It all began on a beach in Hawaii. As Star Wars exploded into cinemas in May 1977, George Lucas was far, far away: fearing negative press he’d escaped to Mauna Kea, inviting his friend Steven Spielberg along for moral support. Idly musing over their next projects, Spielberg announced that he’d always wanted to direct a James Bond movie. But Lucas had something better up his sleeve: inspired by the adventure serials that had thrilled him as a kid, he had for some years been developing the character of Indiana Smith, an archeologist-adventurer on the trail of an ancient Biblical treasure. Spielberg was hooked – just as long as Lucas agreed to change the guy’s last name.
Tom Selleck was actually offered the role only to drop out due to his commitment on Magnum, P.I.. But they landed on precisely the right guy: it’s now impossible to imagine anyone other than Harrison Ford in the role, his wry, world-weary and effortlessly charming performance the anchor that holds all the mayhem together.
It’s impossible to imagine anyone but Harrison Ford in the role
And what mayhem: probably the first Hollywood action movie to truly merit that description, Raiders of the Lost Ark starts full-pelt as Indy raids a South American temple only to find himself on the receiving end of arrows, snakes and that iconic rolling boulder. But it’s the central chase sequence that really ups the stakes, as Indy pursues the Ark on horseback through the Egyptian desert, pummelled and pounded by rocks, trucks and Nazis. More spectacular and intricate action sequences may have been devised since (not least the mine car chase in the film’s controversial but entertaining first sequel), but it’s rare to find one with this level of bone-crunching realism and intensity.
Find out where it lands on our list of the 100 greatest movies ever made.
What to watch next:
The General (1926); Romancing the Stone (1984); Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)