I’ve really been on a wilderness kick lately, and the latest movie I’ve seen reflects that trend. Jeremiah Johnson is the story of a mountain man. The movie opens with a song and a narration:
His name was Jeremiah Johnson, and they say he wanted to be a mountain man. The story goes that he was a man of proper wit and adventurous spirit, suited to the mountains. Nobody knows whereabouts he come from and don’t seem to matter much. He was a young man and ghostly stories about the tall hills didn’t scare him none. He was looking for a Hawken gun, .50 caliber or better. He settled for a .30, but damn, it was a genuine Hawken, and you couldn’t go no better. Bought him a good horse, and traps, and other truck that went with being a mountain man, and said good-bye to whatever life was down there below.
Basically, Jeremiah escapes the tragedies of war and his life by moving into the mountains to become a fur trapper.
His first winter nearly kills him, but with a little help, Jeremiah becomes one of the best trappers. The story is very complex, there is humor, action and despair throughout the film and Robert Redford does a very good job of acting. Jeremiah does get into many fights with local Indians (Flatheads and Crows I believe) and while some the fighting scenes could have been done better, the are sufficient. Really the story and cinematics (unbelievable mountain views) make up for any of Jeremiah Johnson’s Shortcomings.
If you are at all interested in the outdoors, camping, backpacking, or even just the 1800′s I definitely recommend watching this film, especially if you thought Cast Away need a little more action. Even better, use the film as a launching point of whatever adventure of your own you can create. It doesn’t have to be as drastic as moving into the solitude of the mountains, a weekend camping trip, a road trip with some friends, or even a day bicycling can create memories that you’ll cherish forever.
How about it? Are there any other movies out there that have inspired you to act? Or are there other great movies about the outdoors?
I forgot to add this. If any of you like to read, the books the movie is based on is a better way to delve into this story. The two books Jeremiah Johnson was based on are:
1. “Mountain Man” by Vardis Fisher;
2. “Crow Killer: the Saga of Liver-Eating Johnson” by Raymond W. Thorp and Robert Manson Bunker.