Movies truly can be magic, as sometimes the most memorable scenes come from out of the blue. And then, like in the case of Harrison Ford falling ill while making Raiders of the Lost Ark, that inspiration comes from quite a personal place. What was supposed to be a major action set piece became a gag that still stands as one of the most memorable moments in Indiana Jones history.
On top of that distinction though, this scene we’re about to discuss saved the movie in another way that also made a huge difference. So before we go too far, let’s relive the piece of Raiders of the Lost Ark history that has gathered us all here today.
The Iconic Raiders Of the Lost Ark Moment That Changed On The Fly
As history currently stands, Raiders of the Lost Ark carries one of the most badass moments of action that doubles as a comedy beat. While Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) tries to find a recently kidnapped Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) in a crowded marketplace, he’s confronted by a rather large man with a sword (Terry Richards). Just as a duel looks like it’s about to break out, the audience is treated to this gag that made movie history:
Now if you actually thought a more complex fight was going to break out, your instincts don’t deceive you. Originally, the plan was to have more suspense and choreography, with quite a bit of work going into prepping it. Those plans changed rather quickly thanks to illness and quick thinking.
The Illness That Caused Harrison Ford To Suggest This Raiders Of The Lost Ark Change
Most people know that Raiders of the Lost Ark had to switch up its plans for the big marketplace scene Many also know that it was due to the fact that poor Harrison Ford, as well as a good portion of the crew on this 1981 blockbuster, were all battling a horrible cast of dysentery. Yet the story that leads to that fateful decision has a couple more twists in the mix, making it even more intriguing to behold.
In a recent appearance on CNN, while promoting Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Ford spun the story of how these unfortunate circumstances influenced production. While the scene that resulted is still amazing, you have to feel sorry for the late Terry Richards, as this tale also reveals his reaction to the big switch:
That guy, the swordsman … had worked for months to perfect his skills with the scimitar. We were to have filmed a four day whip and scimitar fight in a marketplace. And I was suffering from dysentery, so were many members of the crew. … So it was up to me to say, ‘Listen, I can’t stay out of the dressing room for very long. Should we think about cutting this down? Let’s just shoot the son of a bitch.’ And Steven said, ’I was just thinking about that myself!’ But it was a terrible disappointment to the poor guy that had been working all this time to perfect his skills.
Luckily, as also disclosed in this same interview, it was noted that Steven Spielberg used some extreme methods to avoid that same illness, allowing him to be totally receptive to such changes. The unfortunate circumstances that Harrison Ford and his colleagues were suffering through effectively helped push this change into play. However, this quick and dirty Indiana Jones takedown solved another problem that producer Frank Marshall was happy to discuss in another interview.
Why This Indiana Jones Change May Have Saved The Film
What’s worse than having a sick cast and crew on an untested would-be blockbuster like Raiders of the Lost Ark? Try being behind in your production schedule. Steven Spielberg’s love letter to James Bond and serial adventures was apparently in a bit of a time crunch at this point, which was a concern for Marshall. As he recalled during THR’s Producer Oscar Roundtable in 2016, Frank laid out just how one day, and one suggestion, righted the ship:
We had been shooting in Tunisia in 130 degrees for six weeks and we had three days left. We were supposed to shoot this huge fight between the whip and the sword. It took the whole morning to shoot just three storyboards. … After lunch, we did three shots, and we were two days ahead of schedule, and it’s the biggest moment in the movie.
While Frank Marshall seems to think that the suggestion came from an unconfirmed party, his claim of the marketplace shootout being one of the biggest Indiana Jones moments is absolutely valid. Though it’s still curious to imagine what that whip vs. scimitar fight would have looked like in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the scene we received instead is something that truly helped define the character of Dr. Henry Jones Jr. for generations to come.
Without establishing that sort of quick wit in an action-packed situation, we may never have experienced choice memories, like that time Dr. Jones threw a Nazi out of a blimp for having "no ticket" in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Again, scenes like those are only better served by building history off of moments like this landmark Raiders gag that almost wasn't.
Necessity truly is the mother of invention, a fact that moments such as these have proven time and again. When results like this happen to be the end product, you can’t really argue with the process. All you can do is hope that the next time such luck lands in your lap, you recognize that moment, and run with it to the end.
If you’re currently craving an Indiana Jones fix, you’re in luck. At the time of this writing, all four previous installments and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles are available through the grail known as a Disney+ subscription. So you don't need to weigh out a bag of sand just right to catch up with Indy's past.
That’s also the presumed streaming home that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will land at once that entry of the 2023 movie release schedule comes home. For now though, you can still catch that series ending adventure in theaters, should you be inclined to do so.
