Indy = Lucas?

[capa150]

George Lucas said the characters in American Graffiti represented himself at various times in life.
"Luke Skywalker" has been said to represent Lucas (aka "Luke S. ... Lucas").
I was pondering "Raiders" today as I often do.
I was thinking about the character of Indiana Jones, who he is.
Indy puts material and professional success, fame, fortune and glory, above all, in Raiders. That's what motivates him. That's why he tries to rip-off Marion at first, telling her the headpiece is a "worthless bronze medallion ... give it to me" (for free, coz it's "worthless" and I want to keep the money for myself!)

Ok now compare to Lucas. Lucas' father was a small businessman who ran a stationary shop and wanted George Jr. to take over one day. Lucas hated the idea and often clashed with his father. His father didn't want him to go to art school. So Lucas had something to prove. He was driven. He wanted success and fortune and glory.

Lucas married, got his fortune and glory, and was known to be a workaholic -- not a 9-5 type of guy, but a 5-9 type of guy. His marraige failed.

So Lucas, like Indy, made his material and professional success a priority, and his relationship suffered. Indy almost made the same mistake in Raiders but eventually came around to prioritize Marion over the ark.

 

[Forbidden Eye]

Don’t forget Indy is a teacher, and Lucas is very big on promoting education. Heck he gave 1/4 of his 4 billion he got from the Disney purchase to USC.

 

[HenryJones1899]

I miss the Lucas years. I remember when he had his Lucas Learning education program and Edutopia. Both companies would donate a ton of Indy Jones and Star Wars books and media to our schools, along with all the software games from LucasArts. Once Disney came into the picture: nothing. not even a bookmark.

 

[IndianaBones]

I miss the Lucas years. I remember when he had his Lucas Learning education program and Edutopia. Both companies would donate a ton of Indy Jones and Star Wars books and media to our schools, along with all the software games from LucasArts. Once Disney came into the picture: nothing. not even a bookmark.

Wow I had no idea he has an education program!

Here’s one of the their latest videos where George makes an appearance in. Cant believe I never heard of this

 

[HenryJones1899]

yessss... if people only knew what he really contributed to outside the film industry. he would send students and schools TONS of things. we went on a field trip to LegoLand, and his company gave us posters, mini-sets, cards from each movie in lego form, packed in a huge Lucas Learning tote. it also had Indy novels, classroom DVDs, etc. Here's some of the stuff I have left that we got...

https://imgur.com/a/bA8zvp0

 

[IndianaBones]

yessss... if people only knew what he really contributed to outside the film industry. he would send students and schools TONS of things. we went on a field trip to LegoLand, and his company gave us posters, mini-sets, cards from each movie in lego form, packed in a huge Lucas Learning tote. it also had Indy novels, classroom DVDs, etc. Here's some of the stuff I have left that we got...

https://imgur.com/a/bA8zvp0

Wow thank you for sharing! I wish my school was lucky enough .

 

[Samir]

Very cool to learn about this foundation! Some very cool stuff to have and cherish!

I think a lot of people in the entertainment industry put a lot of themselves in their work, so it wouldn't surprise me at all that some things at the core of Indy are Lucas too.

I read an article about the Before Sunrise trilogy where Ethan Hawke actually says it's hard for him to watch the first film because it was so much of himself in the character. I'm sure for young actors and actors that get typecasted, there is a lot of them in that character because that's what shows up a 'real' on film.

 

[Lance Quazar]

Indy wasn't trying to "ripoff" Marion. $5,000 in 1936 dollars would be over $100,000 today. He was giving her a very fair, if not generous, amount for what was, yes, a "worthless medallion", as it's actual market value as an obscure artifact with no provenance wouldn't be significant.

 

[The Lone Raider]

George Lucas said the characters in American Graffiti represented himself at various times in life.
"Luke Skywalker" has been said to represent Lucas (aka "Luke S. ... Lucas").
I was pondering "Raiders" today as I often do.
I was thinking about the character of Indiana Jones, who he is.
Indy puts material and professional success, fame, fortune and glory, above all, in Raiders. That's what motivates him. That's why he tries to rip-off Marion at first, telling her the headpiece is a "worthless bronze medallion ... give it to me" (for free, coz it's "worthless" and I want to keep the money for myself!)

Ok now compare to Lucas. Lucas' father was a small businessman who ran a stationary shop and wanted George Jr. to take over one day. Lucas hated the idea and often clashed with his father. His father didn't want him to go to art school. So Lucas had something to prove. He was driven. He wanted success and fortune and glory.

Lucas married, got his fortune and glory, and was known to be a workaholic -- not a 9-5 type of guy, but a 5-9 type of guy. His marraige failed.

So Lucas, like Indy, made his material and professional success a priority, and his relationship suffered. Indy almost made the same mistake in Raiders but eventually came around to prioritize Marion over the ark.

Not to mention that Lucas has mentioned on numerous occasions that the heart-ripping sacrifice in Doom was symbolic of what his divorce essentially did to him.

I would also say that Indy and Marion's reunion in Crystal Skull might have served as a sort of wish fulfillment for Lucas as well. Indy finally getting married to someone was a plot point present in every draft of the script for Indy IV. The switch from having his character jump from woman to woman to giving the character a happy marriage after years of loneliness couldn't be entirely coincidental.

Indy wasn't trying to "ripoff" Marion. $5,000 in 1936 dollars would be over $100,000 today. He was giving her a very fair, if not generous, amount for what was, yes, a "worthless medallion", as it's actual market value as an obscure artifact with no provenance wouldn't be significant.

Especially given that they were living in the Great Depression era and Indy's profession isn't exactly known to be lucrative, I'd say he really couldn't have been more generous.

 

[capa150]

Indy wasn't trying to "ripoff" Marion. $5,000 in 1936 dollars would be over $100,000 today. He was giving her a very fair, if not generous, amount for what was, yes, a "worthless medallion", as it's actual market value as an obscure artifact with no provenance wouldn't be significant.

My interpretation of the scene is that Indy tried first to get it for free. When that failed, he offered cash. I think Indy was perfectly willing to rip Marion off. He didn't want Marion in his life at that moment, he just wanted the headpiece and then to move on, without her.

 

[The Lone Raider]

My interpretation of the scene is that Indy tried first to get it for free. When that failed, he offered cash. I think Indy was perfectly willing to rip Marion off. He didn't want Marion in his life at that moment, he just wanted the headpiece and then to move on, without her.

I mean, if that's really the case, he switched his tactic rather quickly...

"It's a worthless bronze medallion, Marion, are you gonna give it to me?"
"Maybe...I don't know where it is."
"Well maybe you could find it -- three-thousand bucks."

 

[Lance Quazar]

My interpretation of the scene is that Indy tried first to get it for free. When that failed, he offered cash. I think Indy was perfectly willing to rip Marion off. He didn't want Marion in his life at that moment, he just wanted the headpiece and then to move on, without her.

Your interpretation is not correct. He knew how Marion felt about him and that she wouldn't just give it to him for free for old time's sake. He had cash in hand and an offer of more for later. There's nothing to suggest he's changing tactics when he takes out the money, just finishing the thought that was interrupted by punching and personal drama.

In fact, much earlier in the conversation, he says "maybe we can help each other out." Meaning he has something to offer her besides just a chummy "hello."

I mean, if that's really the case, he switched his tactic rather quickly...

"It's a worthless bronze medallion, Marion, are you gonna give it to me?"
"Maybe...I don't know where it is."
"Well maybe you could find it -- three-thousand bucks."

Yes. It's not a correct analysis.

 

[capa150]

You may have a point there.
But I don't think he wanted Marion to come with him. He wanted to get the piece and amscray.

 

[Lance Quazar]

You may have a point there.
But I don't think he wanted Marion to come with him. He wanted to get the piece and amscray.

No argument there.

 

[Spiked]

I mean, if that's really the case, he switched his tactic rather quickly...

"It's a worthless bronze medallion, Marion, are you gonna give it to me?"
"Maybe...I don't know where it is."
"Well maybe you could find it -- three-thousand bucks."

And Jones also adds, "I can get you another two when we get to the States."

Nice homage to Obi-Wan and Han Solo's exchange in the cantina in Star Wars.