A Look Back: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Posted by Kevin Carr (kevin@filmschoolrejects.com) on May 18, 2008

How This Movie Was Different

While Temple of Doom was a monster hit, fans complained about Short Round and the general gross-out nature of the film. Spielberg and Lucas went back to basics to make The Last Crusade. Not only did they do a story that had a similar feel to the first, they brought back the Nazis as the bad guys and even shot sequences in the beginning of the film that were direct homages to Raiders of the Lost Ark. They also brought back some of the fun supporting cast from the first film, including Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) and Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliot). Finally, they replaced Short Round with Indy’s dad, played expertly by Sean Connery.

The Story

Indiana Jones is approached by millionaire Walter Donovan to help him in his search for the Holy Grail. When Indy tells Donovan that he should contact his father, the foremost expert on Grail lore, Donovan tells him that he already had… and the elder Jones has gone missing. Indiana then embarks on a worldwide search for his father and the Holy Grail, and he soon discovers that he’s not the only one looking for the cup of Christ.

The Characters

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), archeologist extreme and scoundrel hero.

Henry Jones, Sr. (Sean Connery), stuffy professor father to Indiana and foremost expert on the Holy Grail.

Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliot), Indy’s boss at the University and his clueless partner in the search for Jones Sr.

Sallah (John Rhys-Davies), Indy’s Egyptian contact who helps arrange everything from cars to camels.

The Bad Guys

Colonel Vogel (Michael Byrne), a Nazi leader who spearheads the military’s search for the Holy Grail.

Walter Donovan (Julian Glover), eccentric millionaire in search of everlasting life from the Holy Grail.

Elsa Schneider (Allison Doody), insanely hot but insanely treacherous Nazi collaborator who wants the Grail for herself.

What This Movie Meant to the Fans

After what some considered a stumble with Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade represented a return to Indiana Jones’ former power. The film included numerous call-backs to Raiders, and it was beloved for its return to the adventure roots of the series. Fans also welcomed Sean Connery with open arms. Sadly, it was a bitter-sweet movie for the fans because it was the last in the series for 19 years, and we never understood why it took so long to make a new one.

How This Movie Impacted American Cinema

The Last Crusade was released in the summer of 1989 when Tim Burton’s Batman was king. Because of these two films, 1989 was known for years as a great year for summer blockbusters. More specifically, The Last Crusade helped bring back the career of Sean Connery who, until The Untouchables came out two years prior, had been struggling to make a hit and shed his James Bond persona. The Last Crusade paved the way for Connery to make a comeback as an A-list actor.

Additionally, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade won an Oscar for Best Sound Effects Editing and received a nomination for Best Score by John Williams and Best Sound. By 1989, the budget had ballooned to $48 million, but the film raked in almost $200 million in the U.S. and close to $500 million worldwide.

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