The Fun of Indiana Jones 1-3: Heroism

What do you get when you combine James Bond, Alfred Hitchcock, quotable humor, and a brown fedora? Either a complete flop or a fantastic success, depending on who’s in charge. Fortunately, when George Lucas and Steven Spielberg got together, they combined these ingredients to concoct one of the best-known and most-loved film characters: Indiana Jones.

I grew up watching the original trilogy, and I’ve been in love with it ever since. But what is it about Indiana Jones that makes him so classic? Why has the Indy enthusiasm lasted for decades? While there are plenty of reasons (his biceps being two of them), I’ll narrow it down to the films’ heroism, horror, humor, and overall iconic nature. (I apologize for my lack of alliteration. I’ll award 10 points to Gryffindor if you can give me a good synonym for that last one.) Since that’s a whole lotta info, today I’ll simply answer the question, “What kind of hero is Indiana Jones?”

AN INTELLECTUAL HERO

When Raiders of the Lost Ark first begins, we see Indy carefully choosing his path through a South American jungle in search of a golden idol. He adeptly reads the clues, whips the double crosser, finds the cave, avoids the traps, and pockets the idol, only to end up running for his life from a rolling stone and a charging mob. So far, this is a classic action film. But the next thing we know, Doctor Jones is standing in front of a class at Marshall College teaching Archaeology.¹ Wait, what? The guy’s a professor? I’m pretty sure my University teachers spent their spare time playing chess and petting their cats.

But this is more than just an interesting character detail; Indy’s education and employment lend some credibility to his archaeological capers. For one thing, if he’s earned his doctorate, he probably has the aptitude to learn another language. But this guy never does anything halfway. In the movies, he seems comfortable understanding and speaking several languages, but according to some geeky sources, Dr. Henry Jones, Jr., is actually fluent in 27 languages.² And while that’s pretty impressive, I’m even more incredulous about the amount of time off he takes during the school year! Good thing he’s tight with the dean.

A (SELECTIVELY) PRINCIPLED HERO

His professorship also explains his motivation to chase down ancient trinkets even when it puts him in constant danger. He’s a real purist about the artifacts, too, insisting that they belong to a museum rather than any individual. Indy felt strongly about this even as a teen, choosing to face mercenaries, a lion, and a vat of snakes just to see the cross of Cortez safely preserved. I hope he got a Boy Scout badge for that.

Interestingly, all three movies center around the rediscovery of religious artifacts—the Ark of the Covenant, an Indian Sankara stone, and the Holy Grail. But his passion to recover these relics doesn’t mean he gives credence to their religious significance—at least not initially. In fact, we see very little character development in Indiana Jones throughout the films, but he does seem to re-learn the same lesson at the end of every movie: simple faith triumphs over selfish motives. Of course, he never seems to remember that lesson by the next film, but what can you expect? He’s an archaeologist, not a theologian.

A HARDCORE HERO

As you know, this professor isn’t just a bookworm; he’s a lean, mean, fighting machine. He’s equally adept at the bullwhip, pistol, and fist, able to fight his way out of (almost) any situation. His resilience is astounding—he bounces back from punches, falls, chases, and other injuries, ready to take on the next bad guy or kiss the next woman. But what I appreciate is the films’ lighthearted tone about his beatings. Rather than showing him as some kind of dauntless, tireless Terminator, the movies show him getting dusty, tired, and even grumpy.

In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indy escapes a crypt only to become a punching bag for a big German aircraft mechanic. When Jones finally gets some respite on a ship with Marion, he’s too sore and cranky to enjoy her skimpy pajamas…at least initially. And in The Last Crusade, Indy is put through the ringer as he tries to rescue his father and Marcus Brody from a Nazi tank. When it’s finally over and he collapses on the ground, safe but exhausted, he is literally left in the dust as his dad says, “Let’s go then! Why are you sitting there resting when we’re so near the end?” To me, this approach feels more relatable than a bullet-riddled hero who never breaks a sweat.

AN IRRESISTIBLE HERO

Marion Ravenwood

And when it comes to romance, Indiana Jones is an irresistible hero. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, we seen Marion Ravenwood, Indy’s ex-girlfriend, falling for him all over again even though he’d left her high and dry years before. She’s tough and independent, but she can’t hold out against his arrogant attitude and gruff assertiveness. While they seem to get pretty chummy a couple of times, he’s still fairly neutral about her by the end of the film. She, however, is chasing him up and down a staircase and offering to buy him a drink. Must be that rugged charm.

Willie Scott  

Willie Scott, the female lead in The Temple of Doom, is the polar opposite of Marion, and yet she succumbs to Indy’s wiles as well. She’s quite willing to let the good doctor experiment on her nocturnal activities, and she hardly protests when he lassos her into his embrace at the end.  The more surprising fact, however, is that Indy seems attracted to her, too. Don’t get me wrong—she’s pretty with her blond hair and red sequin dress, but the woman is a prissy, ditzy, spoiled wimp. She spends half the movie screaming, for goodness sake. If I were Indy, I would have been tempted to let her drop just a few more feet into the lava pit, but that’s what makes him the hero and me the peanut gallery.

Elsa Schneider

After putting up with Willie Scott for a whole movie, even a Nazi is an improvement. Elsa Schneider is a smooth, slippery snake, and Henry Jones, Sr., was right to distrust her…even if he was tipped off by her talking in her sleep. While she’s as disloyal as they come, it’s apparent she has a soft spot for Dr. Jones. Well, for both Dr. Joneses, I’m afraid. (Gross, dad.) Indiana’s pure motives and chiseled jawline inspire affection in the duplicitous doctor, and she (indirectly) shrivels a guy into a mummy in order to help him save his father. She even harbors hope of living forever with Indy, but she ends up slipping into a chasm instead. Auf Weidersehen, Dr. Schneider.

A MEMORABLE HERO

So even though Indy is cavalier with a dash of chauvinism, he is still a heartthrob to all three leading ladies and to plenty of fans. Somehow Lucas and Spielberg believed that a James-Bond-Turned-Action-Figure-Professor hero could work, and I’m glad they did.

Sources:
1 https://indianajones.fandom.com/wiki/Marshall_College
2 https://www.filmbug.com/dictionary/indiana-jones.php

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