MovieChat Forums > Jeremiah Johnson (1972) Discussion > Was Paints His Shirt Red involved in kil...

Was Paints His Shirt Red involved in killing Johnson's family?

posted 18 years ago by doctorc1970
3 replies | jump to latest

I posted this as a reply in an earlier thread, but think it needs its own:

I could be completely wrong on this, but I don't think so. I've watched this film several times. You can plainly see when Johnson enters his cabin after the masacre that it is one of Paints His Shirt Red's arrows stuck in the door frame (look for the red band around the shaft of the arrow). Earlier in the movie Bear Claw implicitly states that the arrow with the red band around it belongs to Paint His Shirt Red (when an arrow strikes the tree trunk, later the scene where Johnson gives PHSR a couple of hides for passage through Crow land). Also, Bear Claw asks Johnson if they know each other in this scene.

This of course implies that Paints His Shirt Red was one of the Crow that killed Johnson's family. I would guess that this wouldn't make them "friends" but they may share a mutual respect. I also wouldn't doubt that given the chance, Johnson would exact his revenge on PHSR. Would have been interesting to see what happened after they acknowledge each other.

Thoughts?

[–] dgive703 18 years ago

Yes..Paints His Shirt Red was involved in the death.It was a matter of honor to his people he do this.By the end of the movie Jeremiah meets him and is hoping that his long time friend and himself do not have to battle.When Paints His Shirt Red raises his hand to Jeremiah,it is a sign of honor.He gives Jeremiah his life and lets him know things are ok.It is heart warming moment for them both.

[–] rwsmith29456 14 years ago

The desecration of the burial ground was so offensive to the Indians that, (even if they weren't friends but tolerated each other) Paints His Shirt Red HAD to (being part of the Crow band) be knowledgable of the attack before it happened even if he didn't personally engage in it himself.

[–] rj-27 8 years ago

By the end of the movie Jeremiah meets him and is hoping that his long time friend and himself do not have to battle

They smoked a peace pipe together, but I do not see at any point where they were "friends". If anything, the pact they made when smoking that pipe was a mutual non-aggression pact that Jeremiah violated when leading the soldiers through the sacred burial ground.

By the time they meet again, there is so much blood spilled and so many good warriors killed and Johnson's medicine is so strong, Paints His Shirt basically says "Enough, Okay?"

The "heartwarming" part is Johnson raising his hand while gritting his teeth in fierce acceptance of the declared truce. He's now sick of death and wants Paints His Shirt to know it.

Democracy is the pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. H.L. Mencken