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This Movie Was a Hit in Theaters for Years

posted 18 years ago by ecarle
5 replies | jump to latest

It was somewhat ironic. Robert Redford had all these roles where he was nicely clean shaven and in suits and smiling all the time ("The Candidate," "The Hot Rock") that didn't hit very big, and then he makes this rather downbeat (but ultimately uplifting) epic where he's all hairy and bearded and killing Indians...and it was a big hit.

But in a weird way.

In the early seventies, video/DVD didn't exist for general consumption and even cable TV was in its infancy.

So "Jeremiah Johnson" just sort of kept playing and playing. Then it would go away. Then it would be re-released: "Jeremiah Johnson is back." Then it would go away again.

"JJ" was a Christmas 1972 release; a year later in '73, Redford hit bigger still with "The Way We Were" and "The Sting" -- so they brought "Jeremiah Johnson" out yet again. And then it went away again.

And came back again: in late '74, I finally saw it. In a theater. As the main feature!

"JJ" was such a hit, it is believed, because it forcefully connected with a 70's youth culture (and perhaps their wistful middle-aged parents) who dreamed of getting back to nature and living alone in the rugged outdoors. It was also jokingly called "the Birkenstocks and granola Western."

[–] joekiddlouischama 18 years ago

That's a revealing remembrance. Jeremiah Johnson (Sydney Pollack, 1972) ultimately generated more income than the likes of Dirty Harry (Don Siegel, 1971) and The Getaway (Sam Peckinpah, 1972), and yet it evidently constituted a slow trickle rather than a sudden impact.

http://www.boxofficereport.com/database/1972.shtml

http://www.boxofficereport.com/database/1971.shtml

[–] hawkeye3006 17 years ago

This was my all-time favorite movie for many years. I saw it first in 72', then over the years saw it 28 times more in theaters, different theaters, until video made its debut. I have one of the original posters from the lobby, and recently bought a small animal trap that was used in the making of the movie. I know it by heart. It inspired me to buy a .50 cal Hawken rifle, and I have shot muzzle-loaders ever since. I now own about a dozen different black powder guns, and I owe it all to JJ. Simply a fantastic movie, especially when one considers that it's based on a true story. God bless Jeremiah Johnson, or should I say, John Johnston (his real name...).

[–] maverick3855 17 years ago

Hey Hawkeye,
If You ever get a chance, go to Red Lodge Montana.
They have a small museum there run by the Montana Historical society and they have Johnston's cabin there as well as a small display about him in the museum itself.
The cabin was restored and sits out in the woods behind the museum.
The attendant when I was there was about 90 years old and she said You could look through the door to the cabin but not go in.
She didn't follow us out so I went in and sat at the table and layed on the bed and got pictures.
I suppose I could have got in trouble but the attendant was a 90 year old woman.
I figure I could've taken her in a fight if I had to, WAUGH!

Oh I live in Montana and almost all the geographical references in that movie are in Montana NOT Colorado.
I have been to Crazy Woman creek many times.
That's way down by Billings and the Custer Battlefield area.

[–] maverick3855 17 years ago

That is true.
I saw the Christmas 72 release in Michigan,
Then about 7 times in the summer of 73 at another theatre in Michigan and yet twice more in the fall of 74 in Muskogee Oklahoma.
I finally bought it on VHS in 83 I believe and have worn out 3 tapes and now have a 4th VHS and will no doubt buy the DVD.

[–] derekhuffman 17 years ago

Cheap too, DVD is 8 bucks, shipped on NewEgg.

"Guns don't kill people, I kill people."