In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Sean Connery plays Indiana Jones’s father, Professor Henry Jones.
Connery’s Henry Jones is a scholarly medievalist whose lifelong search for the Holy Grail has shaped his relationship with his son. When Henry disappears while pursuing the Grail, Indiana joins the search and discovers that the adventure is also a chance to repair their strained family bond.
The casting creates a deliberate connection with the James Bond films. Harrison Ford had become one of Hollywood’s major action stars, while Connery was famous worldwide for originating the cinematic role of Bond. Their contrasting personalities give the film much of its humor: Henry is cautious and academic, whereas Indiana is practical and physically adventurous.
The Last Crusade was released in 1989 and is the third theatrical Indiana Jones film. River Phoenix plays the teenage Indiana in the opening sequence, while Ford plays the adult archaeologist.