Robert Redford has gone up the trail.
The 89-year-old actor went out surrounded by the mountains that became a beloved home to him after he starred in the seminal Mountain Man movie, Jeremiah Johnson.
Redford portrayed Denys Finch-Hatton in Out of Africa.
Redford was a passionate environmentalist and an advocate for indigenous peoples. He narrated the 1992 documentary film Incident at Oglala, which recounted the civil war on the Pine Ridge Reservation that led to the 1975 killing of two FBI agents, for which Leonard Peltier served decades behind bars.
He led a long life full of achievements and accolades. When I saw the news, my first thought was the closing freeze-frame of Jeremiah Johnson, reflecting on the immortality that comes when a man becomes legend:
And some folks say he’s up there still…
Quixotic Mainer says
He’ll be missed! Jeremiah Johnson led to Vardis Fisher and a subscription to “The Backwoodsman”, so I can’t deny a great influence in my path from there. He did a pretty good Buck Brannaman larp in Horse Whisperer too.
JimC says
Many a seed was planted by that movie.
joe p. says
in my opinion an earlier piece of work by robert redford was his best and that was a book he put out in the early 70’s (1972?) called the outlaw trail. it told of retracing sections of the old outlaw trail by horse and four wheel drive.much local history and lore brought out. sponsored by national goegraphic so the pictures were awesome.
JimC says
Wonderful book. There was a time when virtually everyone I knew had that on their coffee table.
Brian H. says
Yep I have that book. It is well done.
Wayne says
He didn’t look a bit like Finch-Hatton and didn’t attempt the accent. Nevertheless, he made it work beautifully. The common thread was probably that they both had incredible charisma coupled with intelligence. he’ll be missed.
JimC says
I have read that Pollack said he actually worked up an accent, but that Pollack thought nobody would have believed him with it. Which, if true, was the right call. It is impossible to envision that. I have a colleague who says the hair-washing scene in Out of Africa is the most erotic thing ever put on film. I ain’t about to argue with her…