Fisher: The Last Crusade

                After the less than satisfactory reception by critics of Temple of Doom, “Spielberg, Ford, and executive producers George Lucas and Frank Marshall agreed that the series had to recapture the humor and fun of Raiders of the Lost Ark” (Pfeiffer 175) in order to regain the public’s good graces towards the character of Indiana Jones. The beginning sequence of The Last Crusade definitely provides much of that entertainment and good-humored fun, with the vicious python in the box of snakes and the whip that cuts Indy’s chin when he tames the lion. However, it also allows audiences insight into the reasons for why Indiana Jones acts the way he does.

                When we are first introduced to the young Indy, he is traveling with his Boy Scout troop through the rocky terrain of Utah. This characteristic instantly makes Indiana more relatable to the common viewer and creates the picture of Indy as a human, not as a “being,” as screenwriter Jeffrey Boam puts it. This forges almost an instant connection with audience members who remember what it was like to travel with the scouts in their youth and get into trouble, even though Indiana’s is definitely a more extreme kind of rule-breaking. This also establishes that whatever grave robber or mercenary Indiana becomes later in life, he was brought up on morals and values and originally had good motives for his thievery.

                The flashback also explains Indiana’s distaste for authority, as after risking his life to keep Coronado’s Cross away from the band of thieves, it is taken away from him. He is first neglected by his father who shows complete disinterest in his achievement and instead tells Indy to recite Greek. In this portion of the scene, we come to understand the source of Indiana’s aptitude for archaeology but also the source of his cavalier attitude and inability to form solid relationships with other people. Of course, the Jones’ conflict with each other becomes the premise of the rest of the movie. Next, Indiana’s prize is taken away by the sheriff of the town, who arrives at Indy’s doorstep with the mercenary gang in tow. While the lesser lackeys gloat over winning, the leader of the group places his hat on the young Indiana’s head and tells him that Indiana did well. With this first gift of positive reinforcement, it is extremely possible that this man becomes a role model to Indiana due to his father’s transient presence. Indiana thus grows up emulating this figure and must relearn what it means to be a knight of noble cause.

Also, an interesting video on the making of the film. The part about the making of the beginning scene starts around the middle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgwh8Erobj0