MovieChat Forums > Jeremiah Johnson (1972) Discussion > Swan's cooking

Swan's cooking

posted 16 years ago by bastasch8647
10 replies | jump to latest

Just some petty complaints about this great movie:

I always thought Johnson over-reacted to Swan's cooking. After all, he wasn't such a great hunter and Swan provided steady meals. Johnson had to fall back on his jerky supply and whatever he could supplement their diet with such as beaver, rabbit, and occasional "real" game.

Also, what exactly was it that Swan was cooking? Was it "fry bread?" I assume it was some Native version of bannock bread made of ground root flour and lard. How do you screw up a simple food such as this? It didn't appear to be burned, and it held together well so presumably was not undercooked. If Johnson was so picky, why didn't he show Swan how to make his "better" biscuits?

Swan seemed to be baking the bread, not frying it, so it probably was not overly greasy. It looked tasty enough on screen... Johnson could have been a wee bit more gentlemanly.

[–] Dances_with_Weasels 16 years ago

It was just in there for a comedy relief moment...nothing more.

Are you going to pull those pistols or whistle "Dixie"?

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bastasch8647 16 years ago

Anyone know exactly what she was cooking? It looked good to me. It must be realted to fry bread but it looked like she was baking or grilling it, not frying it. Has anyone eaten Native bread?

[–] William-Stephenson-1 16 years ago

There is a pot of boiling water. Lewis and Clark talked about a root the Flathead boiled and fed them. Lewis reported that at first it tasted terrible but he later got used to it. It also caused an incredible amount of gas.

[–] mountainjam819 16 years ago

He sure was picky for a starvin' pilgrim!

Haha, sorry, I couldn't resist.

[–] washcloud 16 years ago

...right on.
The scene that JJ drags himself away from his better half's "kitchen", looking like as if he's just been severely beaten, to just let go of the seemingly unexpectedly horrible mouthful, climaxing with his jolted dissaproval for "more" when he returns at the "dinner table", is one of the funniest in the film, and in cinema in general...

[–] DaVooz 16 years ago

he just feeking the need to be grouchy, He hasn't adjust to the modus of family life and he was used being alone. He is not calling the shots, and he worries he likes the indian bride a littel more than he expected.

[–] Ironman54 14 years ago

Not to mention how he sends the boy over to get his share LOL ! Funny as he didn't want the boy to see him spit his out and funny because he knew damn well what he was setting the boy up for ! Great bit of comic relief. Save yourself, sacrifice the kid if need be LOL !

[–] sagaylo 13 years ago

Johnson's a strict carnivore - after he spits out the flatbread, he pulls a chunk of jerky out of his coat and gnaws on it - just my guess on a boatload of curious aspects in the plotline.

[–] Kurt-150 12 years ago

She is most likely cooking acorn biscuits. Johnson would not have been used to the faint bitter taste of the acorn tannen that remained even though the Indians were surely good at leaching.

William, Lewis & Clark were probably talking about Jerusalem Artichoke.