MovieChat Forums > Jeremiah Johnson (1972) Discussion > Why would Redford be in an Anti-Native A...

Why would Redford be in an Anti-Native American Movie, part 2

posted 12 years ago by Blueghost
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by GettnMovieBuff (Sun Jan 21 2007 14:38:37)
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I know Redford is heavily involved in the Native American community, directing many films to reveal their plight and even founding sundance largely to aid them in making movies.

So why did he make such a seemingly Anti-Native American movie in Jeremiah Johnson?

It wasn't as you describe. You are mischaracterising the film, and are doing so intentionally, are truly do not know what the film is about.

This film portrays a confederate soldier who is forced into taking care of a young boy who is the victim of a warband raid, and a woman who is the daughter of a tribal chief. He interacts with all people in the film on an individual basis.

He is fortunate enough to come across a mountaineer that helps him get started, but unfortunate enough to come across a sociopath burried up to his neck who makes things worse for him by stirring trouble.

The film portrays not so much cultural rifts between white settlers (honest and bad) and the natives who lived in the mountains for years, but key elements that create those rifts in the first place.

The fact that Redford's character does not take retribution out on anyone, but takes in the boy and accepts a marriage to a native American woman speaks volumes for this film.

How you missed all this is beyond me.

[–] Naughty-God 12 years ago

You just mischaracterized this film yourself by stating that Jeremiah was a confederate soldier. The story takes place in the 1830s. There was no Confederacy.

(¯`i´¯)´·¸.)‹^›

[–] Blueghost 12 years ago

No, that's what the film states. It's not my mischaracterization, but a flub of the production company. He's wearing grey with gold piping at the begining, and tries to hide it. He even asks how the war's going, and holds back as to which war he means. That characters in the story even acknowledge this.

Again, not my doing.

[–] Pharaoh-in-de-Nile 12 years ago

There film doesn't state that and the publicity says it is set during the Mexican-American War.

As for the uniform you are wrong again, you will (and I can get some screencaps if you like) notice he is wearing (slightly greyish) sky blue trousers with gold piping (denoting he is either an NCO or CO in the cavalry), his jacket is indeed dark grey (too dark for the Confederate uniforms) but is an early civilian sack coat and not military issue. His hat is a dark blue cap with crossed-sword insignia (again denoting cavalry) and is issue, though it doesn't have the usual gold band on it (as was sometimes the case).

His usual tunic would have been a 1833 shell coat which was in a style that was inspired by the design of the Tail Coat used in the early 1800s (and worn in the 'War of 1812').

The uniforms would look thusly:

http://www.aztecclub.com/uniforms/o-Resaca500.jpg

http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch/CavalryMuseumuniformDD24X3.jpg

http://americangallery.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/u-s-army-infantry-and-dragoon-during-the-mexican-war.jpg?w=432&h=600

An image of Jeremiah Johnson in his issued cap:

http://www.zuguide.com/images/4297/4297.0.219.138.jpg

And his trousers can be seen here:

http://www.soundonsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/JJ-1.jpg

"The game's afoot!"

[–] Blueghost 12 years ago

Then why when Robert Redford asks about "the war" does Paul Benedict's character return and say "which one?"

What, is he talking about peasant revolting against Czarist Russia, or the continued civil war in Japan, or the Belgian revolution in Europe?

I think most people, perhaps wrongly with your knowledge, would say "hey, that guy's wearing grey, and there's more than one war going on, therefore it must be the Civil War that they're talking about..."

Why not just say the Mexican-American war in the beginning?

But, to more the point, how does any of this make it an anti-Native-American film?

That really baffles me.

[–] ContinentalOp 12 years ago

He asks ''which one?'' because he is out of touch with US politics and doesn't know which war is going on. And you had the Second Seminole Wars which happened not long before (1835–42) the Mexican-American war (1846–1848) and the Third Seminole War which occurred not long after wards (1855–58). Of course, Paul Benedict might remember the War of 1812 and the First Seminole War (circa 1814-1819), also. His line makes a lot of sense.

---------------------
Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.

[–] Blueghost 10 years ago

That's not how I read it.

[–] lisajohn-4 10 years ago

As I recall the dialog, Johnson asks how the war against the President of Mexico is going. Paul Benedict's character says "it's over". Then Johnson says "who won?", because he had been in the wilderness so long. As he said earlier in the film, it had been a long time since he had had "so much of the English language spoken at him".

Clearly, this film was set right after the Mexican-American War of the late 1840's. Johnson's Hawken, muzzle-loading rifle was very popular at this time.

To suggest that Johnson might have been referring to wars in Russia, Japan or Belgium is merely argumentative. Highly unlikely that Johnson would be aware of them, let alone ask the search party about them.

All the clues to the time-frame are there. To announce it at the beginning of the film would detract from the unfolding story of the making of this mountain man.

And this film is not anti-Native American.

[–] babybyrd2000 12 years ago

You have to be drunk on political correctness to find this film anti Indian

Its just the opposite to anyone but a weak guilt ridden self loathing cracker

Isn't there an occupy movement somewhere missing its village idiot...

[–] siargao 11 years ago

My thoughts too.

Pray tell, what is anti Indian in this movie? Or do you simply prowl the Boards seeking imagined, contrived offence?

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

An anti Native American movie filled with native American characters, actors and technical consultants and in which a native American tribal village was built authentically in the mountains for the purposes of filming.

Now I know why some animals eat their young.

[–] movies789 11 years ago

It was clearly circa 1840s.

[–] hafosdick 10 years ago

This is far from being an anti Native American movie!

[–] kyussnz 10 years ago

1 jj cant be bothered learning his wife or neighbours tongue
2 all the other whiteys speak of them dirty injuns derogatroily
3 natives were the fiends in the family killing, but without any given explanation
4 tyhe christian army ignores all his advice about trespass; couldnt give a toss
5 jj knows he trespassed as to why his family was killed yet he still goes for pointless revenge

so def moderate racist but aims to be of its time

brilliant cinematography

[–] lisajohn-4 10 years ago

kyussnz ..... I don't know what movie you watched.

1. Johnson did learn Swan's language. He understood her word for her facial abrasion caused by his beard and then shaved it off for her.
2. Bear Claw Chris Lapp did not at all speak derogatorily of the Native Americans. He spoke respectfully of Paints His Shirt Red. Del Gue noted that Two-Tongues Lebeaux spoke French and was a Christian. The mountain men respected the Native Americans.
3. The Crows did not kill Johnson's family without explanation. You answer this with your own question #5!
4. The soldiers did ignore Johnson's warning about trespassing over Crow burial grounds....I do agree with you on this point.
5. Johnson's revenge was not pointless. He knows he broke Crow rules. If the Crows were in Johnson's shoes, they would have absolutely exacted the same revenge. Johnson learned a hard lesson and from then on played by their rules.

This film was in no way racist. It portrayed life as it was....harsh and cruel. The mountain men had to learn how to coexist with Native culture and operate within their rules if they wanted to survive.

The modern, predominately white, PC-driven culture still wants to portray Native Americans as some hippie-dream-culture that lived a peaceful, natural, organic, life at-one-with-nature. It was far richer, more complex culture with aspects that whites consider savage.....but it wasn't considered so by Native cultures. Read "Empire of the Summer Moon" to learn about one of the fiercest tribes of the southern plains, the Commanches.