Jeremiah Johnson [Jeremiah and Caleb see a bird flying across the sky]
Hawk. Goin' for the Musselshell. Take me a week's ridin', and he'll be there in... hell, he's there already.
Most-quoted character in Jeremiah Johnson (1972): in 22 of its 27 quotes
Most scenes with: Del Gue (12), Bear Claw Chris Lapp (6)
Stop that, boy!
More lines from Jeremiah Johnson
1 quote Jeremiah Johnson Scenes with Jeremiah Johnson
20 scenes Jeremiah Johnson Where you headed?
Same place you are, Jeremiah: hell, in the end.
Jeremiah Johnson [Jeremiah and Bear Claw hunt elk]
Wind's right, but he'll just run soon as we step out of these trees.
Trick to it. Step out on this side of your horse.
Jeremiah Johnson What if he sees our feet?
Elk don't know how many feet a horse has! No, you durn fool, slide it up over the saddle.
Jeremiah Johnson Just where is it I could find bear, beaver, and other critters worth cash money when skinned?
Robidoux
Ride due west till the sun sets. Turn left at the Rocky Mountains.
Jeremiah Johnson [Jeremiah and Caleb find Del Gue buried to his neck in sand]
Are you all right?
I got a fine horse under me! [sneezes] Got one of them feathers in my nose.
Jeremiah Johnson Keep sneezing, it'll come out all right. Haven't seen anyone pass by recent, have you?
Nobody's gone in front of me. Can't say what's happened behind me, though.
Jeremiah Johnson Indians put you here?
T'weren't Mormons! A chief, name of Mad Wolf. Nice fella, don't talk a hell of a lot. Say, you wouldn't have an extra hat on you, would you? Shade's getting' scarce in these parts.
Jeremiah Johnson What'd you shave your head for?
Mad Wolf figures like every other Indian I know, says this scalp ain't fit for no decent man's lodgepole. Ain't the first time I've protected my head in such a way. Name's Del Gue, with an "e".
[Bear Claw and Jeremiah Johnson meet again after not seeing each other for a long time.]
What's on the spit?
Jeremiah Johnson Grown particular?
Not about feedin' just the company I keep. [Jeremiah tosses him a rabbits leg] Thank you, kindly.
You've come far, pilgrim.
Jeremiah Johnson Feels like far.
Were it worth the trouble?
Jeremiah Johnson [painfully]
Ah, what trouble?
You cook good rabbit pilgrim. Cold up here.
Jeremiah Johnson What brings you up so high?
Grizz!
Jeremiah Johnson Uh, Grizz.
Avalanche took the cabin, lost my mule. We swum out of it. No matter, there weren't no Grizz left anyway.
Jeremiah Johnson You wouldn't happen to know what month of the year it is?
Why no, I truly wouldn't. I'm sorry, pilgrim. Winter's a long time going?
Jeremiah Johnson [exhausted]
Ah.
Stays long this high.
Jeremiah Johnson March. Maybe, April.
March maybe. I don't believe April. [rising to depart] March is a green muddy month down below, some folks like it, FARMERS mostly. You've done well to keep so much hair when so many's after it. I hope that you fare well.
Jeremiah Johnson You will do well, Del. You will do well, if you don't get in too much trouble with all that hair.
Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was coming to the mountains to trap and be a mountain man. Acted like they was gut-shot. Says, "son, make your life go here. Here's where the peoples is. Them mountains is for animals and savages." I said, "Mother Gue, the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world." And by God I was right.
Which way you headed, Jeremiah?
Jeremiah Johnson Canada, maybe. I hear there is land there a man has never seen.
Well, keep your nose in the wind, and your eyes along the skyline.
Jeremiah Johnson I will do that, Del Gue.
Jeremiah Johnson Who are they?
Probably Crow. If'n they catch us, they'll steal our horses.
Jeremiah Johnson Why?
It's their territory, they figure we're tresspassin'.
[an arrow flies by Bear Claw's head and sticks in a tree]
Yep, Crow. A fella by the name of Paints-His-Shirt-Red. That's his sign. Just stand still.
[Paints His Shirt Red approaches. Bear Claw pulls arrow from tree and hands it back]
[Jeremiah and Del have killed the Indians that stole Del's horse and gear]
Don't you want any of these?
Jeremiah Johnson What?
Scalps!
Jeremiah Johnson [Shaken by the incident]
No.
Well, Mother Gue never raised such a foolish child!
[Pulls his knife and begins scalping the Indians]
[Del and Jeremiah have run into a Flathead scouting party]
He wants to know if you are the great warrior who avenges the crazy women that lives in the Wolf Tail Valley. She's big medicine. You are too, if you be that man.
Jeremiah Johnson [the Indian begins talking in a very loud voice]
What's he shoutin' for?
Scared of ya.
Jeremiah Johnson [Jeremiah finds Del Gue buried in the sand]
Indians put you here?
Tweren't Mormons! Chief name of Mad Wolf; nice enough fellow, don't talk a hell of a lot.
Jeremiah Johnson Why'd you shave your head?
Mad wolf, like most Indians I know, figures this scalp ain't fit for no descent man's lodge pole; It's not the first time I've saved my head in such a manner. Name's Del Gue. With an E.
Jeremiah Johnson Y'ever get lonesome?
Fer what?
Jeremiah Johnson Woman?
Full time night woman? I never could find no tracks on a woman's heart. I packed me a squaw for ten year, Pilgrim. Cheyenne, she were, and the meanest bitch that ever balled for beads. I lodge-poled her at Deadwood Creek, and traded her for a Hawken gun. But don't get me wrong; I loves the womens, I surely do. But I swear, a woman's breast is the hardest rock that the Almighty ever made on this earth, and I can find no sign on it. Now these coals will simmer till sunrise. You best go do likewise.
[Hours later, Jeremiah stirred out of the sack almost afire]
Didn't put enough dirt down. Saw it right off.
Jeremiah, maybe you best go down to a town, get outta these mountains.
Jeremiah Johnson I've been to a town Del.
You've come far pilgrim.
Jeremiah Johnson Feels like far.
Were it worth the trouble?
Jeremiah Johnson What trouble?
Can you skin Griz, pilgrim?
Jeremiah Johnson I can skin most anything.
You sure are cocky for a starvin' pilgrim.
Well there she be. Go inside get yourself warm, get yourself something to eat. I've got a chore to finish. Now boy, are you sure that you can skin Griz?
Jeremiah Johnson I can skin'em as fast as you can catch'em.
[Bear Claw runs through the cabin with a huge Grizzly Bear close behind and jumps out the back window.]
Skin that pilgrim, and I'll get you another!
[Jeremiah has just killed a Crow warrior who has been stalking him]
Is it always like this? One at the time?
Jeremiah Johnson Yep.
Lucky they were Crow. Apache would have sent fifty at once.
Jeremiah Johnson [Jeremiah is being forced by the Flathead chief to marry an Indian girl]
Del Gue, I don't think this is a good idea.
He may be a Christian and read the bible, but he's still an Indian and his rules is his rules. If you value your hair, you will get married! Now, when this is over you can take her to Fort Hawley and sell her, but you best take her my friend. Besides, maybe she ain't near bad.
[after Jeremiah is introduced to The Swan by Two Tongues Lebeaux] Maybe you need her?
You turn this down, and they'll slit you, me, Caleb and the horses from crotch to eyeball with a dull deer antler.
Jeremiah Johnson [Bear Claw is talking to Paints-his-Shirt in Crow]
You understand what he's sayin'?
Paints-His-Shirt speaks English, he just does this to aggravate me.
Jeremiah Johnson Ain't that hair I see on your head, Del?
I figured that when I depart this life I'd like to leave something behind even if just to be remembered on some man's lodge pole.
Jeremiah Johnson Sound wisdom.
Ain't that Hatchet Jack's rifle?
Jeremiah Johnson Yep.
How did you get it?
Jeremiah Johnson Found him froze to a tree.
Damn! Hatchet Jack was a wild one. He was livin' two years up in in a cave on the Musselshell with a female panther. She never did get used to him.
