The Pathfinder (1996)

Laurie Holden is Mabel Dunham, traveling on foot to a reunion with her father on the British frontier during the French and Indian War.

Her guide, Arrowhead (Russell Means) is about to lead her into a trap when Pathfinder (Kevin Dillon) and his adoptive father Chingachgook (Graham Greene) show up.

They get her safely to the English outpost, but the danger isn’t over.

With the help of their Indian allies, the French are planning an assault on Fort Osewago, as well as a new outpost the British have constructed.

Meanwhile, Mabel finds no shortage of admirers in her new home.

Maj. Muier, once captured and tortured by the Indians, would like to make her his fifth wife.

Ensign Jasper Weston falls for the lovely Mabel at first sight and wins her a shawl in a shooting contest.

Then there’s Pathfinder, who isn’t eager to be tamed and confined to homelife, but finds himself attracted to Mable just the same.

Muier spreads rumors that Weston is a traitor and has him locked in irons at one point, hoping to eliminate a rival for Mabel’s hand.

Getting rid of Pathfinder won’t be as easy.

But this much is true: There is a traitor among the British ranks, and he’s just begun his dirty deeds.

Kevin Dillon as Pathfinder, confessing his feelings for Mabel to her father in The Pathfinder (1996)

Laurie Holden as Mabel Dunham, fascinated by stories of Pathfinder’s upbringing in The Pathfinder (1996)

Review:

Those fascinated by 1992’s superb “Last of the Mohicans” and craving another French and Indian War saga might want to give this one a whirl.

It won’t be as impressive, partly because it was done on a much smaller budget. The action scenes, in particular, will seem quite cheap by comparison.

But there’s an attractive cast, a decent love story and several twists, some you will see coming from at least half hour away, others you might not.

Leading lady Laurie Holden would later have a recurring role in the TV series version of the “Magnificent Seven” and gain fame as Andrea on “The Walking Dead.”

Fourth-billed Stacy Keach is saddled with a ridiculous wig here and has little to do with the story. He’s a French general, commenting on the action from afar.

Several actors in more prominent roles — Maj. Mueir, Cap and our heroine’s father — aren’t on any cast lists I’ve seen, so any help identifying them would be appreciated.

Jaimz Woolveet as Jasper Weston, at odds with Maj. Mueir again in The Pathfinder (1996)

British Maj. Mueir, who lost an eye as a captive and wants to get back at someone in The Pathfinder . Does anyone know who plays this part? (1996)

Directed by:
Donald Shebib

Cast:
Kevin Dillon … Pathfinder / Hawkeye / Deerslayer / Nathaniel
Graham Greene … Chingachgook
Laurie Holden … Mabel Dunham
Stacy Keach … Compte de Leon
Ralph Kussmann … Ship’s guard
Christian Laurin … Capt. Sanglier
Russell Means … Arrowhead
Charles Edwin Powell … Lt. Zale
Charlotte Sullivan … May
Jaimz Woolvett … Jasper Weston

Runtime: 102 min.

Graham Greene as Chingachgook, offering words of wisdom to his adopted son in The Pathfinder (1996)

Russell Means (right) as Arrowhead, with his Indian wife in The Pathfinder (1996)

Memorable lines:

Compte de Leon, of France and England: “You know, sometimes I dream that our two kings are put in a cell together. And no one unlocks the door until one is dead, both are dead or they have become lovers.”

British guard as storm whips the boat: “Are we going to die, sir?”
Pathfinder: “We will if you don’t release the ship’s captain.”
Guard: “I’ll hang if I do.”
Pathfinder: “And you’ll drown if you don’t.”

Lt. Zale of Maj. Mueir: “He’s had four wives, you know.”
Mabel Dunham: “What happened to them?”
Lt. Zale: “I’m not sure. As the rumor goes, one divorced him, one died and two just up and ran away.”

Pathfinder: “This is how it starts, isn’t it?”
Mabel Dunham: “What?”
Pathfinder: “The taming of a man. A fine meal. A gentle woman.”

Sgt. Maj. Dunham, happy to be reunited with his daughter, but fearing for her safety in The Pathfinder (1996). Does anyone know who plays this part?

Cap, the grizzled old-timer who helps lead Mabel Dunham to safety in The Pathfinder (1996). Does anyone know who plays this part?

Stacy Keach as Compte de Leon, envisioning victories by the French from the comfort of his home in The Pathfinder (1996)

Kevin DIllon as Pathfinder with Laurie Holden as Mabel Dunham in The Pathfinder (1996)