Nobody Daily - 5/28/08

NOT REALLY A REVIEW OF THE LATEST INDIANA JONES

Nobody Asked Me But:

Over the weekend I was in Southern Arizona visiting my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. On Friday Elizabeth, Ryan, Emily and I went to see Indiana Jones and The Legend of the Crystal Skull – hereafter called IJ. Like the other IJ movies, it was Gunga Din lite, and I mean that without disrespect. IJ was very good. But every action film since 1939 has been Gunga Din lite.

Here are several points of comparison:

Harrison Ford vs. Cary Grant – Ford is one of my favorite actors, but I touched Cary Grant on the shoulder once at a Peggy Lee concert in Westwood, and Ford is no Cary Grant.

The rest of the IJ cast vs. Victor McLaglen - McLaglen easily.

Special effects - We've come a long way since 1939, baby. IJ is way ahead.

Story line – IJ’s story is adequate to support the action, which is all that it is supposed to be, but it is not based on a classic Kipling poem. A big edge to Gunga Din.

Fight scenes - Both are wonderful, but nobody fights as good as the sergeants three in GD.

Snakes – IJ has ONE. Yes, it is a big ONE, but GD has a whole pit full of writhing, twisting, striking nightmares.

Climax – Sorry IJ but you have no wounded Sam Jaffe climbing to temple top to warn the British.

Final scene – It is no contest. Indy’s wedding was nice, but the British Colonel reading Kipling’s poem over Din’s grave thrills me, fills me and chokes me up every time.

Note: I could be politically correct and point out the mixed socio-political message of Gunga Din - white man’s burden versus the noble savage. But I prefer to enjoy it as superb filmmaking.