Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Script
FADE IN:
EXT. PERU - HIGH JUNGLE - DAY
The dense, lush rain forests of the eastern slopes of the
Andes, the place known as "The Eyebrow of the Jungle". Ragged,
jutting canyon walls are half-hidden by the thick mists.
The MAIN TITLE is followed by this:
PERU
1936
A narrow trail across the green face of the canyon. A group
of men make their way along it. At the head of the party is
an American, INDIANA JONES. He wears a short leather jacket,
a flapped holster, and a brimmed felt hat with a weird feather
stuck in the band. Behind him come two Spanish Peruvians,
SATIPO and BARRANCA. Bringing up the rear are five Yagua
INDIANS. They act as porters and are wrangling the two heavily-
packed llamas. The Indians become increasingly nervous. They
speak to each other in bursts of Quechua. The American, who
is known to his friends as Indy, glances back at them.
BARRANCA
(irritated)
They’re talking about the Curse again!
He turns and yells at the Indians in Quechua, his anger giving
an indication of his own fears. The party reaches a break in
the canyon wall and takes the trail through it.
When they emerge, their destination is revealed to them in
the distance. Beyond a thick stand of trees is the vegetation-
enshrouded TEMPLE OF THE CHACHAPOYAN WARRIORS.
The entire party is struck by the sight. The Indians,
terrified now, chatter away. Suddenly the three at the back
turn and run, dropping their packs as they go. Barranca yells
at the fleeing Indians and pulls his pistol out. He starts
to raise his arm to aim but Indy restrains it in a muscular
grip.
INDY
No.
Barranca looks evilly at Indy’s hand upon him. Indy releases
him and smiles in a friendly way.
INDY
We don’t need them.
Satipo watches this confrontation with some concern.
BARRANCA
I do not carry supplies.
INDY
We’ll leave them. Once we’ve got it,
we’ll be able to reach the plane by
dusk.
He turns back to the trail. Satipo gets the two remaining
Indians moving behind Indy. Satipo and Barranca then have a
fast, silent communication: Barranca indicates his desire to
slit Indy’s throat; Satipo gives him a look that says "Be
patient, you idiot".
THE APPROACH TO THE TEMPLE
The party fans out to fight their way through the entwined
trees that guard the temple. Visibility is cut to five feet
in the heavy mist. Satipo extracts a short, native dart from
a tree and examines the point gingerly
SATIPO
(showing Indy)
The Hovitos are near. The poison is
still fresh... three days. They’re
following us, I tell you.
INDY
If they knew we were here, they would
have killed us already.
The two Indiana jabber in Quechua, near hysteria. Barranca
is sweating profusely, eyes darting. He yells at the Indians
in Quechua to "shut up".
In the undergrowth, there is slithering movement.
Indian #1 draws aside a branch and is faced with a horrific
stone sculpture of a Chachapoyan demon. The Indian is so
frightened no sound comes out when he screams. He turns and
runs silently away.
Indian #2 calls to his friend. Getting no response, he steps
in that direction. A huge macaw, flushed from the undergrowth,
screams and flies away. Indian #2 does exactly the same thing,
never to be seen again.
Indy, Satipo and Barranca, just clearing the trees, look
back in that direction. They all turn to face the Temple.
It is dark and awesome. Vegetation curls from every crevice,
over each elaborate frieze. The entrance - round, open and
black - has been designed to look like open jaws.
INDY
So this is where Forrestal cashed
in.
SATIPO
A friend of yours?
INDY
Competitor. He was good, very good.
BARRANCA
(nervous)
No one has ever come out of there
alive. Why should we put our faith
in you?
Indy takes the weird feather from the band of his hat. From
around its point, he slips a tightly rolled piece of
parchment. Barranca and Satipo exchange a quick "So that’s
where is was!" look. They all kneel as Indy spreads out the
parchment. On it is one-half of a crude floorplan of the
Temple.
INDY
No one ever had what we have...
partners.
Indy fixes them with an expectant stare. Satipo produces a
similar, but folded, piece of parchment. He lays it - the
other half of the floorplan - next to Indy’s. They all regard
it for a moment, then Indy stands and walks toward the Temple.
Barranca’s eyes are shining as they dart between the floorplan
and Satipo.
INDY
(back turned)
Assuming that pillar there marks the
corner and...
Barranca is suddenly on his feet, quietly drawing his pistol.
He raises it toward Indy as Satipo realizes with alarm what
he’s doing. Too late. Indy’s head turns and he sees Barranca.
Indy’s next move is amazing, graceful and fast, yet totally
unhurried. His right hand slides up under the back of his
leather jacket and emerges grasping the handle of a neatly
curled bullwhip. With the same fluid move that brings Indy’s
body around to face the Peruvian, the whip uncoils to its
full ten foot length and flashes out.
The fall of the whip (the unplaited strip at the end of the
lash) wraps itself around Barranca’s hand and pistol. He
could not drop the gun now if he tried.
Indy gives the whip a short pull and Barranca’s arm in jerked
down, where it involuntarily discharges the gun into the
dirt. Barranca is amazed, but feels some slack in the whip
and immediately raises the gun toward Indy again, cocking it
with his free hand.
Indy’s face goes hard. And sad.
Indy sweeps his arm in a wide arc. Barranca spins around,
enclosed in the whip, his gun hand stuck tight against his
body. Indy gives one more short jerk on the whip handle and
Barranca’s gun fires. Barranca falls dead.
Indy looks quickly at Satipo, who is shocked and frightened.
He raises his arms in supplication.
SATIPO
I knew nothing! He was crazy! Please!
Indy looks him over, then nods. He frees the whip from
Barranca’s body and picks up the man. His eyes sweep the
surrounding woods.
INDY
Let’s go.
INT. TEMPLE - INCLINED PASSAGE - DAY
Indy and Satipo, carrying a torch, walk up the slightly
inclined, tubular passage from the main entrance. The interior
is wet and dark, hanging with plant life and stalactites.
Their echoing footsteps intermittently overpower the sounds
of loud dripping, whistling air drafts and scampering claws.
HALL OF SHADOWS
Indy leads the way down a twisting hallway, Satipo’s torch
barely lighting his way from behind. Indy disappears in a
shadow and when he reappears a moment later a huge black
tarantula is crawling up the back of his jacket. Indy doesn’t
notice and disappears into another shadow, emerging with two
more tarantulas on his back.
Satipo sees them and makes a frightened grunting sound. Indy
looks at him, sees what he’s pointing at and casually brushes
all three spiders off with his rolled whip, as he would a
fly. Satipo pirouettes for an inspection and Indy flicks one
off the Peruvian’s back.
Indy begins picking up little pocket-sized artifacts from
the niches and ledges of the Temple. He continues to do this
as the men penetrate the Temple. His collecting is quick and
expert, evaluating the pieces in an instant, discarding some,
stuffing others into his clothes, and never stopping his
forward progress.
CHAMBER OF LIGHT
The men reach an arch in the hall. The small chamber ahead,
which interrupts the hall, is brightly lit by a shaft of
sunlight from high above. Indy stops, looks it over.
SATIPO
What’s wrong? Are you lost?
Indy picks up a stick and throws it through the shaft of
light. Giant spikes spring together from the sides of the
chamber with a ferocious CLANG! And impaled on the spikes
are the remains of a white man, half-fleshed, half skeleton,
in explorer-type grab. Indy reaches out and takes hold of
the man’s carcass. As the spikes slowly retract, Indy pulls
it free and seats the remains gently on the floor.
INDY
Forrestal.
SATIPO
(gulps)
We can go no further.
INDY
Now, Satipo, we don’t want to be
discouraged by every little thing.
Indy steps sideways into the chamber. His back pressed against
the very points of the retracted spikes, he moves along the
edge of the light beam, and steps clear on the other side.
Satipo grimaces and begins sweating his way through.
STAIRWAY
Indy and Satipo come down stone stairs to a tight landing.
Framing the entry are a carefully strung network of dead
vines, each somehow hooked into the wall, narrowing the
opening even more.
INDY
(taking torch)
Let me see that.
He lowers the torch to the floor of the landing. The landing
is carpeted with human skeletons, one on top of another, all
squashed flat as cardboard. Satipo gasps. Indy looks up at
the ceiling of the landing, then steps onto skeletons, which
make a cracking noise under his feet.
INDY
Try not to touch the vines.
FOYER OF THE SANCTUARY
The men are in a high, straight hallway 50 feet long.
The door at the end is flooded with sunlight.
SATIPO
Señor, I think we are very close.
Indy stands still looking at the hall.
SATIPO
(impatient)
Let us hurry. There is nothing to
fear here.
INDY
That’s what scares me.
They begin walking down the hall side by side. Satipo has
inched a little ahead. Suddenly his lead foot comes down and
through the floor! As Satipo begins to pitch forward, Indy
grabs him by the belt and pulls him back. They both look
down at the "floor".
Indy swings his whip across the floor. Fifteen feet of it
cuts open beneath the lash, falling away to reveal black pit
as wide as the hall. The illusory floor was made of dust-
covered cobwebs. Satipo picks up a stone and drops it down
the pit. No sound. The two men exchange glances. Indy looks
up at the high roof of the hall. He swings the whip up around
a support beam, tests its strength with a pull and swings
over the pit on the whip. From the other side he swings the
whip back to Satipo, who throws Indy the torch. Satipo swings
across. When they are both standing on solid floor there is
a moment of quiet in which they hear, from far, far below -
SPLASH! Indy wedges the whip handle into the wall and leaves
it strung to the beam for quick retreat.
THE SANCTUARY
A large, domed room. Ten evenly-spaced skylights send their
shafts of sunlight down to a unique tiled floor: white and
black tiles laid out in a lovely, intricate pattern. Indy
and Satipo stand at the door and look across the wide room
at the altar. There, in the supreme hallowed spot, is a tiny
jeweled figurine, Indy’s real objective.
Two torches, many years old, are in holders by the door.
Indy takes one down and lights it. He gives the regular torch
to Satipo.
SATIPO
There’s plenty of light, amigo.
Indy kneels and uses the unlit end of the torch to reach out
and tap a white tile. It is solid. He taps a black tile.
There is a whizzing sound and a tiny dark sticks in the torch.
Satipo points to the wall nearby: there is a recessed hole
there.
SATIPO
From that hole!
Indy nods, stands and looks around the sanctuary. The entire
room is honey-comed with the same kind of hole. Satipo sees
it too and is properly impressed.
INDY
You wait here.
SATIPO
If you insist, señor.
Torch in hand, Indy begins his careful walk across the
sanctuary. Stepping only on the white tiles, he almost appears
to be doing a martial arts kata. Before each big move he
waves the torch in front of him head to toe, looking at the
flame. Halfway out, he sees something on the floor and kneels
to look at it.
A dead bird lies on one of the white tiles. Its body is
riddled with little deadly darts. This has great significance
to Indy and he stands with even greater caution. He waves
the torch ahead of him and at waist height an air current
whips at the flame. Indy ducks under it and leaves a burn
mark on the white tile beneath it.
Satipo watches, wide-eyed and mystified.
Indy reaches the altar. The tiny idol looks both fierce and
beautiful. It rests on a pedestal of polished stone. Indy
looks the whole set-up over very carefully. From his jacket
he takes a small, canvas drawstring bad. He begins filling
it with dirt from around the case of the altar. When he has
created a weight that he thinks approximates the weight of
the idol, he bounces it a couple times in his palm
concentrating. It’s clear he wants to replace the idol with
the bag as smoothly as possible. His hand seems ready to do
that once, when he stops, takes a breath and loosens his
shoulder muscles. Now he sets himself again. And makes the
switch! The idol is now in his hand, the bag on the pedestal.
For a long moment it sits there, then the polished stone
beneath the bag drops five inches. This sets off an AURAL
CHAIN REACTION of steadily increasing volume as some huge
mysterious mechanism rumbles into action deep in the temple.
Indy spins and starts his kata back across the sanctuary at
four times the speed.
Satipo’s eyes widen in terror. He turns and runs.
THE RETREAT - INTERCUTTING INDY AND SATIPO
The sanctuary has begun to rumble and shake in response to
the mysterious mechanism. Just as Indy goes out the door, a
rock shakes loose from the wall and rolls onto the tiles
floor. Immediately, a noisy torrent of poison darts fills
the room.
IN THE FOYER
Satipo swings across the pit. He makes it just as the whip
comes undone from the beam, leaving Indy without an escape.
Satipo, extremely nervous, regards the whip a moment then
turns back to face Indy, who has run up to the far side of
the pit.
SATIPO
No time to argue. Throw me the idol,
I throw you the whip.
Indy hesitates, eyeing the rumbling walls.
SATIPO
You have no choice! Hurry!
Indy concurs with that assessment. He tosses the idol across
the pit to Satipo. Satipo stuffs it in the front pocket of
his jacket, gives Indy a look, then drops the whip on the
floor and runs.
SATIPO
Adios, amigo!
Indy grimaces. He had a feeling this might happen. He looks
around.
AT THE VINED LANDING
Satipo flies through like a chubby ballet dancer and takes
the steps five at a time.
IN THE FOYER
Indy runs in full stride to the edge of the pit and broad
jumps into space. He doesn’t make it. His body hits the far
side of the pit and he begins to slide out of view. Only
wild clawing with his fingers at the edge of the pit stops
his descent. With just the tips of his fingers over the edge,
he begins pulling himself up.
AT THE CHAMBER OF LIGHT
Satipo has slowed down. He begins to edge carefully around
the light shaft.
AT THE VINED LANDING
Indy sails through sideways and rolls to a stop at the bottom
of the steps. His whip is grasped in his hand. As he raises
himself, he hears, from above the giant spikes of the Chamber
of Light CLANG! and an abrupt, sickening rendition of SATIPO’S
LAST SCREAM. Indy runs up the steps. The rumbling sound grows
louder.
AT THE CHAMBER OF LIGHT
Indy slides to a stop. The spikes have retracted, taking
Satipo’s body to one side. Indy edges into the chamber with
his back to the shaft of light. Soon he is face to face with
the dead Satipo; spikes protrude from several vital spots in
the Peruvian’s body. Indy removes the idol from Satipo’s
pocket and moves quickly out the other side.
INDY
Adios.
THE INCLINED PASSAGE
Indy shoots out of a cut-off hallway and turns toward the
exit. The rumbling is very loud and now we see why: right
behind Indy a huge boulder comes roaring around a corner of
the passage, perfectly form-fitted to the passageway. It
obliterates everything before it, sending the stalactites
shooting ahead like missiles. Indy dashes for the light of
the exit. His hat flies off his head. Almost immediately it
is crushed by the boulder. Indy dives out the end of the
passage as the boulder slams to a perfect fit at the entrance,
sealing the Temple.
EXT. FRONT OF THE TEMPLE - DAY
Indy lies on the ground, gasping for air. A shadow falls
across him and he looks up.
WHAT HE SEES
Looming above him are three figures. Two are HOVITOS WARRIORS
in full battle paint and loin cloths. They carry long blow
guns. But the man in the center draws Indy’s attention. He
is a tall, impressive white man, dressed in full safari outfit
including pith helmet. His name is EMILE BELLOQ. His face is
thin, powerful; his eyes hypnotic; his smile charming, yet
lethal. His heavily French-accented speech is deep,
mellifluous, wonderful. Back beyond Belloq and his two
escorts, thirty more Hovitos Warriors hover at the edge of
the trees.
BELLOQ
Dr. Jones, you choose the wrong
friends. This time it will cost you.
Belloq extends his hand. Indy looks at it, then produces the
idol and hands it to Belloq. Belloq extends his other hand,
smiling. Indy hands over his gun. Belloq sticks it in his
jacket.
BELLOQ
And you thought I’d given up.
INDY
(eyeing the Hovitos)
Too bad they don’t know you like I
do, Belloq.
BELLOQ
(smiles)
Yes, too bad. You could warn them...
if only you spoke Hovitos.
With that, Belloq turns dramatically and holds the idol high
for all the Hovitos to see and says something in Hovitos.
There is a murmur of recognition and all the Indians,
including Belloq’s escorts, prostrate themselves upon the
ground, heads down.
Indy is immediately up and running toward the edge of the
clearing.
BELLOQ
(in Hovitos)
Kill him!
AT THE EDGE OF THE CLEARING
Indy disappears into the foliage. An instant later, the leaves
are peppered with a rain of poison darts and spears.
EXT. THE JUNGLE - INDY’S RUN - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY
Indy runs like hell through steadily falling terrain. And
always close behind, a swift gang of angry Hovitos.
Occasionally they get close enough to send a dart or spear
whizzing past Indy’s head.
EXT. THE URUBAMBA RIVER - DUSK
An amphibian plane sits in the water beneath a green cliff.
Sitting on the wing is JOCK, the British pilot. Indy breaks
out of some distant brush and runs along the path at the top
of the cliff.
INDY
(yelling)
Get it going! Get it going!
Jock hops in and fires up the plane’s engines. Indy reaches
a spot on the cliff above the place, glances back, them jumps
into the river. He comes up, swims to the plane and grabs a
strut.
INDY
GO!
Jock starts the plane moving across the water as Indy walks
across the wing and falls into the passenger compartment.
INT. JOCK’S PLANE - DUSK
Indy relaxes and lies across the seat, a big smile on his
face. One hand drops to the floor of the cabin and Indy jumps,
hitting his head. On the floor of the cabin is a huge boa
constrictor. Indy tries to get his whole body onto the seat.
Jock sees what’s happening.
JOCK
Don’t mind him. That’s Reggie.
Wouldn’t hurt a soul.
INDY
I can’t stand snakes.
JOCK
The world’s full of them, you know.
INDY
I hate them.
JOCK
Come on now, Sport, show a little of
the old backbone.
EXT. JOCK’S PLANE - TWILIGHT
It soars off over the dark jungle.
INT. INDY’S OFFICE, SMALL EASTERN COLLEGE - DAY
It’s autumn and the pretty, New England campus out Indy’s
window reflects it in dazzling color. A few weeks before the
start of classes. Activity just picking up. Some students
about.
Indy is at a bookcase near the window and he looks quite
different in this setting. His outfit is tweedy, slightly
rumpled in the professional style. Part of his attention is
focused in a book and he wears glasses to see the fine print.
The office is cramped, absolutely inundated with books, maps,
etchings and archeological artifacts. In fact, the only neat
spot in the room right now is Indy’s desk, which has been
cleared off expressly for the benefit of -
MARCUS BRODY
The Curator of the National Museum in Washington, D.C. Brody
is examining the small artifacts Indy pocketed on his way
into the Peruvian Temple. He occasionally uses a jeweler’s
eyepiece to get a closer look. But he is distracted, his
concerns elsewhere, and it is this that his old friend Indy
senses from across the room.
BRODY
Do you think the idol will ever show
up?
INDY
I don’t know. Just because Belloq
had it doesn’t mean he kept it.
Indy snaps the book closed and puts it on the shelf. He takes
his glasses off and focuses on Brody. At the windowed door
to his office, two pretty Coeds pause for a moment, look in
at their sexy Archeology professor, giggle and disappear.
INDY
Getting it away from those Indians
would be a neat trick
(a hard look)
I hope they got him.
A young male graduate student, Indy’s TEACHING ASSISTANT,
taps on the door and then pushes his way in with an armload
of reference books. Indy helps him find a spot for them.
TEACHING ASSISTANT
I couldn’t get the McNabe, Professor.
Someone’s got it checked out ’til
next month when classes start.
INDY
That’s all right, Phil. Thanks a
lot.
TEACHING ASSISTANT
(eager to please)
Will there be anything else?
INDY
No. I’ll see you Thursday.
The Teaching Assistant leaves. Brody is scowling as he
examines the last of the artifacts.
INDY
Hey, if you don’t like them, I can
always return them.
BRODY
No, they’re beautiful. The Museum
will buy them as usual. No questions
asked.
INDY
Then what’s wrong?
BRODY
I brought along some people today.
INDY
What kind of people?
BRODY
Government.
INDY
(concerned)
Government?
BRODY
Don’t worry, it’s not about your
business.
(indicates the
artifacts)
They’re from the Army.
INDY
I’ve already served.
BRODY
Army Intelligence. They’re looking
for Abner.
INT. INDY’S LECTURE HALL / CLASSROOM - DAY
Indy’s course - a combination of archeology and anthropology -
is taught in this amphitheater-type lecture hall. His desk
and lectern hold large reference books; blackboards line the
wall. Bones, maps, charts festoon the walls.
Indy leans against his desk talking with Brody and two
uniformed Army officers, COLONEL MUSGROVE and MAJOR EATON,
who are situated around the first seats in the classroom.
MUSGROVE
But you did study under Professor
Ravenwood at the University of
Chicago?
INDY
(nods)
We haven’t spoken in ten years. I’m
afraid we had a bit of a falling
out.
EATON
You know nothing of his whereabouts?
INDY
(negative)
Just rumors. Somewhere in Asia, last
I heard.
Musgrove and Eaton exchange a look; they’re disappointed.
EATON
(to Musgrove)
Maybe Dr. Jones can make sense of
it.
Again the military men have a silent communication, deciding
what to reveal.
MUSGROVE
Well... you must understand, Dr.
Jones, this is all strictly
confidential.
INDY
I understand.
MUSGROVE
Yesterday, one of our European
sections intercepted a Nazi communiqué
from Cairo to Berlin. We don’t quite
know what to make of it.
Musgrove takes a sheet from his briefcase.
MUSGROVE
Here it is - "Tanis development
proceeding. Acquire headpiece, Staff
of Ra, General Tengtu Hok, Shanghai.
Locate Abner Ravenwood, U.S."
Brody is excited. He looks at Indy.
BRODY
Tanis. They must have discovered the
lost ruins.
Indy contemplates this big news; he’s impressed.
INDY
(to himself)
Tanis. Ain’t that somethin’!
EATON
Frankly, we’re a little suspicious...
An American being mentioned so
prominently in a secret Nazi cable.
INDY
Ah, Ravenwood’s no Nazi.
EATON
Then what do they want him for?
INDY
They’re looking for the headpiece to
the Staff of Ra.
MUSGROVE
(indicates his sheet)
But it says here that’s in China.
INDY
Only half of it. Ravenwood had the
other half.
EATON
What would the Nazis want with this -
this Staff of Ra?
BRODY
I can tell you that. Over the last
two years the Nazis have had teams
of archeologists running around the
world looking for all kinds of
religious artifacts.
MUSGROVE
That’s right. Hitler’s a nut on the
subject. Crazy. He’s obsessed with
the occult.
EATON
What is this Staff of Ra, anyway?
INDY
It all has to do with the Ark of the
Covenant.
(the Army guys look
mystified)
The chest the Hebrews used to carry
around the Ten Commandments.
Now it’s the Army men who are impressed.
INDY
An Egyptian pharaoh stole the Ark
from Jerusalem and took it back to
the city of Tanis. A short time later,
Tanis was consumed by the desert in
a sandstorm that lasted a year. But
before that, the Pharaoh had had the
Ark hidden away in a secret chamber
called the Well of the Souls. Which
is where the Staff of Ra comes in.
Indy moves to the blackboard and makes a quick sketch to
give a rough idea of the system as he describes it. (and we
get a glimpse of what an interesting and enthusiastic teacher
he must be).
INDY
Now this was rather clever. The Staff
was really just a big stick - oh, I
don’t know, say like this -
(he indicates about
six feet)
no one really knows for sure. Any
way, it was capped by an elaborate
headpiece with a carving of the sun
at the top. What you had to do was
take the Staff to a special map room
in Tanis - it had the whole city
laid out in miniature on the floor.
When you placed the Staff in a certain
spot in this room, at a certain time
of day, the sun would shine through
a hole here in the headpiece and
then send a beam of light down here -
to the map - giving you the location
of the Well of the Souls...
MUSGROVE
...where the Ark of the Covenant was
kept.
INDY
(nods)
Which is probably what the Nazis are
&n