Smith: Harrison Ford – The Last Crusade

Atonement with the father that has to be worked towards and there are many stages to achieve atonement. The topic of forgiveness, equality, acceptance, letting go of the past and the ability to achieve atonement with the father was the focus of the final movie in this trilogy. There are many scenes where Indiana Jones and Henry Jones Sr. come together and learn about the values of each other's contributions to their journey and of course their dedication to history and to accomplish their overall goals. The thematic message of atonement with the father starts off with Mr. Donovan explaining to Indiana that his father was the project manager and that his is now missing. Indiana takes this as something he has to complete and it is the beginning of his journey. He continues to state that he is not going on this journey for the fame and glory of finding the Holy Grail; he is just trying to find his father. 

            The fedora is a big symbolic message that assists this story. The scene where Indiana saves his father and Marcus from the tank and then is believed to be dead allows the reality of his father’s feelings to come to the surface. When the fedora flies back into the frame, we are able to see that the quest hasn’t come close to ending. The moment during the final trials when Indiana is trying to accomplish retrieving the Holy Grail for his dying father shows the reality that Indiana has to find the grail in order to spare his life, which was his mission all along. Indiana jones was going to step on the name of God and falls through the ground because he lacked some of the knowledge his father had. It shows the knowledge that his father has and that Indiana still has much to learn from his father.

 I think that all of the Indiana Jones movies are Harrison Ford’s character trying to strive to be like his father and to have him look at Indiana with respect and trust. “The device of introducing his father played by Sean Connery was a stroke of genius” (Pfeiffer 175). I agree with the text in this sense because of the chemistry and relationship on and off screen between the characters. The cross of Coronado was an obsession for Indiana and the Holy Grail was his father’s obsession. They both had an obsession and that shows something that they have in common.

The turning point for the father/son relationship that I found demonstrates the recompense between them. At end of the movie where his father saves Indiana from falling to his death while trying to reach for the Grail, it is the first time that his father shows his love for Indiana by stating that nothing is worth his son’s death. There is a generation conflict because Indiana is able to learn from his father during the trials to get to the Grail.

There are many scenes that show the difference between their tactics to save each other. His father is useful, but not in the same way as Indiana. At first the father does not seem to be in tune with the physical world in which he lives. He is able to use his brains (like with the birds on the beach) and he is able to use his wisdom to his advantage. Indiana is more attuned to physical violence and firepower and even shoots Nazis in front of his father’s eyes. The father’s quest is one of spiritual contemplation and enlightenment where as Indiana’s is one of material gain of a person. The last part of the movie where his father reciprocates and saves him shows their final ability to move on and see themselves as equals.