# Help with dialogue in Last of the Mohicans(1992) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356 "2017-05-11T14:43:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/1 "2017-05-11T14:43:06Z")
One of my all time favorite films if not THE favorite is\* Last of the Mohicans\*. In my mission to show great films to my kids, I’ve decided to show them this one this upcoming weekend. Give them a bit of a history lesson(though not totally accurate), show them some beautiful cinematography, great action and a nice love story as well. Its a win/win! In prepping myself for the showing, I’ve been going back and reading up on the movie and rewatching some pivotal scenes. The famous waterfall scene is the one in question. Now I know that **Hawkeye** has to leave **Cora** because he has no real chance to fight **Magua** and his men with his rifles ruined from the water. Its my understanding that he leaves them because he figures if\*\* Cora\*\* and her sister submit, they will be taken alive and then he can come back and get them. The part that confuses me is the actual dialogue of that scene. > [@](#): > > Cora - I want you to go… > > Hawkeye - If we go there’s a chance there won’t be a fight. There’s no powder. If we don’t go in that, there’s no chance. None! Do you understand? So, is **Hawkeye** basically wrestling with the decision in that line. Is he trying to decide whether or not to go or not? It’s the wording of the line itself that puzzles me. Can anyone assist me with this and better explain it. My 2 sons are 13 and 10 and I really want them to appreciate this film and I want to make sure that I have everything understood myself in case I have to explain anything to them. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/2 "2017-05-11T14:49:02Z")
Is he referring to the waterfall behind them? The one they jump into? I love LoTM but sometimes it looks like the dialogue, editing and sound were done by rank amatuers. The canoe chase is particularly bad as it took me multiple viewings on to figure out what was going on between the canoes. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/3 "2017-05-11T15:42:32Z")
Now I seem to be confusing myself even more. It’s almost as if Hawkeye and Cora are both saying that he needs to leave. If thats the case, why the back and forth discussion. Am I making this more confusing than it needs to be?? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/4 "2017-05-11T15:55:02Z")
Skip the movie, and have them read the book. 😉 Does Cora really say “I want you to go”? Or does she manage to slip a “don’t” in there that gets swallowed by the sound effects of the water, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/5 "2017-05-11T16:05:04Z")
It would certainly make more sense in the beginning of the dialogue if she were to say “I don’t want you to go.” With the waterfall sound in background, that could very well be what she said. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/6 "2017-05-11T16:33:37Z")
She definitely says “I WANT you to go!” His response after that is a little unclear. I can’t tell exactly what he says, or frankly why he’s saying it. It seems they’re in agreement he should go. And he does. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/7 "2017-05-11T18:48:19Z")
After checking out the screenplay online, its a bit more clear. Hawkeye and Chingachgook discuss in Mohican how their rifles are useless and they need to get dry powder. Cora realizes what they intend to do and tells them to go. Hawkeye then reiterates to her the entirety of their plan - for them to leave the falls and let the women get captured, then they can trail behind and catch up when they are properly able to defend themselves. Cora is ready to die and is only wanting Hawkeye to stay alive and thus is wanting him to go, but he tells her that he will find her no matter what, all she has to do is stay alive. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/8 "2017-05-11T19:34:21Z")
Cora is saying she wants him to go to save himself, Hawkeye then explains he is going because then there won’t be a fight and he can come back for her. The British guy is saying Hawkeye is a coward for not fighting but Hawkeye wants to reassure Cora he is not abandoning her. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/9 "2017-05-11T19:41:17Z")
Exactly. Thanks for the reassurance. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/10 "2017-05-11T19:55:39Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Skip the movie, and have them read the book. 😉 [Counterpoint](http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/projects/rissetto/offense.html) by Mark Twain;) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-dialogue-in-last-of-the-mohicans-1992/786356/11 "2017-05-11T20:39:57Z")
> [@Dante\_G](#): > > It would certainly make more sense in the beginning of the dialogue if she were to say “I don’t want you to go.” With the waterfall sound in background, that could very well be what she said. After all, it’s only one small step for a man…