Mata Hari Affair - Luceno novelization

tupogirl

New member
I own a few of the novels that I haven't actually read yet. I used to read constantly but life changes. I've also read some that I don't have.
 
Finally managed to get a hold of a copy of this, and judging by the stickers on the spine, its had quite a life, I'd love to know how it found its way from a library in California all the way to me.

But anyway.

It was great.. and.. heres the point of this post, it made me see something about the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles I'd never seen before, or perhaps I'd just been denying it to myself..

<sigh>

Now its probably well known that I'm a fairly big fan of Young Indy, I post on these boards only on occasion, and when I do, its usually to defend Young Indy or to agree with Stoo on some obscure point hes brought up.

Which is why this may appear somewhat controversial..

Indy, as depicted in Luceno's book, is far far far more like Indy then he ever appeared as portrayed by Flanery in Young Indy. Far more like a young version of the Indy portrayed in the films. In fact, in my opinion, he appears as Indy should have in televised Young Indy. Some of this is due to subtle changes in events, for example the explanation of the causes of the first world war - In the episode its described for Indy's benefit using vegtables, bits of bread, salt sellers etc- and it concludes with Indy surprised and disheartened by the causes - In the Novel it is Indy doing the explaining, becoming slightly professorial, HE is the one who describes the causes of the war.

Now to me, this is FAR more consistant with the character of Indiana Jones circa 1916, I mean for goodness sake the man met Franz Ferdinand whose assasination sparked the powder keg - he speaks over a dozen languages already, is a keen student of history, has friends already fighting in the war and has the sort of mind that would in no way refrain from investigating the causes of the greatest event the world had yet seen. Now crucially, in his explanation Indy does not come across as cocky or all knowing (which I'll come to in a bit), but merely well informed, as someone points out Indy is never seen with his head out of a book.

Now the thing was, reading the book, Indy, in my head, started off as Flanery, but as events diverged, as new scenes were interjected, he was played by someone else, a young Harrison Ford, who then took over from Sean even in scenes I've seen dozens of times on my TV set, and this new person, this undiscovered actor of the mid nineteen nineties, now living in obscurity in Denver, was far more like Indy then Sean ever was... cos I suddenly realised that the character as depicted by Sean Patrick Flanery is, quite simply, wrong... ooo I feel really wrong myself just typing that.

I don't think Sean ever really got Indy.. Another book I read recently, just before the Mata Hari affair actually was 'the making of the indiana jones chronicles'. Some of the things Sean says in his interviews... :eek:

When asked whether he ever had an interest in history Flanery replies in the negative, but then relates the following anecdote

"We shot in Wales with some old land structures and castles and things that were from the 1100s. It was so cold and damp, and leaning out the window, I was thinking, 'I wonder whose elbows were leaning on this brick windowsill back in the 1100s? was it some knight with a spear yanked out of his chest? Was he bleeding?' You just never know"

This is his interest in history, sort of juvenile sensationalism.. while filming Young Indy, a series steeped in history.. all he can think about is blood and guts

Also when talking about traveling around the world filming the show all Sean has to say is that only in Spain can you have a 'proper' conversation with someone as 'they have electricity'

And this is the man playing Indiana Jones? I don't think he ever understood why Indy was an intellectual, not because hes smart, but because of his insatiable curiosity and need to prove himself to his father, (all outlined in the Mata Hari book..) I've always felt somewhat uneasy whenever Sean is trying to be intellectual.. I could never pinpoint it before.. I mean look at Harrison in Raiders, describing the ark of the covenant, teaching his class, describing the legend of the Crystal skull in KOTCS, the grail tablet in Donavans office in Crusade, the legend of the Sankara stones in Doom, he imparts information not in any cocky way but in a 'I just happen to know and so I'm going to teach you' sort of way..

But when Sean imparts it, whenever he imparts it, I never really believe it... when I always did with Harrison.. you know what I mean?

Also, from what I've heard, he allowed himself to get pushed around in different directions by different directors... now I'm an actor, its what I do, I used to be an archaeologist... but, an actor defines their character, if an actor GETS their character then they can't really be pushed around by different director's interpretations.. they can fit the character to the situation, but the CORE shouldn't change.. and sometimes he gets it, he really does, I mean look at Oganga, look at the first part of Winds of Change, but he doesn't allow Indy to age through the end of the war.. hes far too nervous and incapable in Hollywood follies for my liking, always has been.... of course it isn't all his fault.. but hes just not Indiana Jones.. 'The Mata Hari affair' made me see this.. the same story with a different actor was far more indiana jones.

I mean look at young Kirk in the new Star Trek movie.. hes flawed, naive, arrogant, but he utterly GETS the character... The growth of the character is WHY I love the series but... I think Indy is an intellectual first... its his curiosity that leads him to adventure, his NEED to learn... one can be naive and intellectual.. head strong as well... and confidant..

I'm getting off topic here. The book is great, it links together all the episodes, he links him being a courier with his escape from prison at the end of Trenches of Hell on a bicycle, Charles De Gaulle gets a mention, and unlike the episode Indy seems already jaded by Trench Warfare. Its very historical with lots of specific historical detail, and you can really picture the real locations it takes place in. Additions to the Mata Hari part of the tale too makes it make more sense, more intrigue with the police, and Indy realising the error of his ways. Mata Hari too seems more realisticly like Mata Hari, plus it is extra bizzarre considering the weight it puts on her being older then his mother would have been.. She wasn't very well cast either... but thats another story.

Now don't get me wrong, I still love Young Indy, I just think I've discovered its achilles heel, for me anyway.. I wish it wasn't so crucial, but thats that. I mean I love some of the things Sean does, ALL of Peacocks eye, except the sequence in the tomb where hes not very capable (look at him in the background, he looks totally inept) But this book has convinced me its not the writing or the story... so it must be the performance. Sorry Sean.. but theres always been a bit of me unconvinced...

Wish they'd written more of these books.. Indy's flip flopping between archaeology and diplomacy at the end of the war could really have used clarification.

So yeah, that was long. Thoughts?
 
Last edited:

Stoo

Well-known member
Hey, Jeremiah.:hat: Ultimately, Flanery may not have been the best choice but what's done is done and I don't bother fretting about it. He did a decent job and when reading the first couple of MacGregor novels, I can't help but picture him rather than a young Harrison.

Having Indy relate the causes of WWI instead of the other courier with the food is an interesting change and has left me wondering if Indy would've have been up-to-date with that or not...
Jeremiah Jones said:
I'm getting off topic here. The book is great, it links together all the episodes, he links him being a courier with his escape from prison at the end of Trenches of Hell on a bicycle,...
Is there any hint at all that Indy went to Berlin after the bicycle chase? Any mention of a "lovely farmhouse among the hills" as related by Old Indy?
Jeremiah Jones said:
Its very historical with lots of specific historical detail, and you can really picture the real locations it takes place in. Additions to the Mata Hari part of the tale too makes it make more sense, more intrigue with the police, and Indy realising the error of his ways. Mata Hari too seems more realisticly like Mata Hari, plus it is extra bizzarre considering the weight it puts on her being older then his mother would have been.. She wasn't very well cast either... but thats another story.
The casting of Mata Hari's role in the episode doesn't really work for me either so I'd like to read the book. The authour, James Luceno, appears to be a big Indy fan moreso than any other 'hired gun'. Maybe that's why he has a better understanding of what a young version of the character might be like.

Like you said, too bad there weren't more of these novels.:( This one is very high on my 'want list'!
 
Yeah I always imagined Flanery in MacGregor too, which why my sudden mental turn around was so weird to me, I'd advice going on amazon and looking for it, I got my second hand copy for only 62p,so it can't be that rare, its one of the best indy novels I've read though. The detail it goes into regarding his relationship with his father really casts it into high relief and is very well done indeed.

As for the abandoned German episode, as far as I can remember it does mention that he decided to not head home, which would have been his big decision that episode, but other then that, no lovely countryside cottage, or road mending crew for that matter.

Other differences include his espionage mission, in the novel hes accompanied by a pair of Algerian special forces guys, and its much less explosive, almost gritty realism.. Indy talks about Flanders and the Somme and one of the sub plots involves his search for Remy who he hasn't heard from since his reassignment to the courier corps, however this has nothing to do with Remy's fate at the end of Somme 1916, but rather a fresh injury for Remy to deal with, the scene in the church as seen in the episode is the culmination of a fairly extensive search by Indy and an American volunteer Ambulance driver..

The driver is also in the Paris section, where he brings Indy to an airmen party and introduces indy to pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille. The Major changes in the paris section revolve around Indy's arrest at the top of the episode being a second arrest, in the new initial encounter Indy is informed by the Paris police of their suspicions about Mata Hari and asked to do a little bit of investigation, which Indy does. However most of the episode plays out the same in novelized form.

Get it Stoo, that buzz I always get when coming across a scant Young Indy reference in a novel or comic (or film) is continuous and two fold.
 

Nurhachi1991

Well-known member
" After his stimulating night with the beautiful Mata Hari, Indy went to the nearby cafe and discussed his affairs with Remey. Remey replied it ain't no fuuuuuuun if the homies can't haaaaaaave noooone.

:p
 

Lao_Che

Active member
Stoo said:
Is there any hint at all that Indy went to Berlin after the bicycle chase? Any mention of a "lovely farmhouse among the hills" as related by Old Indy?

You probably know already but it's part of the cut content that actually managed to slip into the West End Games RPG book. It's on TheRaider's timeline but miscredited there as part of Trenches of Hell:

The World of Indiana Jones said:
But Indy's luck doesn't hold out for long. After escaping, he joins what he thinks is a German road-mending group. It instead turns out to be a work force of British POWs that are being taken to Berlin. Indy is caught during a roll-call, but quick thinking saves him again. He tells the camp leaders that he is a double agent for the Germans and is sent ahead to Berlin. Once there, Indy is able to contact the American Embassy.

September 1916 Broadened by his experiences on the front, Indy decides to stay in Europe, despite being given the opportunity to return home...

Stoo said:
Having Indy relate the causes of WWI instead of the other courier with the food is an interesting change and has left me wondering if Indy would've have been up-to-date with that or not...

For what it's worth, his dad tells Indy (and Herman) that Ferdinand was shot in Sarajevo in Young Indiana Jones and the Secret City while they're in Turkey. Professor Jones decides to get out of dodge because of war talk.

And it happened during (and heavily implied because of) the outcome of Indy and Herman's attempts to get the Knife of Cain off the secret king of an underground city.

So he should be vaguely aware of it, chronologically speaking. ;)
 
Last edited:

Stoo

Well-known member
Nurhachi1991 said:
After his stimulating night with the beautiful Mata Hari, Indy went to the nearby cafe and discussed his affairs with Remey. Remey replied it ain't no fuuuuuuun if the homies can't haaaaaaave noooone.
Getting some tail was Remy's #1 hobby (even AFTER he re-married)!:p
Lao_Che said:
You probably know already but it's part of the cut content that actually managed to slip into the West End Games RPG book. It's on TheRaider's timeline but miscredited there as part of Trenches of Hell:
No, I did not know that. Thanks, Leland!:hat: Very interesting and worth mentioning in the Unfilmed episodes of Young Indy thread.
Lao_Che said:
So he should be vaguely aware of it, chronologically speaking. ;)
"Secret City" is one of the titles I'm missing so I didn't know about that either. You are right, Indy would have/should have been 'vaguely aware', at the least. Thank you again, Mr. Chee!;)
 

Indyfan82

Member
Wow- reading this thread brought back some memories. I had a copy of this book at one point. I have read it some years ago- and yes, it was quite racy and sexually graphic. It's a shame that this was the only adaptation done for "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" written on a young adult (i.e. teenager) level. Of course, the content would push it more towards the adult category, but it does get classified as teen literature mainly for the length, I think- and probably because "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" certainly appeals to teenagers.
Of course, there were other novelizations of episodes that weren't quite as fleshed out as this one (pun kinda both unintended and intended.)
There were a series of 8 books based on the series in the US and a few alternate titles in the UK. They are all detailed here.
 
Top