In mid-18th century America, woodsman Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) lives amongst British colonists in New York state, but shares the cultural values of his adopted Mohican father, Chingachgook (Russell Means). At the height of the French-Indian war, Hawkeye is asked to lead two British sisters, Cora & Alice (Madeleine Stowe & Jodhi May), through dangerous territory to their father's fort. With the French-allied Hurons on their trail, one of whom has a personal vendetta against the daughters, Hawkeye & his companion Uncas still find time for romance with their charges, much to the chagrin of the accompanying Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington), who has set his cap at Cora.