No list of memorable hermits would be complete without one or two “mountain men.” Most Memorable Hermits No. 3 and 4 will be Jeremiah Johnson (played by Robert Redford) and Johnson’s mentor/aggravant “Bear Claw” Chris Lapp (played by the late Will Geer). The 1972 film Jeremiah Johnson was directed by the late Sydney Pollack. Filmed in Utah’s Rocky Mountains, it’s one of those spectacular scenery classics you can have on TV as good “background.” But you should also sit down and watch it with focus every so often. You’ll discover how change (your own and the world’s) alters your reaction to and the relevance of some scenes. (Hard to believe Robert Redford is now older than Will Geer was when the film was made.) Bear Claw has more respect for Jeremiah by the time they meet up toward the end of the movie after a tough winter.
