Indiana Jones or the spirit of adventure in its purest form

The first time the public met Indiana JonesIn the beginning in search of the lost coffinhe saw him from behind: a silhouette in the jungle, wearing a hat fedora and a leather jacket. After three minutes, Steven Spielberg reveals the hero’s face after showing his skill with the whip. More than forty years later, those same attributes are part of the iconography of the adventurous archaeologist he plays Harrison Ford one of the most recognizable characters in film history.

These costume accessories and props are the visible face of the identification that sustains the success of the saga, but which goes beyond the mere characterization of its protagonist, to be rooted at deeper levels. Indiana Jones as a character appeals to the spirit of pure adventure, one that is associated with the imagination of childhood, the unlimited possibilities of fantasy and the need to dream.

“Literature is childhood finally recovered”: philosopher Fernando Savater took this quote from Bataille as the title of an essay in which he justified the stories of Stevenson, Verne and Conan Doyle, among others, creators of adventures in exotic settings and charismatic characters including Allan Quatermain King Solomon’s Mines. It is no coincidence that Spielberg and George Lucas sought inspiration for Indiana Jones in this classic, but they also referred to their own childhood: Doc Savage magazine pulp what they read is an obvious model; matinee adventures produced by Republic Pictures also played a notable role.

Despite these molds — and others like flesh-and-blood archaeologists Hiram Bingham and roy chapman andrews– or maybe thanks to them, Indiana Jones is not an impossible hero, but quite the opposite. As the uncanny has taken over the adventure genre, that rare quality of being someone ordinary—more or less—who, in extraordinary circumstances, also experiences extraordinary episodes, gains weight with archaeologists. If in Indy the whip and military clothing symbolize adventure, when Ford appears on the screen as Henry Walton Jones Jr., the suits tweed and the bow tie shows him more as a man of ideas than of action. But when he steps away from the classroom and enters tunnels, temples or archaeological sites, he becomes a brave adventurer: he is the idealistic opposite of a prosaic reality into which it is not difficult to project himself. Who doesn’t dream of breaking their routine and chasing after hidden artifacts with incredible magical properties?

When Doctor Jones becomes Indiana, his wisdom not only does not leave him, but helps him. He knows how to read dead languages, decipher mysterious iconography, correctly interpret symbols. Knowledge is key. On many occasions he saves him from death, both because of what he knows and because of what he suspects he should not know. Faced with the excessive and unscrupulous ambition of his rivals, he knows there are times when he must close his eyes and not see if he wants to survive. It is also an example to follow when dealing with power overreach.

a vulnerable hero

This moderate character does not exempt him from occasional displays of thoughtlessness and imprudence. The vulnerability of the heroes always brings them closer to the audience, and Indiana does not lack qualities, but also flaws. He is not afraid of rats or scorpions, but he is afraid of snakes. He can be romantic and charming, but he also has a cynical edge. It is also important that these peculiarities appear in contrast with the likable and effective gallery of secondary characters with which the protagonist is surrounded: Karen Allen, Ke Huy Quan, Kate Capshaw, John Ryhs Davies, Sean Connery… and now The Phoebe Waller Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen. They are part of the human landscape that, together with the exoticism of the landscape — and time — and the agile and evocative story, underpins the films.

At 80 years old, Ford will not give in anymore fedora. The commercial exploitation and expansion of the Indiana universe — video games, novels, comic books, a theme park — suggests that the franchise will be able to continue without its main asset thus far. the unfortunate river phoenix, when he played the character in his youth, hinted that it was possible. But that won’t be easy either. For many, Harrison Ford will continue to be Indiana Jones whenever the harshness of reality calls for a return to childhood.