| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| richfed |
Posted - January 22 2006 : 1:45:53 PM
Dear Folks:
Ok - let's get it said up front: I'm a hard-core LOTM fan. Unfortunately, I never saw the movie in a theatre (which I deeply regret). But about a year ago, I was surfing the channels on TV and there was Uncas, falling from the rocks, and Alice making her stand against Magua. Never has a scene in a movie so riveted me. I watched the remaining minutes of the movie - and promptly purchased the video! I simply had to see the whole thing. Now, well, we won't even talk about how many times I've watched it... and I could write volumes of comments and observations (most of which have already been made by others, I'm sure.)
Suffice it to say that, Hollywoodized as the original story may be, I believe the very Spirit of America lives on in this film. When I look at current events, and the State of the Union makes me sad, I bring out LOTM to give me a shot in the arm - and it works every time.
But to reason for my email:
It's driving me crazy. The scene: Capt. Jack Winthrop and Hawkeye confront Col. Munro to demand the release of the militia. The very first time that I watched this scene, I knew it was a reenactment of a well-known painting. As Jack stands, gesturing, with tricorn hat in hand, he tells Munro that the fort will stand or fall, depending on the arrival of reinforcements - not the presence of the militia. And I can see the painting in my mind - I just don't know the title or artist. And it's bugging the living daylights out of me!
So perhaps y'all can solve the mystery - and put a grandma's fixation to rest :):)
Thanks for the absolutely wonderful website - I visit it frequently, and always discover something more to enjoy.
Diana Clark
Texas
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"The Sun never shined on a cause of greater worth." -- Thomas Paine (Common Sense, 1776)
God bless America!
A pretty good E-mail Of The Week, I'd think ... and an excellent question!
Any answers for the Lass? |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - January 23 2006 : 08:30:51 AM
Okay, now I'm going to have to fast-forward my DVD to that scene and compare the two. Truly an interesting interpretation...
YMH&OS,
The Sarge |
| Tim Cordell |
Posted - January 22 2006 : 11:13:43 PM
Correction...Wilderness Woman might have proposed the correct painting.... |
| Tim Cordell |
Posted - January 22 2006 : 9:22:19 PM
When I first saw the Jack/Munro scene I knew that I was seeing a staged "Tableau Vivant". I think that Michael Mann set this up with a certain painting or thought in mind. Tableau Vivants were popular in the 18th & 19th century as stage vehicles. They were even done for amusement as a parlor pastime. Participants would dress and pose in scenes from the Bible or history, etc. There was no dialogue or movement as it was a static pose. I don't think that the surrender painting is the tableau that Mann used (if he was using one). In the scene, there is an atmosphere of tension as well as lighting. If we look at the painting by Charles Schussele of Benjamin Franklin being insulted by His Magesty's Privy Councillors, the scene (indoors but transposed) is remarkable in its similarity not only in Franklin's pose but also in the the controlled confrontation taking place.
Munro is not insulting Jack but the posturing of the particpants in both the painting and the movie scene is similar- and that's the painting that I thought of when I saw the movie scene. There is another painting that comes to mind but I can't place it. The main character is posing very similar to Jack. The leg bent out, the coat draped a certain way. Then again, Fitz may have hit on the correct painting after all. |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - January 22 2006 : 7:42:20 PM
That would be the one. |
| Fitzhugh Williams |
Posted - January 22 2006 : 7:26:02 PM
You mean like this one?
 |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - January 22 2006 : 6:19:45 PM
We have discussed the beauty of this scene before and everytime I see it, I still marvel.
The painting that it reminds me of is the famous one by John Trumbull, painted in 1816, of the "Surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga" (Revolutionary War).
I would upload it except everytime I try, I get the white "Page cannot be found" message. So, if you Image-Google the painting name, you will get some links so you can see it.
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| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - January 22 2006 : 6:08:15 PM
Yeah, - I was thinking something along those lines. It's pretty much the way the suns shadows hits everything, plus the posturing of everyone. It's like you've seen it before somewhere, - just not sure exactly where. |
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![The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]](images/wwwboard.gif "The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]")
