Indiana Jones is the GREATEST Character in Film History

Indiana Jones is the GREATEST Character in Film History
But my reasons for putting Indiana Jones on the Mount Rushmore of great film characters might not be what you think...

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Indiana Jones possesses two key attributes that puts him–in my opinion–on the Mount Rushmore of the best characters of all time.

What, then, makes Indy one of the best characters of all time? Let’s get into it.

Since Indiana Jones is on my Mount Rushmore of my favorite characters, I wanted to break down Indiana Jones to understand why so many people–like me–love Indy and his movies.

Indiana Jones is #2 on AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Heroes and Villains list.

And it all has to do with the writing. It’s about Indy’s character development. Indiana Jones is one of the best characters of all time because his character development revolves around our shared human experience.

INDIANA JONES AND THINGS VS. PEOPLE

Look at Indiana Jones at the beginning of each film. One of the two important attributes of how Indy is portrayed by the film’s creators is that he values things over people.

Indiana Jones is using the local guides to help him get to the fertility idol. And he doesn’t have much remorse for them when they die.

When he meets Marion, a former love interest of his, he doesn’t even bother to ask how she’s doing. He goes straight to asking about the headpiece of the Staff of Ra.

In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indy starts the movie valuing things over people.

Now, let’s take a look at Temple of Doom:

Did you notice how Indy was ready to use Willie as a pin cushion in order to get the Eye of the Peacock diamond? And how he was willing to put everyone in Club Obi-Wan in danger to get that diamond? Not to mention he’s putting a kid–Short Round–in danger.

Indy abandons everyone in the Boy Scout Troop in order to get the Cross of Coronado from the grave robbers. Then, later in life, he blows up a ship to get the Cross back. I would also argue that he doesn’t seem as concerned about his father’s well-being as he does with finding the Holy Grail. Even his attitude toward Elsa seems more in valuing her as a thing to be used as opposed to a human being.

INDY: SKEPTICISM AND BELIEF

But valuing things over people isn’t the only critical aspect of Indy’s character development. In the first three films, Indy also goes from skepticism to belief. Let’s take a look at some more clips:

The South American guides in Raiders seem to believe in the spiritual implications of stealing the fertility idol, but Indy seems unfazed. When he’s approached by the U.S. government, who tell him about the Nazis searching for the Ark of the Covenant, he talks about the Power of God as if it’s just superstition.

In the beginning of the Temple of Doom, he’s interested in the Thuggee Cult, but he doesn’t seem particularly unnerved by the Sankara stones or the power they may or may not possess.

And in Last Crusade, Indy is more focused on the value of the Holy Grail as it relates to its historical significance as opposed to its supposed healing powers.

In other words, in each of these films, Indiana Jones is a skeptic. He doesn’t attribute any particular value to the supernatural at the beginning of each film.

Those two aspects of Indy’s character development are essential to audiences loving Indy as a character.


WHY INDIANA JONES BELONGS ON THE MOUNT RUSHMORE OF FILM CHARACTERS

If you set Crystal Skull aside, Indiana Jones, as a character, reiterates to us–the audience–two core things:

One, we should value people over things.

And two, despite our skepticism, there are things we can’t explain.

And those two things are why Indiana Jones deserves a spot on the Mount Rushmore of great film characters. And of course, the fedora, whip, revolver, and leather jacket certainly don’t hurt either…