Not sure if the time frame matches up, but any possiblitity that the escorting of the cavalry to the convoy of wagons may have been a reference to the Donner Party?
Vardis Fisher, author of Mountain Man, I believe wrote a book about the Donner Party.
No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn ..... JM
I believe the name of the book by Vardis Fisher on the Donner Party is called The Mothers.
shareYes, thanks. Just an interesting similarity to me that he wrote a book on the Donner Party, and that a very similar event was written into the Jeremiah Johnson movie. Thanks again.
No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn ..... JM
Are there any feature films about the Donner Party?
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I think I can see how it could have been a roundabout, indirect reference to that. Or sort of inspired or influenced by that.
Also, there's something genuinely eerie and spooky about Johnson's solo return trip through the burial ground. I was very impressed by that part.
Ozy
Well, yes there is an eerie feeling in that scene because it is while he is riding back thru the burial ground that he realizes the consequences of trespassing on sacred Indian land. Next scene is when his family is murdered.
No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn ..... JM
It almost seemed like about the time he got a good look at some of the Indian skeletal remains he got some kind of psychic flash or premonition. A *true* one. :o(
Ozy
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I wondered too for a long time what it was that clued him in from the remains.
Look close if you have the DVD or VHS - the blue beads and tassels just added to the graves were taken from Swan's backpack, you can see it dumped on the ground as Johnson rushes into his cabin. Also just before Johnson realizes what the blue grave decorations mean, for a couple frames his eyes suddenly flash a brilliant blue reflection to hint at what he is seeing and realizing.
A few shots earlier of the backpack show the blue decoration - at the wedding at the feet of the bridesmaids, when Johnson dumps the scrawny rabbit into the pot and then sits by the backpack while waiting for Swan to cook his dinner, and when Swan and Johnson are eating lunch during the building of the cabin. The blue tassels can be seen decorating Swan's stirrups as they leave the Flathead Village just after their wedding.
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Thank you, Glen-121. That's some sharp, close observing you've done there. I'll look closer for all that the next time I watch it.
Ozymandias312
Interesting idea but I carefully went through this scene frame by frame. There are a couple of blue items but no tassels or beads. Also didn't see his eyes flash blue.
shareI believe Donner Pass is way too far to the south of the setting for 'JJ'.
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