Spielberg Marathon: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

“Nazis. I hate these guys.”

“We named the *dog* Indiana.”

“Oh, *idiot*! In Latin Jehovah begins with an ‘I’!”

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This is the part where we all collectively wish that the “Indiana Jones” film series ended here with a worthy and excellent sequel to the original.  Alas, I’m dreading the day where I will revisit the 4th installment in my marathon but I’m grateful I’m still a ways away.  “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” is one of the best sequels to a movie (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”) that is one of the best of all time.

I remember seeing this Steven Spielberg popcorn adventure thriller in the theater when I was all of 9 years old.  By that time, Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones was already an established childhood hero (as I wrote about before) and “the Last Crusade” after the bizarre “Temple of Doom” felt as if we were back to the rollicking fun of the first one.  And, I’m fairly confident that this movie introduced me for the first time to Sean Connery who plays Dr. Jones father (Professor Henry Jones) and reminds us that they actually named the dog Indiana.  Ford and Connery have some of the best chemistry of any on screen father and son combo in the movies.  Their bantering relationship really works in this third outing pursuant to the adventure and unexpected humor.  This is a funnier movie than any of the previous two.

Unique to this movie is we see Indiana Jones in his youth, from 1912, when some members of his boy scout troop interrupt a grave robbery and Jones swipes the cross of Coronado with his signature line: “this belongs in a museum”.  In a nod to numerous classic westerns, Jones is chased on a circus train by the grave robbers and, naturally, falls into a train car full of snakes.  Of note is that the only other actor to portray Indiana Jones in a film is featured in this scene and that would be River Phoenix who tragically died of a drug overdose at the age of 23.

The mcguffin in this installment is the holy grail- the cup of Christ that was said to have been used at the Last Supper.  The legend surrounding the holy grail is that the person drinking from the sacred cup would have eternal youth.  The Nazi’s, of course, are after this relic and the race is on between Jones’ group and the Third Reich.

We are treated to boat chases in Venice, secret clues leading to mysterious passageways in old libraries, elaborate Nazi bases, a Zeppelin in order to attempt to escape Germany, airplane dog fights and Indiana Jones’ taking on massive German tanks on horseback.  How can anyone not have a smile on their face?  In one scene, Jones even meets Adolf Hitler (Michael Sheard) himself and has a diary (kept by his father that has clues to the Grail’s whereabouts) signed by the Fuhrer in a funny mishap.

The real power of this action-packed movie is the climax though which is not that action-packed.  After all the adventurous stunts that have come before, “The Last Crusade” ends with the tension on which cup Jones and a Nazi patsy, Walter Donovan (Julian Glover) should choose to drink.  Choosing anything but the genuine holy grail results in death.  “Choose wisely,” says the guardian grail knight.

The John Williams soundtrack, as always, is stirring and adds to the suspension and excitement.  The movie is impeccably made and is a mesmerizing thrill ride.  While nothing could probably touch the originality and fresh feeling that came with “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, this is the kind of sequel that fans of Indiana Jones can celebrate.

Before the credits roll, the heroes including Jones and his father ride off into the sunset and the moment is well-earned.  If only the Indiana Jones series would have ended there.  If only.

Lester Lauding Level:  4.5 (out of 5)

Ranking of Spielberg Movie (so far):

Raiders of the Lost Ark (Review here)

Jaws (Review here)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Review here)

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (Review here)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Empire of the Sun (Review here)

The Color Purple (Review here)

Duel (Review here)

The Post (Review here)

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Review here)

The Sugarland Express (Review here)

1941 (Review here)