MovieChat Forums > The Last of the Mohicans (1992) Discussion > Maj. Duncon's sacrifice

Maj. Duncon's sacrifice

posted 10 years ago by sid_rich
28 replies | jump to latest

I know everyone is more fascinated with Hawkeye and Cora.....or Alice and Unca's story. But what really had an effect on me was Duncan's story....maybe because its more like mine. This character looses everytime and everywhere and from everyone....makes some really bad decisions under pressure, gets rejected by the person he truly loves....disappoints everyone most of the time, including himself. And in the end gives-up everything he had to save the girl he always loved.

I think i had read about a similar character somewhere else too...I think it was in "The tale of 2 cities"....and in the Indian epic Mahabharata also has a similar character named Karan.

I like these tragic misunderstood characters.....who want to be heroes in their life, but only become a hero in their death.

[–] ronfirv 10 years ago

Nothing surprising in that Mjr. Duncan was a loser as he was such an arrogant, stubborn condescending, snobbish and myopic Scottish Officer of the Crown, and man.

[–] sid_rich 10 years ago

well I guess you are judging him by how he lived....not by how he died. Which is also fair.

But my point was that this loser died a hero...a tragic hero at the end.

[–] ronfirv 10 years ago

There is no glory in death but I take your point on board.

[–] ehsfb2001 9 years ago

Thee is great glory in sacrificing yourself so others may live.

[–] karentielmans 10 years ago

Yes he did, I love that scene!

[–] loopdloop11 9 years ago

I don't agree. He was a great warrior. 19 British soldiers marched to Fort William McHenry (although if you count there was more than 24) and only 1 survived that skirmish. He took out a Huron warrior or two, as well.
During the siege, he wanted to fight to the death. "We'll dig our graves beyond that rampart"

I thought Duncan's character served as a foreshadow for the movie and book.. that this was a person who thought of himself second to the cause he was fighting for.. which isn't at all original.. many soldiers in the history of young countries like the USA went into battles knowing they wouldn't live for example.

His sacrifice served a couple purposes.. he knew he couldn't get Cora out of there.. I mean, how could he know the Uncas and *beep* were waiting in the woods. He knew what he had to do .. fast on his feet.
And Cora and he were extremely close. In that final agreement, Cora screams out for Duncan. They probably grew up knowing one another.

[–] nicolo001-675-680396 9 years ago

I'm sure if you wore the same shoes as Major Duncon, you would have sniveled and groveled for your worthless life.

[–] nicolo001-675-680396 9 years ago

I'm sure if you wore the same shoes as Major Duncon, you would have sniveled and groveled for your worthless life. At least he had honor.

[–] franzkabuki 10 years ago

Yeah dude really redeemed himself proper by the end of his journey. Even feel kinda bad for the bastard.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] horsebungle 10 years ago

I like Karna too but I don't think he's a similar character to Duncan. There were basically 4 characters in Mahabharatha who were invincible on the battlefield unless some curse came into play (5 if you count Krishna) and he was one of them. He just had a chip on his shoulder form being considered lower class. He did some noble things in life but in his death he was just trying to fulfill a personal goal (kill Arjuana) and win the war for a guy who stood up for him. Duncan was pretty douchey all throughout the movie until finally having a noble selfless moment when he died.

[–] Artdoag2 10 years ago

Sid_Rich - Interesting self-analysis of Maj. Duncan Heyward. I sort of have the same view myself...But DH lied regarding the circumstances of the attack on Cameron's farm (by war parties of Mohawks, not random thieves). In doing so he lost Cora permanently as saw right through his moral fiber. Well, at the end, he did redeem himself and it was good for his character arc.

[–] sid_rich 10 years ago

All those crappy things he did in his life, they were just poor choices of a not-so-smart man....but you can see that he was always confused, and just kept making the most obvious and easier choices...the guy was hopeless under pressure throughout his life.....but he died a hero nevertheless, at least in the memories of the girl he really cared about. I think that's something.

Somehow I just feel...its easier for good people (read hero people) to be good, because that's how they have always been in their life....but its really difficult for someone who has spent his life being an *beep* suddenly turn good and be a hero.

[–] Mellow-Fellow 10 years ago

Well it has been awhile since I've seen the movie so forgive me but I remember Duncan being a fairly by the book honorable guy, I don't remember him doing anything outright despicable apart from wanting to hang the guy who his girl picked (which was bad), but it was law right? He seemed to use the law to further his own agenda which was very loathsome but he could have easily gotten what he wanted in the end by just letting Hawkeye sacrifice himself, he probably would have even got the girl since she had nowhere else to go in the end?

The final sacrifice by Duncan makes up for his lesser qualities. It is tragic in a way because I really feel sorry for him, thankfully I have never been like that by personality or choice but I really do feel for him. Here is this guy who goes his whole life doing things how he feels to be the best most honorable decisions, even criticizing his superiors in his mind (he is the type right) thinking that he is much more honorable and worthy of highest rank. He has his whole life planned out, has his girl picked out, probably even lays his clothes out for the week and plans his future meals, then the girl rejects him and he has no idea why and it messes him up. In his final act he forgoes the misery he feels will be inevitable for the rest of his life losing her and in his mind captures her heart forever the only way he sees possible by sacrificing himself.

Just goes to show you that you can only plan for so much and good old dumb chance (fate if you are inclined to believe) takes over the rest. Like the girl who was just visiting if I remember right, picks that one odd chance time to go and now lost her family and lives the rest of her life a colonial American, the other one who was so happy all the time jumps off a damn cliff. That is why I liked 'How the West Was Won' too.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] AnneGirl2 9 years ago

Duncan may have made mistakes, but he was heroic in sacrificing his own life to save Cora's. He wanted to spare Cora from dying a horrible death, burning in a fire. Hawkeye also offers to take Cora's place, but Duncan deliberately mistranslates, sacrificing himself instead, so Hawkeye and Cora can go free.

[–] ehg974-773-341306 8 years ago

To me, his mistranslation made up for a lot of the bad decisions/smarmy behavior he had shown throughout the rest of the movie. He was honorable at the end and he saved the girl he cared for, who clearly cared for someone else. So there was that.

[–] LeahJayne 9 years ago

I'm a long-time fan of this movie, and every time I watch it I find myself gravitating towards Duncan's story. I know that Cora only felt friendship for him, but I think he was a real contender for her affections. It's implied that they knew each other since childhood, so they would have had some kind of history together. He was an honorable man, a dutiful soldier and he truly loved Cora. Moreover, he was a true English gentleman - he was very chivalrous, which is something a lot of women find appealing (at least in this day-in-age; maybe it wasn't particularly special back then). He may not have been as dashing or exciting as Hawkeye, but still a worthy contender. I sympathize with Duncan probably because I've always had a soft spot for unrequited, tragic love stories. Also, the impact of his sacrifice at the end to spare Cora from a terrible death and so that she can be free to be with the man she really wants always sticks with me long after the movie ends. I can think of no greater selfless act of true love.

[–] ronfirv 9 years ago

A very fair post but one wee correction.
Cora Munro was Scottish and so was Major Duncan, thus more a British gentleman, and not English! (Duncan is a Scottish name going back centuries).

But who would not have been attracted to men like Hawkeye or Uncas? Immediately likeable.
However as you said above, men have other redeeming qualities.

What's the old saying ? No greater sacrifice can a man make than to lay down his life for a friend.

[–] LeahJayne 9 years ago

Yes, you're right! I should have said British gentleman, not English. My mistake. I think I got them confused because Steven Waddington, who played Duncan, is English.

[–] ronfirv 9 years ago

Understandable. You are forgiven! :)

[–] LeahJayne 9 years ago

Lol thanks! :D

[–] scotty-38 9 years ago

It wasn't exactly my favorite scene but I think it's a very important scene. Obviously this film teaches us the importance of Native Americans in our glorified American history (not just during the French & Indian War but long before that). We need to be respectful and understanding of what they taught us. Last of the Mohicans is definitely a film that teaches us this notion. The particular scene with Duncan's sacrifice is a scene to let us know that, despite the importance of learning about Native Americans in our history, it's also important to not forget about some of our ancestors who traveled to this country from Europe to settle.

In a lot of ways, Duncan made this sacrifice not only to save Cora but also so that Hawkeye wouldn't sacrifice himself. It may not be my favorite scene, but it's very important.

[–] ronfirv 9 years ago

Some fair points.
Being a Scot, I have long felt that the part Scots played in making modern USA (less so in Canada) has been overlooked. You had two Presidents in the past with Scottish roots(Grant and Buchanan),a Scot founded Buick, McDonnell Douglas Aviation, Davey Crockett, and in more modern times and dare I say to a lesser degree, many actors in Hollywood, eg. John Wayne(family name Morrison), Matt Damon, Jensen Ackles, and numerous sportsmen/women, too many to mention for now. As for senior Military today, well just look at the list of Scots names on their tunics!
It is often not realised that the main players in this movie were Scots too let's not forget! Col. Munro and his two daughters, Duncan(an ancient Scots name) of course, and the Cameron family, slaughtered on the frontier.
You would note scotty38 that this family were equally kind to the native Americans and were good friends to Hawkeye and the Mohicans. Typical of we Scots if I may say so.

[–] guigui-paul 9 years ago

I like this shot where Hawkeye shoots Duncan to avoid him suffering more and more in the fire...you can feel bitterness and respect for Duncan when Mann is doing a close up of Hawkeye's face after he shot Duncan...great, great scene.

http://www.myspace.com/guillaumep
http://darioargentofr.blogspot.com/

[–] LeahJayne 9 years ago

I can hardly watch that scene. To me, Duncan's death is the hardest to watch. Although I do like the closeup of Hawkeye's face - he and Duncan clashed pretty hard at one point, but you can feel that in this moment he respected him and felt remorse for this incredibly selfless and heroic act.

[–] Toadman005 8 years ago

Cooked chicken.

Say, do you hear that? It's the sound of the Reaper.....

[–] 8 years ago

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