One Great Scene: Raiders of the Lost Ark - "Making This Up As I Go"

We CUT IN on Sallah when Indy whistles to him from the tent. When he joins Indy and Marion, we get the lines, “Holy smoke, my friends! I’m so pleased you’re not dead! Indy! Indy, we have no time. If you still want the Ark, it has been loaded on a truck for Cairo!” and Indy’s reply, “Truck? What truck?”

CUT TO:

Tangent 1985 logo the second the score starts, followed by the Raiders of the Lost Ark title card then the title card for: Making It Up As I Go.” The titles might look cool against black, and each should appear in sync with the repeat of that first note of music.

A couple weeks ago, we contributed to Nando v Movies’ One X-Cellent Scene, a collaborative video series that invited content creators across this platform to talk about their favorite moments from all X-Men media, and it was so much fun, it inspired us to try something new. This channel is usually devoted to long-form reviews and essays, so we rarely get the chance to delve into just one scene, but that’s all about to change.

Going forward, between regular uploads of our longer videos, we’re going to be spotlighting the best moments from some of our favorite films, breaking them down to find out what makes each One Great Scene, and what better way to kick off this new series than with the pulse-pounding, white-knuckle desert chase from Steven Spielberg’s 1981 action-adventure classic, Raiders of the Lost Ark?

So, let me first say that Steven Spielberg is my guy. He is the sole reason I became an avid filmgoer; he was instrumental in shaping my voice as a storyteller; and he is responsible for delivering many of the best movies I’ve ever seen, a list that proudly places Raiders of the Lost Ark, undefeated for thirty-nine years, in its No. 1 spot. Indiana Jones is not only one of the greatest movie characters ever created, he’s one of the greatest characters, period. He’s a world adventurer and a professor. He’s resourceful, charismatic, and formidably educated. Indy could fight, he could shoot, and the one-two punch of his costume design and his signature weapon of choice made him a standout among every other action hero around. Ruggedly handsome but never unbelievably so, and tough but not invincible, he’d almost be a Mary Sue if not for the fact he got the tar kicked out of him every time he went out his front door.

Quick cuts of all the abuse he receives in this (and maybe Temple of Doom & Last Crusade as well, if you want), ending on that awful shot of Marion swinging the mirror into his chin followed by him screaming.

But enough about Indiana Jones for now. Let’s talk about our criteria. Director Howard Hawks once said, “A good movie is three good scenes and no bad scenes,” but what makes a scene good? What makes a scene great? Well, a few things. A scene should be able to accomplish at least one of three tasks: It should engage and entertain you; it should develop the characters and/or the story’s themes, and it should move the plot forward. And any writer worth a damn will tell you, if it can do two of those things, it’s a good scene. If it can do all three, it’s usually an amazing scene. That said, picking one amazing scene out of this movie was like looking for a needle in a stack of needles, because Raiders is just one homerun after another.

This has always been Steven Spielberg’s gift, his ability to just craft incredibly engaging scenes, back-to-back-to-back, like it’s nothing. And if you don’t think that’s true, go watch Jaws again. I dare you to find one scene in that movie that doesn’t just go to work. Raiders is no different. There’s Indy’s legendary introduction, his daring escape from the booby trap-laden temple, the fight in Marion’s bar, the history of the Ark…

Sallah catching the poisoned date, and his line, “Bad dates.”

That scene, the Map Room at dawn, the Well of Souls, the battle beneath the flying wing, that climax (melting Nazi faces), that ending (at Area 51)! It all works, every scene firing on all cylinders, but the one I always remember, the one scene I always find myself coming back to, is the insane truck chase through the desert outside of Cairo, which, at close to eight minutes in length, expertly structured, and edited to within inches of its life, is basically a little movie all its own within the movie. Let me tell you what I mean.

If you’re watching this channel, you’re probably no stranger to the Three-Act Structure. But just in case, it is a time-tested and proven method of telling stories that has its roots in the plays of the Ancient Greeks. Simply stated, most narratives can be divided into three sections, called acts, each with its own purpose and characteristics. The First Act sets the stage, introduces us to the world and its characters, giving us an understanding of where we are and who we’re dealing with. This act gives us what’s known as the Inciting Incident, which is an occurrence, predicament, or turn of events that sets our protagonist on their path to resolving whatever conflict they’re up against.

In Raiders, the Inciting Incident is an unexpected visit from two government agents who want Indy to locate the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do. If they don’t?

Brody’s line, “An army that carries the Ark before them… is invincible.”

The Second Act is usually the longest, and commonly involves a lot of exposition, but its claim to fame is, it’s the place when the protagonist finds themselves at their lowest point, beaten and bested or, at the very least, at a disadvantage, and unlikely to accomplish their goals. The Second Act here ends with Sallah captured, the Ark stolen, and Indy and Marion entombed alive within the bowels of the snake-filled Well of Souls.

Marion screaming when the Nazis seal the Well of Souls.

The third and final act frequently comes when our protagonist rallies; they beat the odds to overcome whatever slump the Second Act left them to languish in, and they set their sights on finishing what they started, usually with newfound drive and understanding. The Third Act of Raiders of the Lost Ark begins here, after Indy and Marion have escaped the Well of Souls and learned the Ark is still within reach, but it’s been loaded onto a truck guarded by soldiers and flanked by vehicles, and getting it back will be the greatest test our hero has had to face yet.

Indy’s dialogue, “Get back to Cairo. Get us some transport to England: boat, plane, anything. Meet me at Omar’s. Be ready for me. I’m going after that truck,” followed by Sallah’s question, “How?” and Indy’s reply, “I don’t know. I’m making this up as I go.”

And that’s part of the beauty of this scene. This action sequence possesses its own three-act structure, and we’re about to break that bad boy down.

Act I: Boarding the Truck

In classic Act One fashion, the scene in earnest begins here. The truck pulls into frame, its arrival announced by John Williams’ score, instantly telling the audience this is the goal, the focus around which the entire scene is built. It’s all about this truck. We see the target: the Ark. We see Dietrich and Belloq leading the convoy, which consists of an armed jeep, a motorcycle, and a helluva lot of guys with guns. And what does my man have? He’s got a horse. Singular. These are the stakes, and the deck is stacked deep. Getting the Ark away from the Nazis is a suicide mission, and the film makes sure you know this.

A lot goes into the execution of a perfect action scene, but one of the most important elements is geography. Nothing is more aggravating than an action sequence where you can’t tell what’s going on – Ahem! Transformers! – and that kind of failure can manifest itself in a number of ways. Not having a proper understanding of where the action is taking place or how many people are involved in said action, not knowing where certain characters are in relation to others, excessive over-editing and shots framed too tight to allow the eye to receive all the pertinent information – any one of these things can be a death knell for a great action sequence, but this scene is so painstakingly staged that we are always oriented, never left trying to connect the dots from shot to shot, which allows for full immersion in the events unfolding onscreen.

When Indy takes the high road, we get just such a shot. It’s not only a cool visual, it does work, informing us of how many vehicles there are and in what order, so like Indy, we comprehend exactly what he’s going up against. Once down the hill, the smartest thing he does is use the truck for cover, knowing the Nazis won’t risk firing on the Ark, and if they do, they’re likely to inadvertently take out a few of their own, so, win-win.

Taking control of the truck is a hair-raising fistful of seconds with a great payoff. The ordeal is so nerve-racking, that when Indy and the driver narrowly avoid veering off the road, it’s such a relief, they’re able to bond over it, which leads to this great gag.

Indy punching the driver out of the cab.

It’s so quick, but it informs Indy’s character and really sells the idea that our boy is just winging this every step of the way. Like, even he’s surprised when they don’t crash. This is where the objective changes. Indy’s got the Ark, but what he has to do now is keep it. The immediate shift in the score and the return of the Raiders March tells us we’re in:

Act II: Defending the Ark

And, again, as is standard practice for any solid Second Act, this is when the situation is at its most dire. We’re treated to a number of small victories, these repeated attempts to run both Belloq and the Nazis giving chase off the road, and when he does manage to shed the jeep and motorcycle, it’s up to the soldiers guarding the Ark in back to retake the truck. It doesn’t go very well for them, and that’s very much the idea.

The motorcycle crash that takes these guys out of the game, the jeep plunging over the cliff that takes those guys out of this life, and Jones just peeling Nazi scum off the truck’s sides left and right – it’s all high-octane fun and thrills. There’s even a laugh or two in there. Indy’s actually kind of having a good time for a second, but what us seeing that does is, it allows us to drop our guards as well. It lulls you into a false sense of security, and that’s exactly when the scene pulls the rug out from under you.

When Indy takes a round in the arm from an overzealous goon, the music switches from the exhilarating series of excited trumpet calls and answers to a passage that exudes unmistakable menace. It even comes with a dark undercurrent, a near-ticking clock, warning the audience that Indy’s time is running out. The whole tone of the scene shifts in an instant, and suddenly, we’re not having fun anymore. Suddenly, the danger is real, and we are, appropriately, right back on the edge of our seats where we belong. Pay attention to how fast everything changes. Indy’s actions are now forced and desperate. You can feel how much he needs the door to give, and this guy to fall.

And when he does, it feels different this time. This isn’t like his earlier successes with the motorcycle or the guys clinging to the sides of the truck. This one barely feels like a victory at all. It feels like all he’s done is buy time. And that’s because this guy, who might as well be the boss of this level, goes for the Nazi of the Year Award and makes a bad situation worse. Proper action is about sinking a knife into you and twisting it slow.

This guy goes to the zoo on Indy, placing this moment squarely in Second Act slump territory, which takes us headlong into:

Act III: Reclaiming the Edge

Hanging on for dear life and closing in on the bumper of Belloq’s car, Indy goes for a maneuver heavily inspired by John Ford’s landmark 1939 Western, Stagecoach, a film showcasing some, frankly, nuts stunt work that still stands up against the best of them today. In the tradition of a good Third Act, our hero turns catastrophe into a fighting chance, and I haven’t said anything about the stunts in this scene yet, but this… is an all-time, hall of fame, people-trying-to-top-it-still, caliber stunt.

You almost think being dragged across gravel by a speeding truck would qualify as Second Act low stuff, but naw. This is Jones on the offensive. The second he opts to climb under the truck, he’s mounting his comeback. And he earns it! This scene took five weeks to film, and Ford got beat up pretty bad doing this, bruising his ribs to get these shots. That’s right. It’s veteran stuntman Jack Dearlove for the wides, but these close-ups? That’s Ford. This part of the sequence is shot at twenty frames per second as opposed to the standard twenty-four, which allows for the truck to be driven slower without sacrificing the look of speed and intensity, but don’t let that fool you. Getting dragged over rocks by a truck at any speed sucks.

And not like we needed it, but when the Raiders March makes its triumphant return, you know it’s on. Indy regains control of the wheel, paying his assailant back in kind, and we are treated to just the most delicious revenge. I love the look on his face when he pulls alongside the car. He’s so done with them! Getting to run Belloq and Dietrich off the road may be small consolation to Indy after everything he’s endured over the last six grueling minutes, but it is such a victory for the viewer that it makes you stand up and cheer. It even gives you a little denouement, a touch of falling action, when Indy finally relaxes, wincing over the wound in his arm, driving home what this has cost him.

What else can I say about this scene other than just, that is how you do that! Here’s something. I dig this last shot of the Ark as Indy drives away. It’s like a before-and-after image when you look back to the beginning of the chase, in a subtle way illustrating everything Indiana Jones has accomplished in this one great scene.

Hey, guys. Thanks for tuning in today. I hope you enjoyed this episode, especially since we’re trying something a little new here. If you like what we’re doing, hit that subscribe button, and tell us what you think in the comments. Leave a like, ring the bell so you never miss an update, and follow Tangent 1985 on Twitter for more. As always, I’m M. Glenn Gore, and I’ll see you all again.