The characters who inspired Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones
Looking through the annals of cinematic history, it is easy to assume that Harrison Ford has been gifted some of the finest roles known to any audience. That is not to say the actor has had particularly complex or difficult portrayals to deliver or that the characters he has been afforded were simple enough anybody could have pulled them off, but how many actors can boast Han Solo, Rick Deckard and Indiana Jones among their resume?
It’s a truly preposterous run of characters that not only showcases just how charismatic Ford is that he can deliver each one with a wry smile and a knowing glance, but that he is perhaps the ultimate cinematic hero. But, if you were thinking it came easy and with zero preparation, then you’d be dead wrong. Ford puts a lot of effort into seeming effortless.
When considering Indiana Jones, the iconic and adventurous archaeologist played by Ford, a few elements spring to mind: a fedora hat, a bullwhip, and a knack for getting out of tight spots.
The character is so legendary that he’s gone on to spawn several imitators, yet even legendary figures have their own roots – and Indiana Jones is no exception. As it turns out, the character is a cocktail of inspirations, drawing from British literature, a comic book adventurer, and even a certain director’s dog.
In 1977, shortly after the release of the original Star Wars, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas met in Hawaii. Spielberg expressed his desire to direct a James Bond film, but Lucas had something else in mind — a new hero who would embody the best of 007 and more. When you think about it, it seems kind of obvious, doesn’t it? Both characters share a sense of suave, resourcefulness, and physical agility, albeit all used for different ends.
Whereas Bond embodies the Tuxedo-clad, Martini-drinking jet setter, Jones travels the world in ragged propellor planes and wears his dusty leather jacket. Bond tries to save the world from nuclear destruction – Jones is trying to nab an ancient artefact for himself (or the museum, but you catch our drift).
However, another, more unexpected influence comes from the pages of an old children’s comic: Carl Barks’ Scrooge McDuck. Yes, the uncle of Disney’s spluttering, speech-afflicted character. Transmuted from Charles Dickens’ Yuletide miser into a globetrotting, treasure-hunting Peking duck, Scrooge McDuck offered a prototype for Indiana Jones.
Spielberg even paid homage to this influence in the prologue of Raiders of the Lost Ark, crafting a sequence that mirrors an adventure in the seventh issue of the Scrooge McDuck comic series. Our first introduction to Indiana Jones, with him triggering a complex series of booby traps after stealing a glowing artefact? It’s lifted directly from Carl Barks’ comics. Far from being a mere children’s character, Scrooge McDuck lent the notion that history and archaeology could be thrilling and action-packed – an idea fully realised in the Indiana Jones films.
Perhaps the most touching inspiration for Indiana Jones, however, was George Lucas’ Alaskan Malamute dog, named Indiana. The lovable pet not only inspired Jones’ name but also informed the character’s personality traits – impulsive, instinctive and loveable. Lucas’ affection for his pet was such that Indiana also served as the basis for another legendary character: Chewbacca, the Wookiee co-pilot in Star Wars.
So there you have it: Ford’s embodiment of Indiana Jones is a confluence of these wholly disparate elements. It’s a role he has reprised more than any other, returning to it in 2023 with The Dial of Destiny, despite confidently believing right at the start that it would be a “one-off”. He’s a hero made from the best parts of an international spy, a cartoon adventurer, and man’s best friend — a holy trilogy that has captivated audiences for decades.
