The Sydney Pollack film, Jeremiah Johnson (1972), is very involving as it tells of a war veteran who becomes a mountain man. He fights one Indian after another, which to him is no problem. No wonder. The script makes him indestructible. What would cause terrible physical injury, and undoubtedly death, to an actual man leaves Jeremiah feeling essentially okay. The film is far less realistic (or naturalistic) than A Man Called Horse and it shouldn’t be. It is not quite settled on a point of view. Really, it is a bit leftist—like Robert Redford, who plays Jeremiah—as original scriptwriter John Milius is not, except Milius’s screenplay was rewritten by Edward Anhalt.
As usual, Redford’s acting shines, and JJ is well-made. In fact, congrats to all the actors. I like them better than the movie.