This is a movie staring Robert Redford as a mountain man. The story begins as he gets off the river and starts inland seeking out the high places to trap and hunt away from the sights and sounds of man. The life of a mountain man is a hard lonely life.  The beginning is just the stage of survival. The life of a mountain man is constant learning and growing with in and around the elements of growing old. Winter in the high country is a true test of a mans metal and his ability to survive and outlast the weather.

Jeremiah is shepard by Bear Claw, an old mountain man played by Will Geer, as he learns the ways of living in the mountains. Continuing on with his life he comes upon a crazy woman who has to bury all of her family that were killed by the Crow Indians. Jeremiah picks up the crazy woman’s mute son and has the beginnings of a family. With several twists and turns he ends up with a wife and they all head off to build a cabin and settle into a peaceful life.

Jeremiah is confronted and challenged to lead an army rescue party through the mountains to save a stranded emigrant wagon train. He is confronted at the top of a pass with a Crow burial ground and resists going through.  He is persuaded to forge ahead even though he knows it is wrong.

This is the right angle change in his life.  His mind reveals the trouble and he races home to find his family murdered. The Crow killed them and he sets out to avenge those who killed his family. Accomplishing that he feels he has settled the score but what happens next is that he becomes a symbol to the tribe of strength and is set upon by one warrior at a time.

As the story ends peace is offered and he accepts. This is a great movie and I have seen it many times and recommend it to all western movie viewers.