Steven Spielberg had only one actor in mind to play the role of Harrison Ford’s father, an eccentric professor of medieval literature in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Spielberg was a fan of Sean Connery’s work in James Bond films. Connery initially turned down the role because he didn’t want to play any more franchise roles after Bond. However, he continued to enjoy the role.
Ford and Connery had some problems on set and the Murder on the Orient Express actor had a particularly creative solution to a problem. The film was one of the best-received films in the franchise, with particular praise for its humor, emotional themes, and the performances of Ford and Connery.
Harrison Ford had to Indiana Jones Scene without pants thanks to Sean Connery
Many scenes from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were filmed in the studio and the cast had to overcome a major problem. The weather in the studio often did not suit what they had to shoot for the film. During a particular scene, Sean Connery and Harrison Ford had this problem.
The two actors had to film a scene in a zeppelin where the passengers had to wear fur coats since it was winter in the story. However, the studio where they filmed the scene turned out to be extremely hot. Connery and Ford’s scene was set in a crowded bar, which made things even worse for them.
Connery had the perfect solution to the problem. He decided not to wear pants in the scene. Connery revealed this in a making-of documentary of the film, adding that Ford was initially not on board with the idea. Connery shared that if he had to keep his pants on, he would have to stop because of the sweating.
Eventually, he managed to convince Ford to go through with the idea. Ford would have kept his famous leather jacket on only during that particular scene in the film. Connery shared (via The Digital Fix):
We were doing one of the scenes in the Zeppelin, all the passengers were wearing fur coats and hats and it was supposed to be in the winter. And I did it without pants. And Harrison said, “You’re not going to do the scene without pants.” I said, “Well, if I don’t, I’ll have to keep taking breaks because I sweat a lot, I sweat very easily.” Well, he did the same thing.
The dynamic between Connery and Ford worked remarkably well for the film, which grossed $474 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film of 1989 (via Box Office Mojo).
Sean Connery’s only ad-lib was kept in the film because it was so funny
In the film, Alison Doody’s Dr. Elsa Schneider turns out to be a Nazi conspirator. She seduces the Joneses and meets them when they are captured by the Nazis. In one of the scenes, Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones asks his father how he knew Elsa was a spy. Henry Sr. replies: “She talks in her sleep.”
It was so funny since it implied that Elsa also slept with Henry Sr. Interestingly, the scene was improvised by Sean Connery and everyone on the set started laughing at his improvisation. Spielberg decided to keep it in his film (via Empire).
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is now available on Disney+.
