History Film / IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade

* RefugeInAudacity:
** How could Indy get away with punching a Nazi officer on a zeppelin and ''tossing him overboard'' in the middle of Germany? "No ticket."
** Indy gets caught up in a book-burning ceremony with the diary the Nazis have been desperate to get their hands on, and then he bumps right into Adolf Hitler himself. What does he do? Hands over the diary so Hitler can autograph it.

* SaveTheVillain: Indy genuinly attempts to [[spoiler:save Elsa from dying. Sadly, Elsa choses to go after the Grail and dies]].

* AncientOrderOfProtectors: The Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword is a secretive group of warriors who are dedicated to protecting the location of the Holy Grail.

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: When Marcus is offered water by Donovan and stops to snark at him before taking it, he never actually gets to drink - Vogel snatches the canteen from him to take a swig before relaying plot-relevant info to Donovan. Marcus's annoyed glare in the background is amazing.

** [[spoiler: Indy figures out which cup is real because he knew that Jesus was a [[HumbleHero humble carpenter]]]], which was Harrison Ford's profession before becoming an actor.

* AnAesop: There's a running theme of unconventional solutions to problems, as embodied by Henry Jones. This kind of thinking does Indy well when [[spoiler: he has to get the Grail alone - Donovan's terrible fate comes about from choosing an obvious flashy Grail rather than actually thinking it through]]. There's also a theme of self-reliance: Indy and Henry work hard for everything they get, while the bad guys' entire plan is basically "get the Joneses to do it, then steal the results". This again backfires on Donovan [[spoiler: when he relies on Elsa to choose the Grail rather than thinking for himself]].

** Donovan warns Indy to not trust ''anybody''. [[spoiler: Including himself, it seems.]]

** Several actors in the film were in Bond films before. Creator/JulianGlover (Donovan) was Bond villain Kristatos in ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly''; Creator/JohnRhysDavies (Sallah, who had been in the first film, granted) was [=KGB=] General Pushkin in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights''; Alison Doody (Elsa) was Jenny Flex in ''Film/AViewToAKill'', and Vernon Dobtcheff (Castle Brunwald Butler) was Max Kalba in ''Film/TheSpyWhoLovedMe''. Michael Byrne (Vogel) was cast much later in a small role in ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (the Navy commander).

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: [[spoiler: Elsa was after the Grail and the Grail alone]].

** In the end, [[spoiler: Elsa deliberately hands Donovan the wrong cup, dooming him to die.]]

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: [[spoiler:Donovan]] only cares about finding the Grail for the promise of immortal life, which is why he deserves his KarmicDeath. [[spoiler:Elsa]] only cares about the Grail as an archaeological find, which is why [[spoiler:she ignores the Knight's warning that the cup cannot leave the temple]]. [[spoiler: Elsa]] is also clearly stunned to realize that Indiana wouldn't stoop to any depths in order to find the Grail.

* EvilCostumeSwitch: [[spoiler: Elsa does this after she's revealed to be a Nazi collaborator, switching from conventional dresses to far more masculine styles of clothing, with accouterments of leather.]]
* ExactWords: Just before Indy and Marcus depart for Venice, Donovan warns Indy to be very careful and not to trust ''anyone''. [[spoiler: That includes Donovan himself, something the industrialist lamsphades to Indy when his true colors are revealed.]]

* FiveSecondForeshadowing: When Indy meets his father at the castle, he is shocked to learn that the Nazis were after the Grail diary. Cue the Nazi officer, [[spoiler: informed by Elsa]], entering and demanding the diary from Indy.

** There is also a subtle yet noticeable length in which the camera focuses on Donovan pouring a drink toasting to Long-Life for Indy and himself, foreshadowing with cruel irony the nature of [[spoiler: his demise when he drinks from the fake Grail]].

** The nameless Nazi mook who is carried off on the tank track and presumably fatally thrown into the tank's path foreshadows the fate that [[spoiler: Henry]] nearly suffers himself a few minutes later.
** Donovan's three-man escort. They surround Indy in a threatening manner and it seems like he's in for an unpleasant time - before the smash cut to him enjoying Donovan's swanky penthouse. [[spoiler: It's our first hint that Donovan is actually the villain.]]

* ImmigrantPatriotism: This is why Henry didn't suspect [[spoiler:Donovan]] until it was too late: [[spoiler: he knew the man was greedy and amoral, but it was unthinkable to him that this would extend to selling out his own country, least of all to the Nazis.]]

* IWarnedYou: [[spoiler: When Donovan's true colors are revealed, the industrialist reminds Indy that he ''did'' warn Dr. Jones not to trust ''anyone''.]]

* KarmicDeath: Both [[spoiler:Walter Donovan and Dr. Elsa Schneider]] die because of their overwhelming desire for the Grail. [[spoiler: Indy himself almost suffers the same fate for the same reason, but his father's intervention saves him]].

* NotSoDifferentRemark: [[spoiler: Elsa]] tries to pull this on Indy after being revealed as TheMole. Indy isn't having it. [[spoiler:At the end of the film, when she falls to her death because of being unwilling to give up on the Grail and Indy is barely able to resist doing the same, so it seems she wasn't entirely wrong.]]
-->[[spoiler: '''Elsa:''']] ''[Coyly]'' Don't give me that look. We ''both'' wanted the Grail. I would have done anything to get it. You would have done the same.\\

** Vogel gets another one during the tank chase when he orders the tank to turn in pursuit of Indy... [[spoiler: and then realizes they're about to hit a car coming towards them]].

* OnlyTheWorthyMayPass: One way of interpreting how to get past the three trials to reach the Grail. It definitely applies to the fourth and final trial of figuring out which cup in the Grail room is the real one. [[spoiler: Donovan, being neither a scholar nor a true believer, is expecting a gaudy cup fit for a king of kings, while both Indy and Elsa know the true Grail would be that used by a humble carpenter.]]

* PutDownYourGunAndStepAway: Colonel Vogel does this to Indiana Jones by threatening to shoot Elsa Schneider. [[spoiler: It was a bad move.]]

* TempleOfDoom: The Temple of the Grail is full of traps that take a lot of knowledge to pass, and [[spoiler: has a tricky test at the end]].

* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: The Theatrical Trailer spoils the [[spoiler: Donovan is actually working with the Nazis]] twist. Ironically, it ''doesn't'' spoil the [[spoiler: Elsa's also a Nazi]] twist.

* WorthyAdversary: In the Young Indy intro, the bandit Fedora sees this in Indy. At the end of the scene, when [[spoiler: the Sheriff makes Indy hand over the cross back to Panama Hat]], Fedora graduates to StealthMentor.

** Donovan (whose actor, Julian Glover, played a Bond villain in ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'') shoots Dr. Jones, Sr. with a Walther PPK. Not only does Creator/SeanConnery get shot, he gets shot by ''[[Film/JamesBond his own gun]]''.

* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Downplayed, but Marion Ravenwood. Chronologically, this is 2 years after ''Raiders'' and her and Indy's reunion and reconciliation (as opposed to ''Temple'', wherein Marion's absence ''was'' justified due it taking place the year before ''Raiders''). Yet, Marion's nowhere to be seen and she isn't even mentioned in passing. The unstated implication is her and Indy's second romance didn't work out and they went their separate ways (something ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'' will subsequently confirm).

-->'''Indiana Jones''': [contemptuous] As what? A faceless Nazi stooge like you?!

* DatingCatwoman: Indy and this movie's BigBad Elsa clearly have this dynamic. While they originally hook-up before Indy learns that Elsa is secretly [[EvilAllAlong working for the Nazis]], both of them show some serious affection for one another over the course of the movie, with [[spoiler:Elsa betraying Donovan and Indy trying to [[SaveTheVillain save her life in the end]].

* CatchPhrase:
-->'''Indiana Jones:''' "Don't call me Junior!"
-->'''Henry Jones Sr.:''' This is intolerable!"

--> '''Donovan:''' What's happening to me...?

** After the airship has taken off, Indy knocks out a Gestapo agent (who he shoves into the same compartment as the steward) and cuts the radio wires. When the airship turns around, he checks the compartment and realises that the agent has come round and repaired the wires. The steward, who has also recovered, recognises him as the man who knocked him out, forcing Indy and Henry to escape by way of the biplane. A drunk WWI fighter ace tries to give chase in a second biplane, but he's so drunk he ''forgets to start it'', and crashes.

** Underground catacombs in ''Venice''. Think about that for just a few moments. (In case you couldn't figure it out, Venice is ''built on water''.) Also, crude (?) oil in said catacombs. Where did it come from?

** The letter "J" itself didn't evolve into an independent letter until the middle ages. Before that, I and J were both used interchangeably, essentially the same letter. This raises questions about the "Path of God" trap; why was J even there?

** When in Hatay, he switches to gray Allgemeine-SS uniform, but with an incorrect red armband and again without the mandatory brown shirt.
** German soldiers in Hatay wear something like tropical Wehrmacht uniform (indicating that they are from the regular army and not SS troops) but again with red armband, that never was authorized to wear with any field uniform.

* BackInTheSaddle: In ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', Marcus implied that he used to be an AdventureArchaeologist like Indy, saying "You know, five years ago, I would've gone after [the Ark] myself.", so this is his first adventure in a long time. But this time, Marcus finds himself in over his head.

** A classic example when an anguished Henry thinks he sees Indy fall off a cliff, and nearly loses it while mourning the son to whom he never properly expressed his love. It's a tremendously moving scene...until a very bedraggled Indy walks up behind them, wondering why they're all staring over the cliff.

* {{Novelization}}: The film was novelised by Rob [=McGregor=]. [[https://indianajones.fandom.com/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Last_Crusade_(novel) More details here]].
* NuclearCandle: Indy's zipper light illuminates a large area at the catacombs under Venice.

** Indy gets a barely restrained one when he suddenly comes face-to-face with none other than ''Adolf Hitler'' himself. Fortunately, his [[DressingAsTheEnemy Nazi disguise]] causes the Fuhrer to mistake him for a fanboy officer, and Indy walks away with Hitler's autograph.

'''Vogel''': (having just captured Henry) I think not, Herr Donovan.\\

* OnlyGoodPeopleMayPass: Invoked with the [[http://indianajones.wikia.com/wiki/Temple_of_the_Sun Temple of the Sun]], in which there're three challenges to finally get the Holy Grail, which should be the ones "pure of heart" (for Christianity norms) the chosen ones who can get the Grail. Even passing all the challenges, the Grail itself should be chosen wisely to avoid a CruelAndUnusualDeath.

As for the movie series, though the original intent was five films, Spielberg and Lucas would decide to just end the series here - feeling it was best to go out on a high note and cap off a trilogy. Obviously, [[TrilogyCreep that didn't take]] and [[SequelGap after a lengthy]] DevelopmentHell, ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'' was released nineteen years later, and with a fifth and final film, ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'', released in 2023, the original plan was finally completed.

* FriendOrIdolDecision: A unique example in the climax, where Indy is dangling over a chasm, with one hand held by his father the Holy Grail within reach of the other. Knowing how important Grail is to Henry, who has spent his entire life looking for the Grail to the detriment of their relationship, Indy tries to extend his fingers to retrieve the Grail, but Henry tells Indy that his hand is slipping and implores him to let the Grail go and give him his other hand. Indy realises at this point that he's more important to his father than the Grail, and allows Henry to pull him to safety.

** When young Indy comes home, there's a shot held on the dog seeing him arrive, which seems to be a pointless reaction shot. [[spoiler:It's later revealed the dog is Indiana, and Indy (whose real name is actually Henry as well) is named after him.]]
** There is also a subtle yet noticeable length in which the camera focuses on Donovan pouring a drink toasting to Long-Life for Indy and himself, foreshadowing with cruel irony the nature of [[spoiler: his final demise]].
** When Indy meets Donovan, he's told "We're only one step away" from finding the Grail, to which Indy says "That's usually where the ground falls out underneath you.". Towards the end, when Elsa attempts to take the Grail out of the temple, it makes the whole temple collapse, and ground fell beneath her.
*** There is also the pitfall trap in which stepping on the wrong letter while spelling God's name will cause the ground to fall out from beneath you.

* FriendOrIdolDecision: Twice, with Elsa then Indy.

** There's also the look on her face when [[spoiler:Donovan shoots Henry Sr.]]

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Despite playing an American character and accompanying accent, there are several instances where Julian Glover's British accent slips through into Donovan's dialogue.

''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' is a 1989 {{adventure}} film and the third entry in the ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' film series. It is directed by Creator/StevenSpielberg, who directed the previous two films in the series, with the screenplay written by Jeffrey Boam and the story written by franchise creator Creator/GeorgeLucas and Menno Meyjes. It was released on May 24, 1989.

The film also stars Creator/DenholmElliott as Marcus Brody, Creator/AlisonDoody as Elsa Schneider, Creator/JohnRhysDavies as Sallah and Creator/JulianGlover as Walter Donovan.

During the filming of the 1912 prologue sequence (featuring Creator/RiverPhoenix as an adolescent Indy), Creator/GeorgeLucas saw the potential of a prequel series. He would soon develop and produce ''Series/TheYoungIndianaJonesChronicles''.