Marcus Brody
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Indiana Jones character | |
 |
|
| Marcus Brody | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | Unknown |
| Place of birth | Unknown |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Artifact Retrieval |
| Family | Unknown |
| Portrayed by | Denholm Elliott |
| First appearance | Raiders of the Lost Ark |
Marcus Brody is a fictional character, appearing in the Indiana Jones films Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Brody was played by veteran British actor Denholm Elliott, who died of an AIDS-related illness in 1992.
[edit] Biography
Little is known about Brody's early life; however it does appear that he and Henry Jones Sr. attended the same high school, and possibly university. A friend to Indiana Jones, Marcus Brody also has a business relationship with the archeologist, the nature of which is not entirely clear; he does not appear to be a museum curator, however certainly Marcus provides funding for Jones to retrieve ancient relics, on the understanding that such artifacts are then donated to the museum with which Brody is affiliated at that time. The implication is that Brody is an independent contractor, working in "artifact acquisition" for prominent museums.
When first seen, the impression given is one of quiet competence (regarding the quest for the Ark of the Covenant, Brody states that "10 years ago" he would have accompanied Jones). However, during the characters second appearance it becomes clear that this is hyperbole; Marcus is shown to be a loveable buffoon, who once "got lost in his own museum".
[edit] Raiders of the Lost Ark
The opening sequence (showing Jones's unsuccessful attempt to acquire a golden fertility idol) is apparently an expedition funded by Marcus. Brody's role in this film is rather brief; he introduces Jones to a duo of government agents, who explain the Nazi campaign to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant, and later informs him that the government wants him to "beat the Nazis to it". He negotiates the agreement that the Ark, upon its delivery to the United States, will be placed in a museum. He later shares Jones's frustration when the agents confiscate the Ark, refusing to disclose its whereabouts.
[edit] Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Marcus's role is much larger, though played more for comic relief, in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. He enters the story after Indy obtains the Cross of Coronado, which Marcus accepts for the museum "no questions asked". It is also revealed that Marcus had known Indiana and his father, Henry Jones Sr., for many years. Rather than stay behind, he travels with Jones to Venice when they learn that Indy's father has been kidnapped.
After Indy learns his father's location, and sets out to rescue him, he dispatches Marcus to contact his friend Sallah. The Nazis capture Marcus, who was holding the map to the Holy Grail that Indy gave him for safekeeping. Near İskenderun, Jones, his father, and Sallah battle the Nazis, rescuing Brody, but fail to prevent the Nazis from reaching the Grail temple. The foursome enter the temple, where they are captured by the Nazis. Their American cohort and project leader, Walter Donovan, shoots Jones Sr. to force Indy to retrieve the Grail, using only his father's diary as a guide. He is ultimately successful, and uses water from the Grail to heal his father's bullet wound. The four of them are forced to leave the Grail itself behind when they leave the temple. As they ride away, Marcus clumsily loses control of his horse until Indy catches him.
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Films | Raiders of the Lost Ark • The Temple of Doom • The Last Crusade • Indiana Jones 4 |
| Television | The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles |
| Characters | Indiana Jones • Willie Scott • Marion Ravenwood • Elsa Schneider Marcus Brody • Sallah • Short Round • Henry Jones, Sr. • Walter Donovan • Rene Belloq • Colonel Dietrich • Arnold Toht • Colonel Vogel • Mola Ram • Club Obi-Wan Triad |
| Cast | Harrison Ford • Sean Connery • Corey Carrier • Sean Patrick Flanery George Hall • River Phoenix • John Rhys-Davies • Denholm Elliott • Julian Glover • Wolf Kahler • Ronald Lacey • Paul Freeman • Amrish Puri • Michael Byrne |
| Crew | George Lucas • Steven Spielberg • Frank Marshall • John Williams |
