There is a good chance that most people don’t know the story behind a famous meme featuring a nod of approval by the late Robert Redford, and have no idea about the greatness that is Jeremiah Johnson. That’s a shame, because not only is this one of the late actor’s best movies, but it’s also a wonderful western film that withstood the test of time.
I recently went back and rewatched Sydney Pollack’s 1972 epic about a veteran of the Mexican War who decides to leave society behind to brave the elements as a trapper high up in the Rocky Mountains. This was an incredibly powerful and meaningful rewatch in 2026 for a variety of reasons, and not just because of that clip of Redford’s iconic smile and nod that has been shared countless times over the years. Let me explain…
