Karen Allen Clarifies Indiana Jones-Marion Romantic History: ‘I Don’t Think of Him as a Pedophile’
Karen Allen has provided some clarity to an ambiguous line in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” that have led some viewers to peg Indiana Jones as a pedophile, or at least a predator. The line occurs during Allen’s introduction scene as Marion Ravenwood. Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones turns up at Marion’s bar, the first time the characters have seen each other in a decade. Marion punches Indiana and says, “I’ve learned to hate you in the last 10 years.” When Indiana says he never meant to hurt Marion, she responds, “I was a child! I was in love! It was wrong and you knew it.” Later as Indiana tries to apologize, Marion says, “Do you know what you did to me? To my life?”
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” does not provide any context for the conversation in the scene, leaving many viewers left to wonder what might have happened between Indiana and Marion. In a recent interview with Uproxx to mark the 4K Blu-ray release of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Allen spoke about the scene and how she never viewed the relationship between Indiana and Marion starting in a predatory way.
“I guess you could say [there are sinister undertones],” Allen said about the scene. “I think I say I was 16. I don’t know. That’s always what I imagined is she was 16, he was 26. And he was her father’s student. And it’s left very mysterious. We don’t even know what it is. I mean, they could have kissed a few times, and she was just completely bowled over, and he could have just not wanted to get involved with someone so young. And maybe my father would have been furious at him.”
Karen Allen has provided some clarity to an ambiguous line in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” that have led some viewers to peg Indiana Jones as a pedophile, or at least a predator. The line occurs during Allen’s introduction scene as Marion Ravenwood. Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones turns up at Marion’s bar, the first time the characters have seen each other in a decade. Marion punches Indiana and says, “I’ve learned to hate you in the last 10 years.” When Indiana says he never meant to hurt Marion, she responds, “I was a child! I was in love! It was wrong and you knew it.” Later as Indiana tries to apologize, Marion says, “Do you know what you did to me? To my life?”
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” does not provide any context for the conversation in the scene, leaving many viewers left to wonder what might have happened between Indiana and Marion. In a recent interview with Uproxx to mark the 4K Blu-ray release of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Allen spoke about the scene and how she never viewed the relationship between Indiana and Marion starting in a predatory way.
“I guess you could say [there are sinister undertones],” Allen said about the scene. “I think I say I was 16. I don’t know. That’s always what I imagined is she was 16, he was 26. And he was her father’s student. And it’s left very mysterious. We don’t even know what it is. I mean, they could have kissed a few times, and she was just completely bowled over, and he could have just not wanted to get involved with someone so young. And maybe my father would have been furious at him.”
