From the Count of Monte Cristo (1971):

Abbe Faria (Richard Harris) : “Here is your final lesson – do not commit
the crime for which you now serve the sentence. God said, “Vengeance is mine.”
Edmond Dantes (Jim Caviezel): “I don’t believe in God.”
Abbe Faria: “It doesn’t matter. He believes in you.”

Ahab Rises

As Bass’s companions prepare to move on, a Native scout says some
Last Rites (?) or a Blessing (?) over Bass – then places a talisman (?)
around his neck.

But let’s take a closer look at that Talisman …
Is that a Cross?

Yep.

Meanwhile …

Yep.

When Bass is ultimately deserted by this comrades
the only thing they leave him is …

… A Bible.

The Arikara (“Rees”) Indians find Bass in his grave.

He receives more Last Rites/Blessings – Native style.

Then … miraculously, Bass eventually Rises from the/his grave …
from the dead.

Sound familiar?

Bass later discovers an uncommon use for the Bible …

It’s makes good kindling – to light his first fire.

Another metaphor?

Meanwhile … Captain Ahab – I mean Captain Henry –
paces the Deck by night …

… while his men grumble about mutiny below deck
– I mean around the campfire.

Where have we seen this before?

Yep.

And that scar …

Where might we have seen that before?

Just a coincidence, I’m sure.

While recuperating, Bass reads the Bible to a friend.
A time for healing, Spiritual Contemplation … and resolution.

He reads aloud these 2 passages:

 “If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.”
– Job 14:14

“For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that its tender shoots will not cease.
Though its root may grow old in the earth,
And its stump may die in the ground …”
– Job 14:7 -9

Ultimately …

Will the circle be broken? or perpetuated?

You’ll have to watch it to find out.

Grace’s Mother: (Man in the Wilderness): 
“There was nothing you could do.
It was God’s will.”
Zachary Bass (Hugh Glass):
“I never much agreed with God’s will.”

The Ark of Zachariah

I haven’t seen all of John Huston’s movies. Among those few that I have seen though, I detect a strong undercurrent of what I would call Christian Mysticism. And there’s plenty of it in Man in the Wilderness.

In the very first image of the very first scene in Man in the Wilderness, we see this:

Any way you look at it, that’s a Cross – a Crucifix. THE Christian symbol.

What’s the next thing we see?
– That the Cross is the mast of a small boat.
A rather odd looking boat.

Or is it?
Let’s take a closer look:

That odd boat (call me crazy) is a miniature version of Noah’s Ark.

See below.

The only thing missing is the animals.

Next comes the Title and the Credits:

The credits say that the movie is “historically true”
and it’s obviously based upon the true story of Hugh Glass.
So why did they change his name to “Zachary Bass“?

Maybe we’ve seen the name Zachary somewhere before … ?

Maybe right here:

The Unforgiven (1960)

Directed by John Huston !

With a whole pile of Zarchays (5 actually).
and accompanied by a mad prophet on horseback spouting Biblical style quotes.

Call me Zachary?

Zachariah – Old Testament Hebrew: means ‘The *LORD remembers’.
The Old Testament prophet Zechariah taught people that God remembers his promises.
Like from a movie called ‘The Bible: In the Beginning ..’
Directed by John Huston
who also acted the part (wait for it) NOAH!

Also acting in the movie? Richard Harris as Cain!

Zachary?

Zakaria, Zakariya, Zakariyya (Arabic),
Zachariah, Zacharias, Zechariah (Biblical),
Zacharias (Biblical Greek),
Zekharyah (Biblical Hebrew),
Zaccharias (Biblical Latin) …. 

and on and on …

and more coming.

Next:
Man in the Wilderness / Part 4