John Milius wrote Jeremiah Johnson, a story loosely based on the life of the mountain man Liver-Eating Johnson.
Grade: B+
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Theatrical release poster
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Milius later said this was “the real breaking point” where he knew “almost overnight… that I had become a good writer with a voice.”
I knew that material. I’d lived in the mountains, I had a trapline, I hunted, and I had a lot of experiences with characters up there. So, it was real easy to write that and there was a humor to it, a kind of bigger-than-life attitude. I was inspired by Carl Sandburg. I read a lot of his poetry and it’s this kind of abrupt description—”a train is coming, thundering steel, where are you going? Wichita.” That great kind of feeling that he had, that’s what I was trying to do there.
I remember there was a great poem about American braggarts. American liars—”I am the ring-tailed cousin to the such and such that ate so and so and I can do this and I can do that better than Mike Fink the river man …”
I just realized that this was the voice that the script had to have. It was as clear as a bell. I knew that writing was particular to me.
Milius sold the script to Warner in 1970 for $5,000, going up to $50,000 if it was ever made.
Warner had other writers work on the original script based on The Crow Killer. Milius was also called back to work on it, and his fee grew each time. He eventually made $90,000 on the film.
Things changed when Robert Redford agreed to play the lead and Sydney Pollack signed to direct.
Credits:
Directed by Sydney Pollack
Screenplay by Edward Anhalt, John Milius
Story by Raymond W. Thorp, Robert Bunker
Based on “Mountain Man” by Vardis Fisher
Crow Killer by Raymond W. Thorp and Robert Bunker
Produced by Joe Wizan
Starring Robert Redford
Cinematography Duke Callaghan
Edited by Thomas Stanford
Music by Tim McIntire, John Rubinstein
Production company: Sanford Productions (III)
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release dates: May 7, 1972 (Cannes Fest); Dec 21, 1972 (NYC)
Running time: 108 minutes; 116 minutes (w/ Overture and Intermission)
Budget $3.1 million
Box office $44.7 million
