Let's talk about...the Holy Grail

[RaideroftheArk]

For those of you who might think this is a "is indy immortal?" thread, don't worry, it's not. That question has been answered in abundance on these boards...however, I would like to talk about the Grail and its interest to the Nazi party.

How exactly would the Grail benefit them?

From the way I see it, yes, you gain eternal life, but that does not mean you are invulnerable to death by unnatural causes such as being shot, stabbed, etc.

Henry Sr. was shot and it healed his wound...but if he was shot again it's not like he would be invulnerable to the gun shot wound.

So, to me, Hitler or whoever could drink all they wanted, it doesn't mean they couldn't be killed...so I don't see the dire need to have the Holy Grail unless you just wanted to stay out of harms way for all eternity. It doesn't seem like a good "weapon" to have unless you live a very secluded, careful life.


(Yes, I'm obviously overthinking the whole plot behind the movie...I hope some of you don't mind and have some fun with this.)

[Kevin]

From the way I see it, yes, you gain eternal life, but that does not mean you are invulnerable to death by unnatural causes such as being shot, stabbed, etc.

Henry Sr. was shot and it healed his wound...but if he was shot again it's not like he would be invulnerable to the gun shot wound.


Actually, I disagree. I think that the power of the Grail would in fact protect you from death by old age as well as death by "unnatural causes" like gunshots, etc.

I think that Hitler, like Donovan, wanted the eternal life that the Grail promised. The problem is that it only works so long as the Grail is not taken beyond the great seal. But neither Hitler nor Donovan could have possibly known that before speaking with the Grail Knight. So, the Nazis' desire for the Grail is perfectly understandable.

[Pale Horse]

...How exactly would the Grail benefit them?...

(Yes, I'm obviously overthinking the whole plot behind the movie...I hope some of you don't mind and have some fun with this.)

Quick thoughts, preserve the highest officers and scientists, breed the immortals with virginal women to produce an immortal aryan race....

[Lance Quazar]

One thing that didn't make sense to me about LC was Donovan's speech about "drinking his own health."

He said that the Nazis merely wanted to "write themselves into the Grail legend," but that he wanted the "cup itself?" And he'd be immortal while Hitler died? Huh?

Why would Hitler eschew the chance to drink from the Grail himself and gain immortality? Did the Nazis not know that was really the true motive of Donovan's quest? Did Donovan somehow keep that nugget of information from his Nazi bosses? The Nazis just wanted bragging rights?!?!

Didn't seem to make much sense.

[The Magic Rat]

Quick thoughts, preserve the highest officers and scientists, breed the immortals with virginal women to produce an immortal aryan race....

Just what I thought of, too, Pale Horse

[Coronado]

Why would Hitler eschew the chance to drink from the Grail himself and gain immortality? Did the Nazis not know that was really the true motive of Donovan's quest? Did Donovan somehow keep that nugget of information from his Nazi bosses? The Nazis just wanted bragging rights?!?!

Didn't seem to make much sense.

Hitler wanted the idea of the Grail above all else. He probably would drink from it too (I mean, who wouldn't?), but regardless of its limitations, the point was to be in possession of one of the greatest and most powerful artifacts of all time. How the Grail works isn't as important as how your enemies view your power. Who would dare fight against an "immortal"?

-Coronado

[RaideroftheArk]

Impressive! Outstanding points! I love taking the original ideas of the movie a little further.



Something that always bothered me about Donovan...Here is a guy that seems to be obsessed with grail lore but when he is finally faced with his choice he has no idea what it looks like!!!???

Did he really have to state "I'm not a historian, I have no idea what it looks like" are you kidding??? You mean, all those pictures, drawings, carvings you have all over your house you couldn't give an educated guess as to what THE HOLY GRAIL might look like???

[Lance Quazar]

Impressive! Outstanding points! I love taking the original ideas of the movie a little further.



Something that always bothered me about Donovan...Here is a guy that seems to be obsessed with grail lore but when he is finally faced with his choice he has no idea what it looks like!!!???

Did he really have to state "I'm not a historian, I have no idea what it looks like" are you kidding??? You mean, all those pictures, drawings, carvings you have all over your house you couldn't give an educated guess as to what THE HOLY GRAIL might look like???

I think it's probably safe to say that there were few, if any, accurate pictures of the Grail.

The line could have been better since, yeah, you'd figure Donovan would have done his homework.

But I'd imagine that accurate images of the Grail probably did not exist anywhere.

[Attila the Professor]

Impressive! Outstanding points! I love taking the original ideas of the movie a little further.



Something that always bothered me about Donovan...Here is a guy that seems to be obsessed with grail lore but when he is finally faced with his choice he has no idea what it looks like!!!???

Did he really have to state "I'm not a historian, I have no idea what it looks like" are you kidding??? You mean, all those pictures, drawings, carvings you have all over your house you couldn't give an educated guess as to what THE HOLY GRAIL might look like???

Actually, one gets the idea that he's really more of a pocket-Charles Foster Kane, collecting everything he can, chasing his youth all the while. The Grail is special as an artifact in that it gets him his youth, and he's certainly put some work into it, but I don't think that much of what we see in his house has anything to do with the Grail. The manuscript and the tablet seem to be exceptions. He's really a rich industrialist, let's not forget.