Sean Connery Bows Out of Indiana Jones 4

The fourth installment of Steven Spielberg's series of Indiana Jones films is to begin shooting this summer, tentatively titled "Indiana Jones And The City Of The Gods". It could still be changed, of course, to something more appropriate. Indiana Jones And The Search For The Best Early Bird Special has a nice ring to it. How about Raiders Of The Enlarged Prostate or Indiana Jones And The Lost Prune Juice?

The Producers could even borrow a page (a term sure to intrigue Mark Foley) from a 90's movie, considering how long it's been since Indy Jones 3, and name the release How Indiana Jones Got His Groove Back. Just make it about the archaeologist's attempts to raise ancient artifacts by choosing between Viagra and Cialis. Oh, yeah, the last film was set in the 1930's and if you add 19 years, as rumors suggest the filmmakers will, I guess that's out of the question. Nobody dared talk about erections except architects in those days, let alone mentioned such a thing in movies or TV.

There's no word on whether Indy will use a AARP card to get senior discounts on hats, bullwhips and such. I'm sure Harrison Ford is in great shape for a man his age, but my gosh, he will be past his mid 60's by the time next Memorial Day comes around. Sean Connery was almost a decade younger when he played Indy's Dad, Henry Jones, Sr.in the 1989 release Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, and most viewers thought of Connery as ancient back then.

Now comes the word that Sean Connery has passed up the chance to play Henry Jones in the upcoming Indy 4, saying he was just enjoying retirement too much. I take that to mean that unless the Producers decide to use SNL's Darrell Hammond in the role that the elder Jones will be explained away as deceased. Hammond does a very good Sean Connery impression, but he is a good deal younger than Harrison Ford. However, Connery is only 10-11 years older than Ford, so who knows?

Sean Connery did have some words of advice for his onscreen son, however. "Demand that the critters be digital, the cliffs be low, and for goodness sake, keep that whip by your side at all times in case you need to escape the stunt coordinator".

Even with a 60 something Indiana Jones, I'm sure the film will be better than most summer fare next year. I'm equally sure that I won't wait for it to come out on video to see it. There are rumors that Karen Allen of the first Indiana Jones flick, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, one of my all time favorites, will return as Marion Ravenwood, an old flame of Indy's. Surely Harrison Ford's flame will be still be brightly burning then, even if it seems as if he was there when fire was invented.