With his leather jacket, fedora, and bullwhip, Indiana Jones is basically the poster child for manliness—and as if those rugged duds weren't enough, he's quick with a quip and knows how to charm the ladies, too. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana's obvious—and, let's be honest, pretty dusty—representation of masculinity is complicated by his father's even more classical take on what it means to be a man. Where Indiana's pugnacious and impulsive, Henry's logical and cautious. Indiana makes it up as he goes; Henry would prefer to read thirty-seven books about it first.
Throw the posturing masculinity of Walter Donovan into the mix, along with Marcus Brody's bumbling machismo and that old knight's saintly calm, and Last Crusade presents a wide range of ideas when it comes to what it means to really be a man.
Questions about Men and Masculinity
- How does Indiana Jones relate to women? How does Henry?
- How would you describe Donovan's masculinity? Do you think he views himself differently from the way others view him?
- How do Indiana's and Henry's contrasting versions of masculinity play out in their father-son relationship?
- Elsa works in a field largely occupied by men. Do you think this influences her personality and goals?
Chew on This
The Joneses represent two very different versions of masculinity: Henry is a cautious bookworm, while Indiana is an impulsive risk-taker.
The saintly Grail knight is the movie's most important symbol of masculinity.