Sorry, But ‘Titanic’ Isn’t the Best Epic Romance on Film — This Is

Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater’s fairy-tale romance in James Cameron‘s Titanic seems to be the ultimate representation of love and deep affection, but it arguably isn’t the best epic romance on film. Rather, it is the unlikely relationship shared by Hawkeye and Cora in Michael Mann‘s The Last of the Mohicans that deserves this title. Yes, the cinematic image of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet intimately “flying” on the bow of a majestic ship is forever etched into the minds of many. However, there is an inherent beauty and warmth in Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe’s dynamic that lifts it head and shoulders above the rest.

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‘Titanic’ and ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ Aren’t So Different

One should note that this is not to highlight the ability of one pair to tug the spectators’ heartstrings at the expense of the other. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of similarities between the stories and the development of these two pairings. For instance, in Titanic, Jack is a poor boy who experiences a stroke of luck and wins a low-class ticket to board the massive ship. Here, he sets his sights on Rose, who is pressured to marry a debonair to rid her family of financial troubles. On the other hand, Hawkeye is the adopted son of one of the last two Mohicans in the land. He begins to discover a fondness for Cora Munro, the daughter of a Colonel who herself is facing pressure to marry a British Army Major in the time of the French and Indian War. Both of these couples come from two different experiences, one in the grandeur and splendor of the modern world, and the other living in the fruits of nature, or in the embrace of their own artistry. For both of them, it was love at first sight, and they basked and reveled in the differences of their upbringings while discovering new sides to themselves. The romances in the two pictures are more similar on the surface, but it is the subtle differences in the development of their love that separate them from each other. What Titanic directly and explicitly shows in fiery passion, The Last of the Mohicans drives through it with sophisticated bursts of pure emotion.

What is ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ About?

Hawkeye meets the love of his life in the direst of circumstances. When Major Duncan Heyward, together with a troop of British soldiers, accompanies Cora and her sister Alice to their father’s whereabouts, they are betrayed by their guide Magua (Wes Studi) and ambushed by Hurons. Magua, who the audience later discovers has a disdain for the British after they killed his family, almost succeeds in his plan until Hawkeye, Chingachcook, and Ungcas come to rescue them. Cora develops an admiration for Hawkeye. At first, her attraction is inconspicuous, which may even be due to the confusion of the chaos that they have just experienced. It is not until they discover their companions’ dead bodies and remains of the Mohicans’ pillaged home that she begins to feel for Hawkeye.

They rest at a camp at nightfall, and she converses with Hawkeye, borne more out of curiosity than attraction. It is the first time their eyes meet, not out of necessity to gain information, but out of a genuine want to exchange pleasantries. As their conversation continues, Cora discovers that Hawkeye was adopted at an early age by Chingachcook when his parents died and that they live in these lands because they are “beholden to no one” and “not living by another’s leave.” With these words, Cora is fascinated with a life that she has not lived, and charmed by a man whose existence is tied to the earth. Their initial stares may have been minuscule at first, but have now grown into a very intriguing attraction to one another. For the spectators, it is a sight that one wishes to have in real life if they have not yet experienced it: finding someone from a completely different world and becoming charmed by their mystery. From this point forward, Cora is hooked, and the stoic and calculated Hawkeye lays his guard down in predilection. Much like the very first meeting between two strangers repeatedly eyeing each other at the local pub, Hawkeye and Cora’s spirited introduction of their true selves engulfs the hearts of those who are watching.

Cora and Hawkeye’s Love Is Timeless

Their flourishing tenderness for one another grows as their predicament continues to worsen. As it turns out, Colonel Munro doesn’t want her daughters anywhere near the fort for their safety and has been practically begging for reinforcements. Cora then rejects the marriage proposal of Colonel Duncan, after seeing him fail to stand up for the militiamen to protect their homestead. In the ensuing turmoil, Hawkeye and Cora see each other, and unable to control their obvious affection for each other, make love in the hidden walls of the battle-worn fort. Exemplified by a lasting image of an embrace illuminated by the red light of the fort’s torches, they have both made their penultimate choices. Hawkeye would do everything for this woman from the opulent Western world, and Cora would throw away everything to be one with a native that draws her closer to the blood of the Earth. It is here where their differences consummate, becoming one and the same, filling the gaping holes in their hearts with an unlikely love that will stand for generations. It is simply a picture of enduring and timeless love, one that continues to be felt to this day by contemporary audiences.

Both ‘Titanic’ and ‘Moicnas’ Feature Sacrifices Made in the Name of Love

Their romance reaches its apex as the danger of their situation reaches a fever pitch. Munro and Hawkeye’s cordial relationship disintegrates due to a dispute in principles and endangers his budding relationship with Cora. The eventual surrender to the French results in a turbulent series of events, leaving the Mohicans racing against time to save Alice from Magua and the Hurons. As they bravely chase after them, Ungcas falls victim to Magua’s axe in front of his own father. Seeing a hopeless future, Alice throws herself off a cliff and ends her own life. Chingachcook, with the raging fury of a grieving father, mercilessly wallops Magua and ends the conflict. It is in this masterpiece of a final scene that catastrophic losses are taken in the name of love.

Sacrifice is a central tenet in romance whether in fiction or in real life. It is willingly given without hesitation and is sometimes devastating. However, if done in the name of love, it is ultimately fulfilling. In Titanic, Rose abandons an ensured escape from the ship to be with Jack. In return, he sacrifices his own life to be able to give her a chance to live. While utterly romantic, all Rose had for the rest of her life was a fleeting moment of bliss. More than anything, she could only gain closure, given to her 84 years later when she threw the heart of the ocean away. On the other hand, Hawkeye had the possibility of leaving with his family unscathed. Cora could have also done the same thing, but they were drawn by the magical connection they shared. Indirectly, Hawkeye is the cause of his brother’s death and the eternal suffering of his father. While living in a perpetual circle of pain, he is still rewarded with a partner to go through it all. Their siblings’ deathswere not for naught, for both of them now share their lives with a special someone, one pair in the present, and the other in the afterlife.

‘The Last of the Mohicans’ Is the Ultimate Epic Romance

In its poetic ending, The Last of the Mohicans unveils the layered forms of love that resulted from their fateful meeting during the first ambush. The viewers see not only the passion between two people destined to be together in Hawkeye and Cora, but also the representation of star-crossed lovers in Uncas and Alice, and the unconditional love of a father for his son. Chingachcook may very well be the last of The Mohicans, but it is not the end of his hopes for peace. By his side is the very exemplification of two people from two disparate worlds embracing their differences in the name of love. It is a powerful idea, one that he clings to as he traverses the uncertain future of an ever-changing nation.

More than simply a happier ending compared to that of its contemporary, it is the ageless thought that people carry out after viewing The Last of The Mohicans. They can overcome social, economic, and racial borders in the name of love. They can move mountains with their hearts. They can leave a lasting legacy of romance despite grave circumstances. It is these lasting ideas that make this picture the ultimate epic movie romance and will continue to spur hope for generations to come.