Posts tagged Last Crusade

Well it’s taken a month but I’m back to complete the Indiana Jones franchise. It would be a shame not to write about the last two films in the series as they are probably the most controversial of the four films, and of course, they make for good banter!

Probably, for me ‘The Last Crusade’ is the most accessible Indiana Jones film, for the fact that it has intertwining stories that we can all relate to, most notably the story of the father-son relationship between Henry Jones (Sean Connery) and Henry (Indiana) Jones Jr.

A young Indiana Jones played by River Pheonix

The third and for years, seemingly final film (until it was succeeded by 2008’s fourth instalment, ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’), kicks off with a young Indiana Jones (the late and very talented, River Pheonix) scouting around caves and basically getting up to mischief as he stumbles across some treasure hunters, he discovers the Cross of Francisco De Coronado which “should be in a museum”, much to the dismay of Indy! Three years after retrieving the Lost Ark, Jones recovers the cross once again, getting revenge on the robbers that took it back from him when he was younger.

Hi father, Henry Jones (Connery) is kidnapped by Nazis whilst searching for the Holy Grail. Guided by his seniors diary, Indy sets out to rescue him and finds both he, his father and his captors intertwined in a quest to recover probably the most sought after archaeological relics of all time.

Holding on for dear life! - Indiana Jones in the tank chase

The most memorable part of the story of the Last Crusade, for me, is the tank chase. Both Henry Jones Snr. and Marcus Brody are captured by the Nazis and held in a moving tank. Indy chases after the tank in an attempt to rescue them, however, it’s never easy and Jones finds himself hanging on for dear life as he gets squeezed between the tank and a solid rock cliff side with only a turret to hold on to! The conclusion of the scene sees the rescue of the two captives but the seeming demise of the hero as the tank pummels toward the bottom of a canyon. We see an emotional Henry Jones Sr., one that makes clear his love for his son when he sees the tank plunge to its demise, thinking that Indy is falling with it.

The emotions come to a typical father-son end when Indy emerges on the brow of the cliff, they share an intimate hug and an exchange of devotion for a short lived second or two, then Henry quickly shakes himself down and declares that they should get a move on, the Nazis are getting away! Meanwhile Indy, is still craving a little more of his fathers attention. Earlier in the film, Indy takes his father for a ride in a motorbike chase and as he pulls off his boyish stunts, he looks to his father with a cheeky grin and laugh, seeking his approval. Needless to say that Henry Sr. looks on in disapproval, unimpressed by his schoolboy antics! This is a classic man-to-man/father and son dynamic that is typical of many relationships and proves my previous point that many of us can relate to Indy and his fathers relationship. This is what, for me, makes this film stand out among the rest. With unforgettable performances from both Harrison Ford and Sean Connery, we get a real taste for the more down to earth and real side of Indiana Jones, not just the superhero/out of this world side.

Henry Jones (Sean Connery) and Henry Jones Jnr. (Harrison Ford)

They get captured by the Nazis and the crescendo of the film and epitome of their relationship comes when a Indy must walk through the temple that houses the grail avoiding deadly traps whilst guided by his fathers diary. Knowing along the way that he must save his father, the only way to do so is to retrieve the Holy Grail. He successfully navigates his way through the death traps and takes a walk of faith across a chasm to reach a Knight of the Last Crusade who guards a number of false cups as well as the real grail. His captors choices get them into trouble but Indy chooses wisely to eventually emerge the victor in a suspenseful and rewarding ending which sees Indy and his comrades ride off on horse back into the sunset.

This truly is one of my favourite films of my childhood, not because it’s necessarily the best of the Indy films but because it is one that I remember well, and the first Indiana Jones film I saw in a cinema! For nostalgic purposes this gets a top notch 4 star rating!

For your DVD needs… (click the DVD cover for amazon listing)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - Special Edition DVD