While it became a big memorable moment, on Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark scene was only added because of a problem during filming. Sometimes in movies, the most memorable scenes were not even part of the original script. It may seem like Hollywood film sets are all smooth sailing, but unexpected things sometimes happen and it’s best to just roll with it.
In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones squares off against a skilled and deadly swordsman in what looks to be the lead-up to an epic battle. However, instead of a sword fight, Indy simply pulls out his gun and shoots him dead. It’s a funny and shocking moment that has been ripped off by other films since, but Indiana Jones’ famous gag was not supposed to happen at all.
How Indy’s Iconic Sword Fight Gag Came To Be
Steven Spielberg had searched the world for the best swordsman to fight Indy in what was set to be an intense whip vs sword fight. However, when it came to the day of filming, things changed. Raiders of the Lost Ark was filmed on an extremely tight schedule, so when the cast and crew became ill with dysentery, they had no choice but to keep going and film anyway.
One of the most memorable scenes in the Indiana Jones franchise was thanks to a genius idea from Harrison Ford himself. On the day of filming, Ford was incredibly sick but Spielberg had managed to dodge the illness and was ready to film. So, they compromised and instead of an epic battle, they cut the scene down and follow Harrison Ford’s point that he had a gun, so could just shoot the guy. The swordsman goes down in one shot and Indiana Jones walks off like nothing happened.
Indiana Jones Poked Fun At Its Own Issue
Sometimes movies have to embrace their own hiccups and even nod back to them in later movies. This is exactly what Steven Spielberg decided to do for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. A similar scene plays out and Indy finds himself up against not one, but two swordsmen this time. As they lift their shining swords in the air, he goes for his gun but his holster is empty. After a cheeky boisterous grin, Indy takes charge and fights the swordsmen weaponless. It’s a good sign to be able to laugh at past mishaps, and it makes for a fun fight scene and keeps the Indiana Jones franchise’s balance of comedy and action nicely.
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