this movie can be viewed as a race with the nazis to get the atomic bomb, but it doesn't need to be. the music is brilliant, the action is outstanding, the romance bounces between tragic and cute, and the slide show mood and content of the plot create an overwhekming sense of awe and doom. indy's intelligence is a subtle, but true factor. that and the conflict bewteen god and pure evil for the fate of the world. had harrison ford never made a movie beside this one, i am confident he still would be regarded as one of the greatest stars of all time. george lucas's influence adds the exoticism of the old pulps, and spielberg's direction is superb. how can you fail?