Me and Mr Jones
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
In the final scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, released in 1989, 
Steven Spielberg has his iconic bullwhip-wielding, snake-hating archaeologist and all the major characters literally ride off into the sunset. “I had no doubts that the curtain was lowering on the series,†recalls the director. Neither did Harrison Ford.
The new instalment also brings back Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), Dr Jones’s object of desire in the first film in the series. New to the cast is the Transformers star Shia LaBeouf, as a leather-jacketed sidekick with a not so accidental resemblance to Marlon Brando in The Wild One.
Then, of course, there is Ford – in Spielberg’s view the secret weapon that allowed the series to become so popular. “I remember the day they sent the costume home to see where we would have to adjust and change sizes,†recalls Ford. “I had not worn it for 18 years, but when I put it on it felt like a glove. And I felt immediately ready to go.â€
Ford, 65, is not a method actor or someone who enjoys intellectualising his work. He loves his 800-acre ranch in Wyoming. He loves to fly his private fleet of aeroplanes. And throughout his career he has not tried to hide his distaste for the ritual of meeting with the press.
It makes the actor uncomfortable. He also avoids all mention of his private life, including his relationship with the actress Calista Flockhart. When I met him recently in Beverly Hills a few days before his departure for this week’s Cannes International Film Festival, where Crystal Skull will be presented on Sunday, he allows himself some glimpses of introspection, something he does not do often in public.
Tags: acre ranch, actress, archaeologist, bullwhip, calista flockhart, cannes, cannes international film festival, cate, crystal skull, distaste, dr jones, ford, harrison ford, indiana jones, indiana jones and the last crusade, instalment, karen allen, last crusade, marion ravenwood, marlon brando, method actor, object of desire, private fleet, secret weapon, shia labeouf, spielberg, steven spielberg, whip, wild one