some say he's dead... some say he never will be.

Starring: Robert Redford, Will Geer, Stefan Gierasch, Dell Bolton, Josh Albee, Joaquin Martinez, Allyn Ann McLerie, Paul Benedict, Jack Colvin, Matt Clark, Richard Angarola, Charles Tyner, Tanya Tucker

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"And there ain't no churches, except for this right here! And there ain't no priests excepting the birds. By God, I are a mountain man, and I'll live 'til an arrow or a bullet finds me. And then I'll leave my bones on this great map of the magnificent..." – Del Gue

Why watch this? This simple, compelling Western film focuses on a lone man in the Rocky Mountains of the mid 1800's.

Plot Summary: Jeremiah Johnson is a veteran who seeks to escape civilization and live a solitary life as a mountain man in the Rocky Mountains. He faces the challenges of the harsh wilderness and learns to survive with the help of others, eventually forming a unique family. However, a tragic event leads to conflict with the Crow tribe, resulting in an ongoing vendetta and Jeremiah's transformation into a legendary figure.

Dad's Preview: There is a realness, a raw edge, to this neo-Western. Portraying a wild, bearded mountain man was an odd choice for the suave, handsome Redford, but it pays off. The story is based on the life of trapper John "Liver-Eating" Johnson. Seeing our American wilderness, as it was back then, is awe-inspiring. That said, it would be a dangerous, confusing, and difficult place to survive. That is the beauty of the film. I believe this is how it would have been. The Native Americans are portrayed honestly, with traits both brutal and humane. People isolated in a harsh wilderness would all have to be a little odd. That is reality.

Sanford Productions (III); Warner Bros.