Jeremiah Johnson (1972) – Survival Lessons for Everyone
The Survival Movie Series begins with one of the most well-known survival films: Jeremiah Johnson. It hooks you in the first few minutes with the promise of freedom and adventure, then spends the next two hours grinding the main character, Jeremiah Johnson, down with one hard truth after another: survival can be really difficult.
A man heads into the mountains to live free. No plan. No real skills. Just determination and a rifle. What he gets is a relentless series of tests and lessons—about the land, about solitude, and about the cost of learning too late.
For anyone who has ever daydreamed about bugging out in a disaster or just leaving it all behind, this film offers some valuable lessons wrapped in buckskin and wilderness.
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Where to Watch Jeremiah Johnson (1972)Watch on Amazon Prime Video Buy a DVD on Amazon
Stream on Apple TV
TL;DR: Jeremiah Johnson (1972) is more than a western—it’s a tough, realistic survival story that shows what happens when grit meets the unforgiving wilderness.
Watch the Original Trailer for Jeremiah Johnson
Ratings & Reviews at a Glance
Rotten TomatoesCritics Score: 91% 
IMDb Rating7.6/10 Why I Like This Movie
It's one of the first movies I remember watching that made heading out into the woods seem exciting and something to actually consider. Just head on up into the Sierra Nevada Mountains and figure it out.
I also like it because it has that old-school pacing and grit. My 82-year-old father watches old black-and-white westerns and cop shows—this probably hits a bit of nostalgia for me from a simpler time when life was ahead of me.
Jeremiah Johnson is one of the reasons I love camping and the outdoors. It’s why I enjoyed the Boy Scouts and the infantry. And it’s one of the reasons I enjoy living in the woods now.
Jeremiah Johnson Survival Lesson
From a modern-day preparedness perspective, some people consider bugging out to a national forest or remote area. And if things get bad enough in your PACE plan (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency), you might find yourself forced to do just that. For most, though, that’s not realistic—because it will only happen as a last resort. Why, because most people know they’ll die if they try to survive by living off the land.
Jeremiah Johnson (1972) shows what it really looks like in a society without modern conveniences. There's no tech to answer questions or point you in the right direction. No YouTube tutorials. No freeze-dried meals. Just you, the wilderness, and whatever knowledge or grit you bring with you. 
Favorite Scenes or Moments
- I like the opening scene of a young, adventurous person heading out to make his way in a wild world.
- The scene where Jeremiah Johnson meets Hatchet Jack, his savior and mentor, shows that we all need help at times.
These are just a few of the valuable preparedness mindset lessons woven throughout Jeremiah Johnson.
Where to Watch Jeremiah Johnson (1972)Watch on Amazon Prime Video Buy a DVD on Amazon
Stream on Apple TV
Additional Resources
- Red Dawn (1984) Movie Review
- The Impossible (2012) Movie Review
- Wilderness Medical Emergencies
- Jeremiah Johnson – Wikipedia
Frequently Asked Questions About Jeremiah Johnson
Robert Redford plays Jeremiah. Also featured: Will Geer (Hatchet Jack), Stefan Gierasch (Del Gue), and Matt Clark (Qualen). Co-written by John Milius (Apocalypse Now). The film was directed by Sydney Pollack, who later won an Oscar. Redford did too. Full Cast on IMDb
Yes. The story was inspired by Vardis Fisher’s novel Mountain Man, on which the film is loosely based. Buy Mountain Man by Vardis Fisher on Amazon (Affiliate)
Filmed in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, including scenes in Zion National Park and Ashley National Forest. Filming details on Wikipedia
The film doesn’t show his death. In legend, the real-life figure he’s loosely based on (John “Liver-Eating” Johnston) lived into old age and died in 1900.
Not exactly. It’s inspired by stories about John “Liver-Eating” Johnston, but most of the film is fictionalized.
A Hawken rifle is iconic among mountain men of the era. It’s a .50 caliber muzzleloader and one of the most reliable rifles of the frontier. Replica Hawken .50 Caliber – Muzzle Loaders
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I have been a fan of Jeremiah Johnson for years and have watched it several times. Stunning settings for filming, which adds so much to the realism. It is in my opinion one of Redford’s best flicks. ( Out of Africa, The Natural, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid and The Sting being the others.) One of the lessons I took out of the film is protect your family and loved ones no matter the environment you find yourself in and what outside forces are working against you. I am referring to the part where the U.S. soldiers and the missionary show up at the Johnson cabin and want him to guide them to rescue some stranded settlers in the mountains somewhere. When Johnson tries to tell them the chances of the people surviving are slim due to the harsh mountain winter, the missionary (Christian) reminds him that good Christian women and children are going to die (browbeats Johnson, really) . You can see that this missionary doesn’t approve of Johnson’s native wife or the boy who was saved after his family was massacred. Johnson does guide them, but is reluctant the whole time. He and his native wife have created a decent life with the boy in the wilderness and he torn between them and the rescue. When they reach a sacred Indian burial ground Johnson knows they cannot cross it, but again gets guilted into continuing on. They end up finding the stranded people and Johnson immediately heads back, sensing that his family is now in danger due to the crossing of the sacred lands. Of course, when he gets back he finds his woman and the boy dead, killed as retaliation for him taking the white men across the burial grounds. Jeremiah is shattered; his life is now ruined and he can only carry out his own vengeance, which goes on for the rest of the film. Johnson is never the same. He was at heart a good man; but a demanding missionary pulled the guilt card on him and his kindness was his undoing and the source of unending sorrow. Help others when you can and be a good person. But no one should be forced to sacrifice their family for anyone. A man can give his life for his loved ones; but don’t put them in danger to save others. I think Johnson would agree.
Thanks for the great comment and insight. I incorporated your thoughts into the article. Much appreciated.