Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

I have to pedant here and say that technically, Crusade is not set in a fictional country - it's set in the Republic of Hatay, which did in fact briefly exist between 1938 and 1939 on the Syrian-Turkish border (and was built around Alexandretta). See here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatay_State.

Of course, the portrayal of the country is completely fictional - it never had a sultan, and the main landmarks we see in it are both extremely recognizable landmarks from places that are definitely not in Hatay (the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the Al-Kazneh in Jordan).

Anyways, the reason the cultural closeness of the two never bothered me is that at the end of the day Indy is, well, a Westerner - and a product of Biblical/Christian civilization/culture. It not only makes sense to me that he'd have more exposure to that, but also that it has more of an impact. Artifacts from the Covenant or from the life of Jesus aren't just significant for their general historical value, they're artifacts of the faith he was raised in, even if he (unlike Henry) eventually fell away from it. Makes sense to me that it would get more screen time.

 

The Last Crusade is my favorite Indiana Jones movie, mostly because it's the first one I ever saw, and therefore the reason I like Indiana Jones.

Also because the scene where Indy literally bumps into Hitler and hands him the diary thinking it's all over, only to have Hitler autograph it and hand it back to him, is hilarious.

 

My favorites are the first 2 but I love Last Crusade as well. Love the Ford Connery chemistry. Connery said it was the most fun he's had on a movie.

 

"I should have given it to the MARX BROTHERS!!"

"I suddenly remembered my Charlemagne! 'Let my armies be the rocks, and the trees, and the birds in the sky'."

 

I think TLC is one of the most feelgood adventure movies of all time. Very easy to watch without becoming a parody. Just a good time.

 

When I think about sequels like this its sometimes hard to divorce them from the ground breaking originals that spawned these films, and its so easy to say its not as good as Raiders and kind of disregard them in a way.

But when you look at this film in its own right I think it stands on its own 2 feet as one of the best action adventure films ever made. Good performances, good chracters, good story, good action, entertaining, it works well, its well made and it all makes sense. The bar that even the Raiders sequels set is so high that few action films can only dream of getting close to it. Their only 'crime' is being a sequel to one of the most iconic action films ever made in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

 

I love how Sean Connery isnt made to act all James Bond-like (minus references to having scored Indy's hot Nazi blonde). He's just Indy's dad who's at home in a laboratory, for the most part.

Elsa's gorgeous beyond compare, but she's a wish-washy, fence-walking Nazi chick and it comes off as really boring. I couldn't care less about her.

When Indy & Henry decide to go back to Berlin for the diary, could it be any more convenient or contrived how easily it's recovered? Its so typical of how thin and uninspired the script is for this outing. Last Crusade is just OK and easily the weakest of the original Indy trilogy.

 

Look for them and a plot contrivance is present in quite possibly the vast majority of Hollywood movies in order to get the story moving along. Last Crusade may be the weakest of the original trilogy, but even so its still head and shoulders above many imitators that have come after it and also before it post Raiders.

 

Romancing the Stone and its obligatory sequel Jewel of the Nile were quite good. King Solomon's Mines and the sequel nobody asked for Lost City of Gold are guilty pleasures of mine.

 

I haven't seen Romancing the Stone in decades; that was a great popcorn movie. Jewel disappointed me.

 

Romancing the Stone is really good, especially because of the chemistry with the 2 main leads IMO, but its no Indiana Jones, its got much less action. However I'm surprised that Michael Douglas didn't do more action films after that film though. King Solomons Mines and its sequel are truly terrible Indy rip offs without the budget or quality.

 

But ... Lost City stars none other than James Earl Jones! And Sharon Stone's adorable in it ... c'mon!

 

Did she really wear leather pants in the jungle?

 

Temple of Doom might have a more original plot line, but Last Crusade is more fun. The cast and crew clearly had a great time making it and it shows in every aspect of the film.

 

She did not wear leather pants exclusively, but ... she did wear them often.

 

Incidentally Sharon Stone is 61 today!

 

I hope she had a wonderful birthday! You know, the only movies I know her from are the
Allan Quatermain movies, Total Recall and her famous leg scene from Basic Instinct, but ...
I've always been partial to blondes and she always had a very cute personality in her movies!
Oh, yes, I also saw her in Catwoman, but that's it. Here she is, now, with another kind of cat ...

 

Absolutely love the film, but must admit - without Sean Connery it would almost be just a Raiders redux with a bit more humor.

 

Connery totally makes LC

 

"Jones is escaping."
"I think not, Herr Donovan."
"Not that Jones. The other Jones!"

 

30 years old today. That makes me feel old, I still look at Last crusade as the new kid on the block.

 

It's the weakest of the original three movies in my opinion, but still fun in parts and probably the funniest. Sean Connery is just fab in it, and I love that no matter how hard "Junior" tries, he still gets looks of complete disdain from his disapproving dad. The bit in the motorcycle and sidecar for example when Indy laughs in triumph at defeating the German motorcycle and turns to his dad who just scowls at him, forcing him to drop the grin straight away (and then Henry calmly resets his pocket watch lol) Also when he hits him in the car later growling "Now they have the map!!" and Indy flinches every time, no matter how tough he is.

Last Crusade really shows off the comic timing and acting of a great pairing in Ford and Connery. I can't think of anybody else who could have played Jones Sr as good.

 

I think Charlton Heston would've made a more believable Henry Jones Senior to Ford's junior.

 

As I recall alternate casting options seriously considered were Gregory Peck and even Jon Pertwee. Imagine Henry Sr. doing Venusian Aikido!

 

That's definitely an interesting point of view I hadn't really thought about it that much in recent times and that all sounds like a cool idea going forward to consider since I'm one of the
people who is in the Last Crusade is quite good camp but I could see being persuaded otherwise nowadays.