Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Directed by Steven Spielberg Written by George Lucas.

”The search for the Grail is the search for the divine in all of us. But if you want facts, Indy, I've none to give you. At my age, I'm prepared to take a few things on faith.” Marcus Brody.

Picture it, Utah, 1912. As our story opens, (with the now traditional fade in from the Paramount Mountain to a similarly shaped mesa) young Indiana Jones (River Phoenix) on a camping trip with his friends in the scouts. There in the desert southwest, they stumble across a group of grave robbers who have just found the Cross of Coronado. Indie is not going to let this go into private hands, so he sends his fat friend for help, snatches the artifact from a villainous digger in a fedora (Richard Young).

Alas, the cross slips from Indie’s fingers, partly because of his father’s “Views” on children.

However, in 1938 he gets his hands on it again, on a tramp freighter off the coast of Portugal, a nice bit of closure. Then safely back in his University, he finds himself swamped by students, and kidnapped by the minions of Walter Donovan.

Donovan wants Jones to hunt for the Holy Grail. And there is a compelling reason he will do it. Henry Jones Sr. was the project leader, until he vanished. Donovan figures Indie will find his father, and then, where ever he is, there will the Grail lie.

Dr. Ilsa Schnieder (Alison Doody) was his father’s assistant. Together, with Marcus Brody, (Denholm Eliott) they examine the last clue which leads them to the tomb of one of the last caretakers of the Grail. X does mark the spot, and for this movie, the creepy crawly is rats.

Burned out and chased by fanatical Turks, Indie captures one; they are the protectors of the Grail. Since Indie does not want to find the Grail, he tells him what castle Dr. Jones Senior (Sean Connery) is being held in Germany.

There are reunions, betrayals, kidnappings, and captures. These are followed by death treats, bold escapes, secret passages, and high-speed get aways, both by boat and by Zeppelin.

They travel into the Lion’s Den, Berlin. “My boy, we are pilgrims in an unholy land.” There, they retrieve the Grail diary, and get Hitler’s autograph. Then it is off for freedom, and the city of Alexandeta.

Watching Dr. Henry Jones Sr. take down a Nazi fighting ace with an umbrella…that is classic! This is one of my favorite scenes ever for Sean Connery.

In Jordan, at the city, there are of course booby traps, three particularly devious ones.

And of course, those are not the ultimate tests of the Grail; the most important test is the Grail itself. It is the Cup of Life, the font of Grace. All who drink from it are blessed with eternal life. But remember, the Grail also measures one. And G*d is not famous for reversing his judgments.

This movie has it all, black and white good and evil, drama, betrayals, father son reunions, and meetings of the mind, shared hopes, shared dreams, and shared women. It has the quest for the divine, the search for the numinous, and the power of faith.

Best of all, it has the power of Love, which trumps the power of ambition and obsession…”Indiana…Indiana…let it go.”

There are almost no flaws in this movie. There are only things done well, and things done brilliantly. The cinematography is fantastic, the score epic and stirring, the sound wonderful, the acting, flawless. Sean Connery was the first choice for Jones Senior. Though only 12 years older than Harrison Ford, he carried it off well. John Rhys-Davis is back as the irrepressible Sallah, and Denholm Eliott as Marcus Brody. Eliott had just been diagnosed with AIDS when this movie began filming, and was often sick. It does not show. He died of complications 6 October, 1992.

And Harrison Ford…at 47 he can still pull off the action hero, and be damn sexy doing it. The scope of the man’s talent has not yet been fully tested.
This is a movie on par with Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is Steven Spielberg’s personal favorite, though the verdict is still out on Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. So if you want put a little spice in your life, sit back, relax, and watch the Jones boys take on the world.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older