Re: Alice and Uncas

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Posted by Marcia on October 14, 1997 at 08:56:27:

In Reply to: Alice and Uncas posted by Lynne Cohen on October 14, 1997 at 08:33:49:

Lynne, you are right that it would probably be impossible for Alice and Uncas to have had a real life together, I think. He certainly would not have wanted to go back to London with her, and she was, apparently, not strong enough to withstand the rigors of the frontier. But I think their relationship is still a fascinating one, based largely on what I perceived to be a strong desire on the part of Uncas to protect and shelter this childlike young girl. It's obvious to me that Alice has retreated to some innermost part of her mind in response to the violence surrounding her. (As Rich put it after a traumatic event in the film, "Alice slips one notch further into the abyss.") But I think she recognized that Uncas had set himself up as her protector, and knew she was safe with him. And after seeing him give his life trying to rescue her from Magua, she preferred to follow him to his death, and there, perhaps, find the final safety and security she had lost on this journey into the wilderness.

Of course, had they left the lovemaking scenes between Alice & Uncas in the final version of the film, instead of on the cutting room floor, their relationship would seem completely different. You would have no trouble understanding their affection for each other, probably, but something precious and innocent about them would have been lost in the telling. I think theirs is a love you simply have to recognize instinctively, rather than by any heavier-handed romantic scenes between them. Just my personal thoughts on the subject, for what it's worth.

Marcia

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: Lynne, you are right that it would probably be impossible for Alice and Uncas to have had a real life together, I think. He certainly would not have wanted to go back to London with her, and she was, apparently, not strong enough to withstand the rigors of the frontier. But I think their relationship is still a fascinating one, based largely on what I perceived to be a strong desire on the part of Uncas to protect and shelter this childlike young girl. It's obvious to me that Alice has retreated to some innermost part of her mind in response to the violence surrounding her. (As Rich put it after a traumatic event in the film, "Alice slips one notch further into the abyss.") But I think she recognized that Uncas had set himself up as her protector, and knew she was safe with him. And after seeing him give his life trying to rescue her from Magua, she preferred to follow him to his death, and there, perhaps, find the final safety and security she had lost on this journey into the wilderness.

: Of course, had they left the lovemaking scenes between Alice & Uncas in the final version of the film, instead of on the cutting room floor, their relationship would seem completely different. You would have no trouble understanding their affection for each other, probably, but something precious and innocent about them would have been lost in the telling. I think theirs is a love you simply have to recognize instinctively, rather than by any heavier-handed romantic scenes between them. Just my personal thoughts on the subject, for what it's worth.

: Marcia

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