bkoganbing George Montgomery and Brenda Marshall star in The Iroquois Trail which is taken and a quite watered down version of James Fenimore Cooper's Last Of The Mohicans. But Cooper fans will not see any of Cooper's ideas about the American Indian as noble savage here not his more daring theme of his time about interracial love. George Montgomery as Hawkeye and his faithful Indian companion Monte Blue are little more than a colonial version of The Lone Ranger and Tonto. That being said there is a lot of action to satisfy any action film fan in this story set during the French and Indian War. Montgomery and Blue are on the trail of two traitorous skunks who shot his younger brother Don Garner who was riding dispatch for British commander Sir William Johnson played here by Paul Cavanaugh.This was Brenda Marshall's last feature film as she settled into the role of being Mrs. William Holden raising their sons. Sheldon Leonard is barely recognizable with shaved head and dialog that is Hollywood monosyllabic for Indian characters. In this case the better not to get his most urban speech pattern.If you're an action fan you'll like this. But lovers of James Fenimore Cooper beware.

Marlburian I saw this film courtesy of Youtube and was quite impressed. Considering the presumably-small budget it compares well with other versions of "The Last of the Mohicans". It is pared down a bit: Hawkeye only has one Indian sidekick and there's only one daughter at risk from the rapacious Native Americans.But the plot flows along nicely, the scenes of the besieged fort are adequate and a river chase with canoes is good.But it did defy credulity that the daughter, "Marion Thorne", was allowed to try to get to the fort from comparative safety through hostile country escorted by one supposedly-trusted Indian, a British officer and a frontiersman and another Indian, the last two being unknown quantities to the British general.In the version that I saw, there was a jump between the French commander Montcalm announcing that he would offer the British a truce and his men occupying the fort; the first that I knew that a truce had actually been agreed and implemented was when the Indians attacked the fort and overpowered the French guards.

alexandre michel liberman (tmwest) Besides 'The Iroquois Trail' Phil Karlson made two films that I have seen: 'The Mask of the Avenger' which is one of the best sword fighting movies, and 'The Phenix City Story' which is an amazing semi-documentary about gangsters. The story of this film is very much alike 'The Last of the Mohicans', with the same hero 'Hawkeye'. The French in Montreal are fighting the British based in Albany, and there are traitors among the British which make them believe Hawkeye (George Montgomery) is a French spy. He must fight to clean his name and also to expose the traitors. He falls in love with Brenda Marshall (this was her last film, her most important being 'The Sea Hawk' with Errol Flynn.). There is non stop action and a story that keeps you interested making this film quite enjoyable. Both Monte Blue as the good Sagamore and Sheldon Leonard as the mean Ogane give excellent performances. Karlson was a master director, he knew how to take a low budget film like this one and give it something extra.

scopitone Although set during the French and Indian War, this suspenceful, fast and violent film is fuelled by strick Film Noir. An innocent man falls deeper into a web of deceit and danger trying to prove his innocence. Director Phil Karlson weaves his powerful style of disturbing close ups, unique twists and turns, unflinching / sudden violence and claustrophobic realism with charactors from James Fennimore Cooper's "Last of the Mohicans". Colorful performances all around particularly from film heavy Sheldon Leonard as a rather sinister Native American Indian. Contains the magical quality that compels you to watch it every six months or so.