Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
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Indiana Jones must embark on a perilous quest to find his father and the legendary Holy Grail before the Nazis can claim them.
The story
In 1938, archaeologist Indiana Jones learns that his father, a scholar of medieval literature, has disappeared while searching for the Holy Grail. His father's home was ransacked, and his financier, Walter Donovan, tasks Indy with finding both the man and the sacred relic. Accompanied by his friend Marcus Brody and a woman named Elsa Schneider, Indy travels through various locations, including Venice and Austria, to track his father's trail. Along the way, they must navigate the dangers of the Nazi occupation and the secrets of the Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword, who are dedicated to protecting the Grail from falling into the wrong hands.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film begins with a 1912 prologue where a young Indiana Jones retrieves a crucifix from a group of graverobbers. In 1938, the adult Indy learns his father, Henry Jones, Sr., has vanished while seeking the Holy Grail. Tasked by Walter Donovan to find both the man and the relic, Indy teams up with Marcus Brody and Elsa Schneider. They travel to Venice and eventually to Austria, where they find Henry being held by the Nazis. After a series of escapes, including a frantic flight from a Nazi-controlled castle and a journey through Berlin, Indy and his father reach the land of Hatay. There, they join forces with Sallah to navigate a path to the Grail. They eventually reach a temple where the Grail is kept. In a final confrontation, Donovan is killed by Elsa after she gives him the wrong cup, and Indy must choose between saving his father or taking the Grail. He chooses his father, and they escape the collapsing temple as the Grail falls into an abyss.
- First release year
- 1989
- Runtime (minutes)
- 127
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Steven Spielberg
- Writers
- Jeffrey Boam · screenplay; George Lucas · story; Menno Meyjes · story
- Cast and characters
- Harrison Ford · Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr.; Sean Connery · Henry Jones, Sr.; Alison Doody · Elsa Schneider; Denholm Elliott · Marcus Brody; John Rhys-Davies · Sallah; Julian Glover · Walter Donovan; River Phoenix · a younger Indiana Jones
- Genres
- action; adventure
- Themes
- father-son relationship; religious imagery
- Tone and mood
- lighthearted; adventure
- Premise and plot tags
- treasure hunt; historical fiction; quest
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews and was a financial success, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1989.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 8/10 · scale: 10; Metacritic · score: 65 · scale: 100 · review count: 14
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Sound Effects Editing · 1990 · win; Academy Award · Best Original Score · 1990 · nomination; Academy Award · Best Sound · 1990 · nomination; Hugo Award · Best Dramatic Presentation · 1990 · win; Young Artist Awards · Best Motion Picture Drama · nomination; Broadcast Music Incorporated Award · Best Original Score · win; Grammy Award · Best Original Score · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film's opening sequence of a young Indiana Jones was used as inspiration for a television series.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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