45 Years Later, Indiana Jones' Best Line Is Still The Greatest Quote In Adventure Movie History
Since Harrison Ford first brought Indiana Jones to life 45 years ago, one of his best still hasn’t been topped in the action-adventure genre. Doctor Henry Jones Jr. has remained the gold standard for adventure protagonists (that’s what happens when you have a character born from the minds of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas). Likewise, one line from Jones in particular embodies the core essence of the entire franchise at large.
Across its five movies, several great characters from the Indiana Jones franchise have delivered plenty of unforgettable dialogue and truly great lines. This includes Indy’s dread while voicing his enduring fear of snakes, Short Round telling people to “hold onto their potatoes”, or the surviving Grail Knight’s warning to “choose wisely.” However, one simple line from Raiders of the Lost Ark arguably captures everything that makes Indiana Jones so great as the peak action-adventure hero.
Despite being over four decades since the franchise first began, this one quote remains one of the greatest lines in adventure movie history overall.
Indy’s “Making This Up” Line Defines The Character
Said in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, after René Belloq and the Nazis claim the Ark of the Covenant for themselves, Indiana tells Sallah that he intends to follow the Nazis and their convoy. When Sallah asks how, Indy gives the most epically honest response: “I don’t know, I’m making this up as I go.” We then see Indy grabbing a horse and pursuing the Nazis in one of the franchise’s very best chase sequences, ultimately securing the Ark by the scene’s end and arranging to have the powerful artifact transported to London.
As great as the Raiders action scene is, the preceding line about making things up perfectly proves Indy often has no choice but to improvise more than he has time to create a full plan. As such, the quote is easily one of Jones’ best, representing what makes him so great as a hero to begin with. Although Jones is a highly knowledgeable and talented archaeologist with an impressive understanding of history, that doesn’t mean he instantly knows what to do in any given situation.
The Indiana Jones Quote Perfectly Captures Its Greatness & Adventurous Spirit
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Ultimately, Indiana Jones is as fallible and capable of making wrong decisions as anyone else, and the above quote does an incredible job showcasing both Indy’s confidence as well as his uncertainty, proving he doesn’t need to be invincible to be an effective adventure hero. Likewise, one of the best strenghts of the franchise is that Indy’s adventures are never entirely predictable. He constantly has to adapt to all kinds of obstacles and new threats, whether he’s going after the Ark of the Covenant, Sankara Stones, The Holy Grail, Crystal Skulls, or even the Dial of Destiny.
The “making it up” quote is also a great example of how the Indiana Jones franchise has maintained a solid balance of thrilling action and comedy. Indy might be facing an incredibly dangerous situation, but there’s almost always room for some sarcastic remarks or one-liners, ensuring that the movies stay light and engaging throughout (and not too serious).
All things considered, it’s pretty easy to see why this particular quote from Indiana Jones himself has aged so well. Rather than giving some sort of grand declaration of determined heroism to stop the Nazis with a well-thought-out battle plan, Indy says he’ll figure it out before grabbing a horse and doing exactly that. That relatability and desire to do the right thing despite not fully knowing exactly how to make it happen or what comes next is a huge reason why Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones has remained one of the very best adventure heroes of all time over four decades after his initial debut.
Created by George Lucas, Indiana Jones is an action-adventure franchise that began with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. The series follows Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr., an archaeologist who adventures across the world as he faces off against the likes of Nazis and other groups bent on collecting ancient artifacts of power. Seeking to preserve history, Jones races against his incidental foes to stop them from conquering – or destroying- the world.
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