Review of Jeremiah Johnson (1972) by Tomas T — 13 May 2012
4: This is the kind of film I wish was made more often. It's also the kind of film I can't help but I wish I were living rather than watching. It's reminiscent of a western, and could be classified as such, but it's really something different.
I'd say it falls within the subgenre of settler/wilderness adventure/founding of the west pictures. The locations are what make it work. One really feels as if it was show in a time when one needed no more direction than head west to the Rockies and then turn left to find good fur/pelt/hunting terrain.
It gives one a sense of just how different, difficult, and glorious existing in this time and place might have been. I couldn't help but think about "Alone in the Wilderness" as redford constructed his home.
I've always been very jealous whenever I see homesteads like this. Redford plays J. Johnson such that he seems both down-to-earth and bigger-than-life. It's an understated, but effective performance.
The film looks beautiful on Blu-Ray as well. I couldn't help but think of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid at the end as well. It's unclear if J. Johnson shared their fate, but it is certainly plausible.
This review of Jeremiah Johnson (1972) was written by Tomas T on 13 May 2012.
Jeremiah Johnson has generally received very positive reviews.
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