I'm writing this review on a sunny day in early June 2023. We're just a few weeks away from the release of the fifth film in this series, Indiana Jones & the Dial of Destiny. I wanted to take this opportunity now to re-visit my favorite Indy episode, the third one. Was it "The Last Crusade," for this guy? No. But how could a movie get any better, with Harrison Ford and Sean Connery playing the main characters?

Let's pop the VHS tape into the old player and see it again for ourselves.

We start with backstory. In the Utah desert in 1912, a young Indiana Jones (River Phoenix) witnesses the theft of the jewel-bedecked, golden Cross of Coronado. He steals it from the thieves, then loses it again. This escapade serves to introduce some of the signature features we have come to associate with the character of Indiana Jones, over the course of the earlier films. Now we know their origins.

Next, it's off to the coast of Portugal, in 1938. Amazingly enough, an older Indiana (Harrison Ford) fights his way to getting the cross back. He and the valuable item return to the safety of the academic sphere, where the piece can finally be placed in a museum. Perhaps his life too will return to a sense of normal.

But no. A rich collector named Walter Donovan (Julian Glover) has launched an expedition to find the Holy Grail, the cup that was used at the Last Supper. It turns out that Indy's father, Professor Henry Jones (Sean Connery), had been working with the search team, but he has now gone missing. Dr. Jones the elder has researched the history of the Grail for decades and is considered the leading expert in the field. Indiana is sent to find him. And if he can find the Grail too, so much the better. But a word of warning, my friend. Never trust anybody, especially when ancient treasures and the promise of resulting new-found glory are involved.

Accompanied by his museum friend Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott), Indiana travels to Venice, to Germany (where he finds his father), and then on to the Middle East. Along the way, they meet Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody), a member of Donovan's grail group. Eventually, they meet up with their old Middle Eastern friend, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies). They encounter a whole bunch of Nazis, too. Because, of course, it's the late 1930s, and the Germans are also keen to find the Grail. Who will reach it first?

Many of the challenges faced by the father and son are not for the squeamish. The men encounter and must overcome a variety of foes, both human and natural. This mission is a serious one involving life and death. Its gravity manages to be offset by some true comedic moments, especially surrounding the relationship between the two Dr. Joneses. A quiet inside joke, never voiced, is that while the father is aghast at the slinking around and the violence that they are subjected to, the actor playing this role once portrayed the great British spy, James Bond. Hah! Additionally, a more formal analysis could make an analogy in the father-son connection with the religious imagery surrounding the historic relic that the two are searching for. Fathers and sons. Redemption, resurrection, eternal life, etc., etc.

Some of the dialogue here is so good, that we used to quote it to one another, after the movie first came out. We get such memorable lines as, "Don't call me 'Junior'," "I WAS the next man," and the best one of all, "He chose ... poorly." Another good one comes in the last scene, and I won't spoil the fun for you.

Let's not ignore too the role that John Williams' music plays in reflecting the nature of the story. All we have to hear is the theme-song melody attached to this lead character, and we're psyched up and ready to accompany him on his next adventure. Giddy-up! Let's just hope that we don't have to face snakes.

I consider Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade to be about as perfect an action movie as could be conceived and created. (Then again, I haven't seen many of the action movies that have been released in the last 20 years. My view is rather limited.) Although I had forgotten some parts of the story, I now realize that a few of these scenes pop up in my mind on a regular basis. For some reason, this movie is never far from me. Huh. I'm not sure why. Until now, I hadn't watched it in many years. Yet, my own experience is a testament to the power of this film. It's memorable, it sticks with you, and it's timeless.

Of course, this reputation is due to the combined excellence of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, John Williams, Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. They have given us a special gift, with this production. Thank you, all. Now, let's ride again.