INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE. Top-tier

“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” performed very well at the box office, but it was criticized for being too dark and too violent—something even Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford eventually admitted. So, in a way to make amends with the audience—and perhaps with themselves—they decided to return to the aesthetic of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” to restore a sense of lightness to the next sequel, to immerse it in unrestrained adventure, and to sprinkle the whole thing with a solid dose of humor. Only one challenge remained—the hardest one: finding the right script.

One of the first versions was written by Chris Columbus (who would later direct Home Alone). His Indiana Jones and the Monkey King was set in Africa and included several ill-conceived scenes (such as Indy charging on a rhinoceros). Columbus was quickly thanked and dismissed. At one point, Lucas toyed with the idea of including a haunted castle in the plot, but in the end, only the structure made it into the film—without any supernatural beings inhabiting it. They searched for a long time for the right MacGuffin (the object that drives the plot) until they came up with the idea of using the Holy Grail in its most iconic form—the chalice Jesus used during the Last Supper. But Spielberg was skeptical, as it reminded him too much of… Monty Python. He was only convinced once Indy’s father was added to the story.

Since Indiana Jones was Spielberg and Lucas’s answer to James Bond, there was only one choice for the role of Jones Sr.—Sean Connery—even though the Scotsman was only twelve years older than Harrison Ford. Luckily, Connery agreed, and the project could finally move full speed ahead.

In the end, the script was written by Jeffrey Boam and Menno Meyjes, with Lucas traditionally supporting the effort. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade has, without a doubt, the most well-developed character arc of all five films (there’s no perfect Polish equivalent for that phrase—it refers to the journey a protagonist goes through during the story). The quest for the Grail is really just a pretext; the true heart of the story is about Indy reconciling with his father, and the father “finding” his son. Both Joneses go through a genuine transformation. Of course, one could argue that in the previous film, the hero also evolved—from a cynical adventurer into an altruist who frees children enslaved by a cult worshipping Kali—but that was a bit heavy-handed. In The Last Crusade, the change in the relationship between Henry and Junior is much more substantial.

On top of that, their sharp, witty dialogue and the idea of throwing a staid medievalist scholar into Indy’s high-octane, danger-filled world is pure gold. This film also works as a “buddy movie,” where two mismatched characters are forced to work together and eventually form a rugged, masculine friendship. The chemistry between Ford and Connery is fantastic, and they created one of the most memorable and best duos in cinema history. That’s, without question, The Last Crusade’s greatest strength.

Watching it feels like visiting old, dear friends—an effect amplified by the return of Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) and Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott) from the first film. Though neither has much to do, it’s impossible not to like them. The cast also features Alison Doody, who had previously crossed paths with James Bond in A View to a Kill, and Julian Glover, another Bond villain from For Your Eyes Only (and who also appeared as an Imperial officer in Star Wars). And as always, John Williams provides the score—one of his finest.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a phenomenal adventure film—top-tier cinema of its kind. It’s got impeccable pacing, an outstanding lead duo, a few touching moments, inventive stunt scenes (the horse-to-tank jump!), a catchy soundtrack, and a fantastic final scene. For me personally, it’s not only the best installment of the Indiana Jones pentalogy, but also that one, beloved, all-time favorite movie. A masterpiece!