Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

1989’s “Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade”, directed by Steven Spielberg.

Starring Harrison Ford,  Sean Connery, Julian Glover, Michael Byrne, Denholm Elliot, Alison Doody, John Rhys-Davies, and River Phoenix.

Winner of an Academy Award in Best Sound Effects Editing (Ben Burtt and Richard Hymns).
Nominated for an Academy Award in Best Score (John Williams) and Best Sound (Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Shawn Murphy, and Tony Dawe).

Continuing the theme of glorified B pictures based off of the Sunday Matinee films of their youths, Lucas and Spielberg start the 3^rd chapter in the Indiana Jones saga going back to it’s roots. We start in flashback, as we see a young Indiana (River Phoenix), a member of the boy scouts, stealing treasure from an archaeologist (who Jones ends up dressing exactly like in his later years). After a chase that reveals both why Indiana is scared of snakes, and favours a bull whip as an accessory, we quickly move forwards to present day, where Ford is back to his tricks, insisting to a rival that the treasure they’re fighting over belongs in a museum… After shenanigans ensue, including possibly the first double punch in cinema history, Ford ends up back in University, teaching to more awed students. Ford is again approached by a wealthy benefactor (Julian Glover), explaining to Ford that his father (Sean Connery) is missing, along with his diary, detailing Connery's work to find the Cup of Christ, with which to drink from the fountain of youth and possess never ending life. Glover sends Ford, and friend/fool, Marcus (Denholm Elliot), to Venice, where they connect with an intoxicating guide (Doody). While discovering all sorts of ancient clues, Ford has to contend with both, “The Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword” and the Nazis, one group sworn to protect the grail, and the other desperate for it to have eternal life. Indeed, treachery is everywhere. One way or another, “Crusade” leaves no cartridges left in it’s chambers, as Ford and Connery come together to seek adventure and treasure together.

Perhaps because it was his third shot at it, or a reaction to the grimness (and subsequent reception) of “Doom” (or any combination of those and other unknown factors), Spielberg does right and “Crusade” is easily the closest in tone to the spirit and adventurousness of the Indiana Jones character. Returning to his beloved punching bag villains, the Nazis, Spielberg has the horrific violence (mostly) turned down, but the jokes turned way up. For this reason, Crusade is a rollicking good time, but more importantly, it’s tone is consistent throughout, a problem noted with “Raiders”. Simultaneously, with the flashback to his youth, combined with the introduction of Indiana’s father (a stubbornly set in his ways Connery), we learn more about Jones’ character and motivations than we did in the previous 2 films combined. Hardly a Star Wars or Hobbit prequel of throat clearing introductory nonsense that no human being could ever care about, we find ourselves getting a good idea of why Ford becomes the adventurer he does, and what drives him the most nuts, before he’s off on an insane boat chase or heart stopping tank jaunt. “Crusade” may be overrated merely for the fact that it’s the best Indiana film (bringing into light my feelings on the franchise losing it’s alleged charms over the decades past), and it’s certainly not perfect. For example, it’s clear at this point, that Jones just has terrible taste in women. Being attracted to them instantly, and diving in without so much as a first date before giving them the keys to his life, begs if he even remembers his past relationships that were dysfunctional. Given his slavish female following back home, are we sure the Doody character’s introduction is necessary, even given the background necessary for her actions? And Jones as always will be aimed at the 14 year old in all of us, leading to ridiculous scenarios that Ford typically escapes from (although he IS a doctor). But that’s the aim of the series after all. I can live with it’s (nostalgic) popularity- just as long as we never have to hear Ford attempt an (Irish? Scottish?) accent again.

As the credits roll, we feel both cathartic in what we’ve seen, and excited for the further adventures of the group (tepidly squashed 19 years later in “Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull”).

4/5

Trailer: Click Here.