my compliments for the strong and skillful defense of my fortress. But now, I beg you to listen to the admonitions of humanity ............ consider surrender.
Elaine