The Unfaithful Remy Beaudoin (and Other Influences on Indy?s Love Life)

Stoo

Well-known member
In the films, it is established that Indiana Jones is a man of many women and the idea is carried over into the TV show, books, video games and comics.
The question is, how did he get to be such a stallion? What made him become the amorous rogue that he is?

Pablo Picassso
While Indy hangs with Pablo, he is in the company of prostitutes and is forced to dance with one.

Sigmund Freud
In his early youth, Indy is told that that love stems from the need for sex.

Cousin Frank
Frank hatches a plan for he and Indy to ?have some fun with the senoritas? at a Mexican bordello showing him naughty pictures along the way.
Simple, adolescent urges at work but the earliest pursuit of carnal activity, by Indy, that we see. (Nancy was fine for a peck & kiss but that's it.)

Remy Beaudoin
At Junior?s impressionable age, Remy could be considered the largest influence on Indy's future conduct toward relationships.
Remy doesn?t seem to hold any moral ground as far as love and commitment are concerned.

The ex-sailor joins the revolution in Mexico (partly) in vengeance of his beloved Lupe. We don?t really know how long they
were married or when she died but, even though he has other reasons for fighting, Remy appears to be a noble, faithful man.
This remains somewhat consistent in the added, steam room scene of Love?s Sweet Song where Remy tells Indy that
?War and women never mix.?

However, it doesn?t take long before he?s back to chasin' skirts en route to London. One of Remy's most impressive moves
comes when he manages to charm a beautiful, café owner with a single, across-the-room glance the 1st night they meet!
(It?s possible that she reminded him of Lupe & their cantina.) Suzette invites Remy up to her apartment and marries him
10 days later - the very day he leaves for basic training! After 2 years of mourning, she is left alone again with her 4 kids.
(Why would a war-widow hastily marry another soldier who had just enlisted during a time of such high casualty rates?)

A mere 3-5 months later we find Remy cavorting with French whores on at least 2 different occasions (Somme & Paris 1916).
?I know ze best brothels in Paris!? and ?I?ll keep ze girls warmed up and waiting for you.? Judging from Remy's lack of clothing
in the Somme scene, it would seem that he is seeking a little more than just female companionship.

Then there is this gem from ?Peacock?s Eye?:
?I miss my wife. Do you realize, we almost been married for three years? Amazing! We?ve seen each other for only 10 days!?
Upon arrival, Suzette & kids are all happy to see him and not long after she is pawning off an heirloom so her returning husband
can take off...again! (How long has he been home? Suzette is either extremely naïve or doesn?t care).

Granted the dynamics of marriage operated differently a century ago (and Remy was stuck in the trenches)
but he doesn?t come across as being seriously committed to Wife #2. Considering the Anna/Puccini affair,
one can wonder if Indy ever confronted him about this.

It is Remy's flippant, unfaithful attitude towards relationships that might have helped mould Indy?s outlook on love/women.
Obviously, there are many other contributing factors like the death of his mother and his constant travelling around the world
(Indy is always "on the move") but I figured this would be a good place to start a discussion.
 
Ah I love Remy, the most Morally flexible principle character I've ever seen in a TV show.

Hes just Remy, how the hell hes so charming is anyones guess, maybe in French hes quite a smooth talker... Maybe Suzette was trying to get rid of him but I doubt it, I've always wondered did Remy ever actually go back and settle down with her...

But yeah, definetly a massive influence on Indy, I mean in Demons of Deception hes basically pushing Indy to hire a prostitute, despite Indy's age, its all just par for course for Remy
 

Flannery10

New member
Definetely an interesting thread, Stoo!

I always thought it was a little weird, that Indy proposed to Vicky when he was only 16!!! I wonder if he ever told her, how old he was, but I'm quite sure Miss Seymour did.

Remy was certainly an important factor and so was Indy's mother. Her affair with Puccini and of course his first love, Princess Sophie, started his interest in how love works.

But then, if I see how many different girlfriends Indy has in the series, I guess he's just a natural lady's man (Princess Sophie, Nancy, Maggie, Vicky, Mata Hari, Rosa, Nadia, Maya, Giulietta, (Edith Wharton?), Molly, Lily, the three girlfriends from Scandal of 1920 and the screenwriter from Hollywood Follies)
 

TalonCard

Member
Stoo said:
Granted the dynamics of marriage operated differently a century ago (and Remy was stuck in the trenches)
but he doesn?t come across as being seriously committed to Wife #2. Considering the Anna/Puccini affair,
one can wonder if Indy ever confronted him about this.

I think this exchange is about the best you're going to get;

"That's the spirit," Remy said. "Meanwhile, I'll, um, keep the girls warmed up and waiting." He laughed unexpectedly. "Just promise me you won't fall in love like you did in London."
Indy scowled. "You're the one who got married."
"Touche, mon ami. And I'm missing her every minute."
"Yeah, it looks it, Remy."

From James Luceno's astounding Mata Hari Affair.

Flannery10 said:
I always thought it was a little weird, that Indy proposed to Vicky when he was only 16!!! I wonder if he ever told her, how old he was, but I'm quite sure Miss Seymour did.

Indy at sixteen reminds me of Frank Abignale, who at 16 and 17 appeared to be much older than he actually was, and ran around posing as an airline pilot, among other things. According to Abignale (an enjoyable but dubious source) he got pretty serious with at least one girl and asked her to marry him, but the whole thing fell through when he decided to reveal how old he was. Interestingly enough, Abignale's ghostwritten book was the basis for another Spielburg film, Catch Me if you Can.

Flannery10 said:
But then, if I see how many different girlfriends Indy has in the series, I guess he's just a natural lady's man (Princess Sophie, Nancy, Maggie, Vicky, Mata Hari, Rosa, Nadia, Maya, Giulietta, (Edith Wharton?), Molly, Lily, the three girlfriends from Scandal of 1920 and the screenwriter from Hollywood Follies)

Why not Kate, Indy?! I blame Mata Hari...

TC
 

tupogirl

New member
I have thought about this too. I have a word for Remy but didn't know if it would post here: slut. LOL!

There is definitely *something* about Indy that draws the ladies to him though.

I have a theory (bear with me) that he possibly has Asperger's (high functioning Autism). Isn't that a funny thing to say about a Character? I have it, was diagnosed at 27 and I see some similarities. (Also there are rumors that Spielberg was diagnosed as an adult and I wouldn't be surprised if Lucas was.)

1.Socially awkward. Princeton 1916 at school, London 1916 with the woman on the bus he tries to hit on. He gets along better with people older then him. He also does extremely well when he is in charge, feels very passionate about the causes he is fighting for and gets frustrated/upset when things don't seem to work out the way he envisions them (war episodes, etc).

2.He has a strong sense of social justice and doesn't care if there is acceptable racism. He seems to not see race, sex, position/class which to me, makes it much more believable that he could have been running into all the people he did. He stands up for women (London 1916), the poor (London 1916, Oganga), people who are black (Chicago 1920, Princeton 1920, Oganga) and even his enemy, the German (Paris 1919, Oganga). At my church, we would call this 'kingdom work';).

3.Klutzy. It's sheer luck that he gets into and out of half of his escapades. Paris 1916 drops the teacup, misses the horse in Last Crusade, always seems to have arms and legs flailing or is falling (Barcelona 1917, Chicago 1920).

4.Doesn't seem to worry too much about appearance. Often dirty, with torn clothes or clothes askew. Not to mention what the heck is going on with his hair? But he does seem to have a strange attachment to things, ie his hat and whip. :hat:

5.Skewed relationships with women. Moves too fast as far as commitment, seems to have a high sex drive which could be a sensory issue and needing that comfort and sensation.

6.Obsessive interests...how bout archeology?

7.Good ear for languages but sometimes takes things very literally. Ugh, can't think of the episode but I've seen a few instances of this.
 

TalonCard

Member
Except for #7, those qualities/faults could all apply to me as well... ;) I think it's really just a combination of showing the character "coming of age" in a way that's relatable (who of us hasn't been clumsy, or comitted too soon, or whatever) while at the same time giving showing us that same figure as an enjoyable fantasy. Thus the high adventures and the many girlfriends (believe it or not, ladies, this is actually a male fantasy ;) ) and the social activisim. Most people would like to think that if we'd lived back then, we wouldn't have stood for the discrimination and exploitation of blacks/women/whoever. Unfortunately, I don't believe that for a minute.

TC
 

tupogirl

New member
Adamwankenobi said:
Nice to see another Aspergers person! I was diagnosed at 16. :hat:

:) I'm always scared to say it, because some people don't react well...But it's getting easier and easier for me to tell people and if people know, then I'm not as stressed about saying the wrong thing or 'being twitchy' or going on and on about *something* no one else cares for, lol.

I've only known for a year and a half now. We think one of our sons has it too, but I am starting to see it as something positive.
 

tupogirl

New member
TalonCard said:
Except for #7, those qualities/faults could all apply to me as well... ;) I think it's really just a combination of showing the character "coming of age" in a way that's relatable (who of us hasn't been clumsy, or comitted too soon, or whatever) while at the same time giving showing us that same figure as an enjoyable fantasy. Thus the high adventures and the many girlfriends (believe it or not, ladies, this is actually a male fantasy ;) ) and the social activisim. Most people would like to think that if we'd lived back then, we wouldn't have stood for the discrimination and exploitation of blacks/women/whoever. Unfortunately, I don't believe that for a minute.

TC

I have to analyze everything and take it apart, lol.

I'm never sure how to explain the clumsiness because that is what everyone says that everyone is klutzy. For instance, at Christmas last year, we went to my mother in law's church for the candlelight ceremony. It was packed. I spent the entire time trying to hold on to that danged (unlit) candle. No one else dropped theirs at all. I put mine in the pew where everyone else had theirs and it fell, time after time. I have had *strange* accidents, lol.

I'm not sure how I would have been with activism back then either especially if I was the same personality, with the same parents. Actually...I probably wouldn't have survived my teens thinking back on it. Better living through chemistry and all that. I'm definitely very passionate about certain issues and I will speak out online about things and spoke out to coworkers when we were heading into the inner city. As far as actual activism though, I'm not very good at that.


And it's likely that I missed the entire point of your post:p.
 

raftailgunner

New member
I've read that the French military set up houses of disrepute of its men. This was due to the fact they new the men would go looking for some;) , so if they controlled where the men would visit they could cut down on VD etc. As the Belgians were so closely working with the French at times its not unthinkable that Remy would visit them. Remember these men are going through a hellish war and are thinking that they could be killed at any time. In many cases the authorities encouraged them to relieve their stresses while away from the front as they believed it was good fo moral and that home life was a long way away.
 

HellofaSandwich

New member
tupogirl said:
3.Klutzy. It's sheer luck that he gets into and out of half of his escapades. Paris 1916 drops the teacup, misses the horse in Last Crusade, always seems to have arms and legs flailing or is falling (Barcelona 1917, Chicago 1920).

Not to mention tripping over rakes and acting like a buffoon in the barn scene in Princeton, 1916. It's funny you mention klutzy, though -- when I saw "Crystal Skull" for the first time in theaters and Indy trips over the bicycle in the Doom Town scene, I was instantly reminded of the physical comedy of Young Indy.

Maybe I'm not the first one to draw that comparison, but it just seemed totally like something that a startled Sean Patrick Flanery would do.
 

tupogirl

New member
HellofaSandwich said:
Not to mention tripping over rakes and acting like a buffoon in the barn scene in Princeton, 1916. It's funny you mention klutzy, though -- when I saw "Crystal Skull" for the first time in theaters and Indy trips over the bicycle in the Doom Town scene, I was instantly reminded of the physical comedy of Young Indy.

Maybe I'm not the first one to draw that comparison, but it just seemed totally like something that a startled Sean Patrick Flanery would do.


LOL! Indy is klutzy in the movies too. I am trying to think of an example, but my mind is so full (trying to get ready for a trip) that I can't think. It's totally going to bother me now too.
 

Adamwankenobi

New member
tupogirl said:
LOL! Indy is klutzy in the movies too. I am trying to think of an example, but my mind is so full (trying to get ready for a trip) that I can't think. It's totally going to bother me now too.

In KOTCS, he falls off of the Rocket Sled after standing up, and falls over things in the Doom Town sequence.
 

HellofaSandwich

New member
Adamwankenobi said:
In KOTCS, he falls off of the Rocket Sled after standing up, and falls over things in the Doom Town sequence.

Well the Doom Town sequence I already mentioned, and I think you can forgive a guy for being disoriented after a ride on the rocket sled.

The other "klutz moment" I suppose would be Indy falling down the hidden staircase after Henry, Sr. triggers the release.
 

tupogirl

New member
I suppose being poisoned is a good excuse for being klutzy and nearly wiping out a whole bar in one fell swoop:).
 
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