Written by Mr. Mouseburger 31st Aug 2005
Indiana Jones is searching for Marion, who has been kidnapped in a wicker basket. A rather amusing chase in the back streets of Cairo ensues, with Jones always one step behind the fleeing Nazi stooges.
His problems are compounded when he runs into a market place which is thronging with Arabs carrying these baskets. Jones has no choice but to tip them up one by one hoping that he will stumble upon Marion's basket (although why he didn’t focus on finding white European men carry a basket in a square full of Arabs is a question that has to remain unanswered).
Just as Jones notices the basket carrying Marion, the crowd parts and standing between Jones and his quarry is a rather finely dressed Arabian swordsman. After a brief display of swordsmanship, it is clear that this man is far superior with the sword than Jones. There is just one tiny drawback though; Jones has a gun. Casually pulling the gun from his holster, he shoots the swordsman dead and continues his search.
This is a pretty ordinary death, but it does pick up points for comedy value.
It is interesting to note that the director had initially planned a long choreographed swordfight for this scene. Harrison Ford supposed said, "Why don't I just shoot him?" It fit in well with the Jones character, and was used in the film.
You are somewhat correct. Harrison's suggestion stemmed from the fact that he was very ill at the time, and a long choreographed fight scene would have been torture in the blazing sun. Spielberg sympathized, and the comically anti-climactic scene became part of cinema history.
As I understood it, the scene where Indy faces two sword wielding Thuggi cult members in Temple of Doom was written in because Ford wasn't able to do the long scene with the Arab swordsman in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
In TOD, they also do a joke to referance the first film, where he goes for his gun but realizes he doesn't have it, forcing him to actually fight the Thuggees.
You are quite right, Ocafi - Harrison Ford had been suffering from dysentry, leading to a case of the "runs." For more data see [www.snopes.com].
I laughed my head off when I saw this death. It was hilarious.