Henry, Sr.

Raiders90

Well-known member
Henry Sr.

How would you say Henry Sr. was portrayed in the series? Close to the way Connery portrayed him? I personally liked his portrayal--He seemed very distant and almost uninterested in Indy at times, with the exception of Travels with Father, and even then, he was forced into going with Indy and didn't want to. By the time Indy's 16, they've basically stopped talking altogether.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Lloyd Owen did an excellent job as Henry Sr.! He is stiff, cold & withdrawn towards his son and it's a perfect portrayal.
He looks like him...sounds like him...Any Indy fan couldn't have asked for a better choice.(y)

Apart from "Travels With Father", the only other time we really see him loosen up is in British East Africa
where, towards his wife, he is playful and (dare I say) aroused!

Another interesting scene is the new bridging segment of "Journey of Radiance". Henry Sr. is "wearing the pants"!
His strict dialogue to Anna is very telling and gives some insight as to why she was tempted to leave him in "Florence".:eek:
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
Stoo said:
Lloyd Owen did an excellent job as Henry Sr.! He is stiff, cold & withdrawn towards his son and it's a perfect portrayal.
He looks like him...sounds like him...Any Indy fan couldn't have asked for a better choice.(y)

Apart from "Travels With Father", the only other time we really see him loosen up is in British East Africa
where, towards his wife, he is playful and (dare I say) aroused!

Another interesting scene is the new bridging segment of "Journey of Radiance". Henry Sr. is "wearing the pants"!
His strict dialogue to Anna is very telling and gives some insight as to why she was tempted to leave him in "Florence".:eek:

Yes, Henry isn't a very likable man in either the YIJC or LC, when all things are considered. Even in LC, he cares more about the destruction of an antique vase than the damage it inflicted on his son. It is his humorous moments, however, in YIJ and LC, that reedeem him.
 

phantom train

New member
I agree, Lloyd Owen was great as Henry Sr. in the YIJC.

One of the best episodes with Henry Sr. is the "Princeton 1919" episode, when Indy comes back home after the war and briefly lives with his father.
In that episode, you really see how much of a cold, unfeeling jerk Henry Sr. is. His son has just come back from fighting in a horrific war, and he still treats him like a 10-year old, to the extent that he tries to make him go to his room without dinner after he comes to the table late.

I think Henry Sr. was always like this, but when his wife was alive she provided the "buffer" between him and Indy. After she passed on, Indy's relationship with his father deteriorated. In fact, from what we see in the episodes, you could say that this poor relationship with his father is the motivation for Indy to run away to Mexico, and later to fight in WW I with Remy in 1916.
 

Lao_Che

Active member
phantom train said:
One of the best episodes with Henry Sr. is the "Princeton 1919" episode, when Indy comes back home after the war and briefly lives with his father.
In that episode, you really see how much of a cold, unfeeling jerk Henry Sr. is. His son has just come back from fighting in a horrific war, and he still treats him like a 10-year old, to the extent that he tries to make him go to his room without dinner after he comes to the table late.

See, adding up "I thought I'd lost you" in Last Crusade and the letters to Miss Seymour and Levi in the TV series, I'd interpret that Henry Senior does care. He just has issues with being that guy in his son's presence.

I think it may have been better for that episode if his reaction once Indy had shut the door had been shown.

To be honest I found Anna Jones' shenanigans with Puccini reflecting badly on her and not her husband because to me it came across more like she was ready to leave on a whim rather than Professor Jones having driven her away.

As for Owen's portrayal, I think the series showed his 'becoming' Connery better in fewer moments than it did with Flannery becoming Ford. Which is not a swipe at Flannery. If anything the Carrier episodes needed more Travels with Father.
 

doesitmatter

New member
LLoyd Owen had the smoothest transition of film to tv. I BOUGHT him as a younger Connery, which I never did with either Indy.

His performance makes the Princeton episode really work. That episode did what I was hoping the entire series would do; fill in the backstory of the movies. When they have that argument, you know they won't meet again until Last Crusade.

What's with the house though? It is FAR more opulent than their place in Utah or Henry's home at Princeton.
 

tupogirl

New member
doesitmatter said:
What's with the house though? It is FAR more opulent than their place in Utah or Henry's home at Princeton.

Could've been owned by the school or by Anna's family. Plus if he's like my dad, the kind of house would have been more important to Anna than him. Give him some books, he's a happy man!
 

Young Indy

New member
LLoyd Owen was excellent as Henry Sr.! The best casting of a younger version of someone since Ewan Mcgregor in Star Wars!
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
Am I the only one who prefers the Young Henry, Sr. to the Indy of the movies? I know that sounds crazy but, Owen's Henry is a really brilliant, open minded, intellectual guy. He's a Victorian man, but also rather funny when he wants to be, he's not totally stuck up, and does seem to have that Richard Burton-esque quality about him that Connery had wanted the character to have.

He's not the best father or husband, but the character is like a walking tome of knowledge, and was very open minded for his time. And for as inattentative as he is most of the time, Travels with Father and LC show us he really does love Indy, and some of the other movies show us he also really does love Anna, perhaps moreso than she loved him.

We didn't see Henry be tempted by affairs in the Chronicles as Anna was, and he got angry when Indy dared to mention her in Winds of Change, and even in LC, you can tell he's angry when Indy claims that Anna never understood Henry's quest for the Grail. Her death is still a sore spot for him all those years later, even if he moved on to Elsa and perhaps other women.

I actually kind of wanted to have Henry feature more--To me he was just as fascinating a character as Young Indy, and even "Older" Indy (Harrison).

Indy on the other hand, at least in the movies is a 2 dimensional everyman sort of character; Not very spiritual (or at least not openly so) unlike his father, and even though he's a professor, he doesn't seem to be much of an intellectual, whereas his father clearly is both in the Chronicles and LC. He actually seems to look down on those academic, book worm types like his father. Of course, Indy in the movies is really interesting in his own way, but in the space of a 2 hour adventure film there's no real room for major character growth or exploration.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Raiders112390 said:
Am I the only one who prefers the Young Henry, Sr. to the Indy of the movies?

Maybe! But probably not.

Raiders112390 said:
I know that sounds crazy but, Owen's Henry is a really brilliant, open minded, intellectual guy. He's a Victorian man, but also rather funny when he wants to be, he's not totally stuck up, and does seem to have that Richard Burton-esque quality about him that Connery had wanted the character to have.

He's not the best father or husband, but the character is like a walking tome of knowledge, and was very open minded for his time. And for as inattentative as he is most of the time, Travels with Father and LC show us he really does love Indy, and some of the other movies show us he also really does love Anna, perhaps moreso than she loved him.

We didn't see Henry be tempted by affairs in the Chronicles as Anna was, and he got angry when Indy dared to mention her in Winds of Change, and even in LC, you can tell he's angry when Indy claims that Anna never understood Henry's quest for the Grail. Her death is still a sore spot for him all those years later, even if he moved on to Elsa and perhaps other women.

I actually kind of wanted to have Henry feature more--To me he was just as fascinating a character as Young Indy, and even "Older" Indy (Harrison).

Lloyd Owen did a great job of bringing Indy's father to life. The latter episodes, when the division between himself and Indy becomes unbridgable were very well played. They also offer reasons for Indy's growing sense of cynicism, which emerged in the Harrison Ford incarnation.

The Lloyd and Connery versions of Henry Sr. are set years apart, long enough perhaps to account for any perceived differences.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Raiders112390 said:
Am I the only one who prefers the Young Henry, Sr. to the Indy of the movies?
You actually prefer Young Henry Sr. to to Indiana Jones as played by Ford?:confused: Yes, you are probably the only one.

Now, I hate to do this to you, Raiders112390 (no malice intended), but:
Mine and a few other people's opinions about Young Henry Sr. can be read in the other thread you started with the exact same name (minus the comma): Henry Sr.
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Stoo said:
You actually prefer Young Henry Sr. to to Indiana Jones as played by Ford?:confused: Yes, you are probably the only one.

Now, I hate to do this to you, Raiders112390 (no malice intended), but:
Mine and a few other people's opinions about Young Henry Sr. can be read in the other thread you started with the exact same name (minus the comma): Henry Sr.

Dear me, yes. Threads merged.
 

Bahari

New member
I actually agree.

I also like the "young" Henry sr. more. The thing is YIJ is a lot deeper and more 3dimensional than the trilogy. Not to mention realistic. Ofcourse I L.o.v.e. the trilogy like crazy, but it is different from the series. I tend to watch the trilogy when I'm more in a mood for action/entertainment theme.
Which isn't as often as I want something more deep and philosophical.


I like them in different ways i guess. But i like "Young" Henry sr.'s realistic feel more.
 

indyclone25

Well-known member
Raiders112390 said:
Indy on the other hand, at least in the movies is a 2 dimensional everyman sort of character; Not very spiritual (or at least not openly so) unlike his father, and even though he's a professor, he doesn't seem to be much of an intellectual, whereas his father clearly is both in the Chronicles and LC. He actually seems to look down on those academic, book worm types like his father. Of course, Indy in the movies is really interesting in his own way, but in the space of a 2 hour adventure film there's no real room for major character growth or exploration.


I see what your saying , but remember young Indy was also able to see different religions, where young Henry Sr. was a catholic, and that's what he believed and continued to believe. while Indy was able to experience all and that what made him into the man we see in the movies.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Henry Sr. Walks on the Moon

Lloyd Owen plays one of the main characters in the new film, "Apollo 18"! He did a marvelous job hiding his British accent and, without Henry Sr.'s beard, was not instantly recognizable.
Lao_Che re: "Princeton 1919" said:
I think it may have been better for that episode if his reaction once Indy had shut the door had been shown.
Interesting thought, Lao Che. Rather than breaking down and crying, I could imagine him getting angry at himself and smashing something in frustration.
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
Stoo said:
Lloyd Owen plays one of the main characters in the new film, "Apollo 18"! He did a marvelous job hiding his British accent and, without Henry Sr.'s beard, was not instantly recognizable.
Interesting thought, Lao Che. Rather than breaking down and crying, I could imagine him getting angry at himself and smashing something in frustration.

I don't think his reaction would've been that emotional. He seemed to have grown rather cold. He probably just went back to his work, maybe at most, shook his head, then took his pipe into his mouth and continued his research, or at the very most, did something of a facepalm. I mean this is a guy who twenty years later, though mellowed by age, cared more about breaking an ancient vase than the damage said vase may have done to his son's head.
 
Stoo said:
Lloyd Owen plays one of the main characters in the new film, "Apollo 18"! He did a marvelous job hiding his British accent and, without Henry Sr.'s beard, was not instantly recognizable.
Nice catch, I couldn't place him...he's got the Harrison chin scar run amok!
 

Lao_Che

Active member
Stoo said:
Interesting thought, Lao Che. Rather than breaking down and crying, I could imagine him getting angry at himself and smashing something in frustration.

Can't imagine it being that extreme myself. Just his looking up at the closed door before getting back to his work would have done for me.

I could picture that reaction to vent his grief when Anna died though.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Rocket Surgeon said:
Nice catch, I couldn't place him...he's got the Harrison chin scar run amok!
Yes, his scar. It wasn't until "My First Adventure" was released that it could be seen. To me, it looks like an acne scar (but I could be wrong).

@Raiders112390 and Lao_Che: I suppose you guys are right. The man is an emotional ice cube. If we had seen such a mild reaction, it would have made me dislike him even more.
Lao_Che said:
I could picture that reaction to vent his grief when Anna died though.
"Now I have to raise this boy all on my own? Damnation! Anna, how could you do this to me?" (*smash*)
 
Stoo said:
Yes, his scar. It wasn't until "My First Adventure" was released that it could be seen. To me, it looks like an acne scar (but I could be wrong).

AMAZING epiphany yesterday...while discussing tv shows I never watch I brought up a couple of those i do...(did).

In response to the "How I Met Your Mother" types, I mentioned "Coupling" and was struck dumbfounded for a good two minutes while hot house whore Jane's Christian radio host boyfriend was trying to surface.

I'm still trying to figure out how I made the connection but Henry Sr was a "recurring" character on one of my favorite BBC shows!

Enjoy!
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