In the middle of the 19th century, there was a man named Jeremiah Johnson, a man who was part of the US military in those wars against Mexico. But after he left the war, Jeremiah decided to live alone in peace with nature in the mountains of the western border of the United States. Jeremiah built a house in a remote location, perhaps needing help from others, where he began to gather new friends and acquaintances. But the events vary when he begins to recognize some of the many Indian tribes, the most important of which is Crow, whose existence may be the cause of many conflicts and the most important long-term revenge.
There are momoments of great beauty and terror and deeply earned pathos. There are as well such not-so-incidental pleasures as John Rubinstein's lovely and serviceable musical score, and a cast of excellent supporting actors.
Film4
May 24, 2003
Pollack and Redford collaborated successfully, their earnestness yielding some handsome, if over indulgent, movies such as this factually based adventure.
Beautifully photographed in the wilds of Utah, this film unfortunately doesn't know when to stop; it feels consumed by a self-concious desire to be arty, and offers a treatment too cool for its subject matter.
Like other films of the 1970s, Pollack's saga combines nostalgia and cynicism in equal measure, thus pleasing both right-wing and left-wing viewers, not to speak the delight of seeing Robert Redford at his most handsome in a cowboy attire.