Natty Bumppo (Lex Barker) and Chingachgook (Carlos Rivas) encounter trader Forrest Tucker in the wilderness. He takes them to a fort in the middle of a lake, where Jay C. Flippen holds off the entire Huron nation with a cannon and two daughters. Tucker is in love with Cathy O'Donnell in his rough way. Rita Moreno plays the ugly daughter, if you can believe it.

I never cared much for James Fennimore Cooper's novels, and reading Mark Twain's essay on the writer made it clear why. Cooper was not careful about choosing the right word, and his description of scenes was shoddy. Even so, I concede his situations were exciting, and his writings were ancestral to the westerns. With the help of some competent screenwriters -- including an uncredited Dalton Trumbo -- director Kurt Neumann crafted an exciting story that played into current liberal thoughts about interracial relations, and DP Karl Struss shot Bass Lake and the surrounding pine lands in the Sierra Nevada in a most becoming fashion.

Native American Indians were only partly shown as savages (especially their the cliched shouting). But the main character, the Deerslayer (Lex Barker), also showed empathy and understanding for the actions of the Native American Indians. Actually he rather condemned the attitude and business of the white scalp hunters when he was attacked by the Native Indians. Also, the hatred for Native Indians is criticized in this movie.

Even the white daughter of the scalp hunter scolded her admirer and future husband for murdering Native Indians and destroying their lives.

Furthermore, the Deerslayer also condemned the judgment of foster daughter of the white scalp hunter (that she is stupid), the Native Indian woman (Rita Moreno). She is portrayed as rather brave when she - like the white daughter - goes to the Hurons armed with a rifle. They are not much more helpless than any of the white men, even if they fight less (hence not only the female leads get captured!). Because almost every white person and those non-whites who have a loyal relationship with them have been caught by the Hurons, except one white man who is also portrayed in this movie as racist (as the buyer of Native Indian scalps) and flaws in his character (traitor, scrupulous etc).

The blood brother of the Deerslayer, Chingachgook, is also shown as loyal and reasonable (like Rita Morena's character) and not as a savage.

Actually, the more I think of it, those two sculp hunters and traders were actually portrayed as worse than any Native Indians.

And to show that Native Indians have a particular 6th sense might be a generalization, but is absolutely nothing negative at all. I would like to have a sixth sense and many other people, too.

So in other words, in this movie stereotypes and racism are being shown, yes. However, racism and hatred against Native Indians (of ONE character in the movie! ....who also regarded the young Native Indian woman as his daughter and as equal to his white daughter) are condemned in this movie. Surely, it can and should be criticized that she was kidnapped and her family was killed.

However, we need to differentiate this movie more. It is not that simple to condemn the whole movie as racist, and in most movies (e.g. With John Wayne) Native Indians were actually much more portrayed as savages.

Besides, as already mentioned, movies are products of its time and were not being regarded as racist, sexist or Politically inCorrect then. How many people knew or cared about these words back then? And let's not forget that our hero, the Deerslayer, has a Mohican blood brother...a partner whom he regards as an equal partner and family member in his movie and not as a bad or stupid or in any other way inferior partner.

I would not say watching the movie was a waste of time, although there are better movies generally and also about this age.

And this movie is also not a Western movie. The territory of the Hurons in the 18th century was north of Lake Ontario (nowadays Canada, then a colony of France). Even the Midwest was not then in British possession. The British colonies then were only on the East Coast. In other words, this movie was actually more a Colonial and/or Eastern than a Western.

I also do not see any evidence that even the studio was ashamed of this one movie. Furthermore, it does not make any sense that this Deerslayer is more racist than the old guy and that Rita Moreno was both degraded and exploited...at least not anymore than any other actress or actor who played roles where they could not shine.

The movie was predictable, but the acting - though not the best - was okay, some action, some morals, some truth being shown (that scalp-hunting was not just done by Native Americans, but also White people) and beautiful scenery.

Somewhere between 6 and 6.4 out of 10.

In the wilderness of early Colonial days , mountain man Deerslayer (Lex Barker) and his Mohican blood-brother, Chingachgook (Carlos Rivas) get involved with trapper Tom Hutter (J. C. Flippen) who is living with his two contrasting daughters (Rita Moreno, Cathy O'Donnell who's in love for wanderer Forrest Tucker) on an isolated floating fort . Tom's one-man vengeance against Indians has brought the wrath of the Hurons down on him , thereby garnering the reluctant aid of wilderness hunter Deerslayer . Among adventures, violence and escapes , a batch of dirty and dark secrets emerges.. James Fenimore Cooper's Great Adventure Classic !. Last of the Great Mohicans...First of the Great Pioneers... Bravery, Loyalty and Wilderness Justice.

This is a thrilling film set in colonial America, with plenty of action , battles , violence , a love story , and including breathtaking outdoors . This peculiar B frontier western in 1950-style containing overwhelming adventures , intrigue , fights and romance . It's a quickie with lack luster and low budget but it manages to be at least an enjoyable adventure movie because containing action, sensational outdoors and outlandish thrills situations abound . The story is neither realistic nor ambitious, but sympathetic with good scenarios, costumes and gorgeous landscapes . Excellent action sequences with bloody attacks and spectacular as well as impressive fights. Charismatic performance for all casting . There are magnificently photographed scenes featuring forests, lakes , rivers and mountains . The reason why The Deerslayer holds up so well even today is that director Kurt Neumann invests his roles with dignity and strength. The sextet of starring actors : Lex Barker , Rita Moreno , Forrest Tucker , Cathy O'Donnell , Carlos Rivas are pretty well with special mention for Jay C. Flippen as the bigoted father.

The film displays a haunting and rich cinematography capturing flavor of colonial life by Karl Struss, Neumann's usual cameraman. The motion picture was nicely produced and directed by Kurt Neumann (The fly, Cronos , She-Devil , Tarzan and the leopard woman). German-born film director, a specialist in second features. Made the rounds of Hollywood studios, beginning with Universal , followed by RKO , Paramount and United Artists . From 1945 worked for Sol Lesser, in the dual capacity of director and co-producer, on the "Tarzan" franchise. Excelled in low-budget crime thrillers , westerns and science-fiction subjects, such as Rocket K-1 (1950) and The Fly (1958), arguably his most successful and best-known picture. This vigorous picture The Deerslayer (1957) obtained limited successful but results to be agreeable enough . It's a good stuff for young people and adventures lovers who enjoy enormously with the extraordinary dangers on the luxurious landscapes and marvelous Technicolor photography. Rating : 6/10, acceptable and passable . The flick will appeal to adventure and Western fan .