Neither rain, thunder, wind, nor lightning can knock down the iconic hat of the famous adventure archaeologist, thanks to this infallible yet painful method. From the opening shot against the horizon of the Peruvian jungle to the shadow projected onto the wall of a Nepalese den, and the figure contrasting against a flaming Egyptian sunset.
The silhouette in all these scenes, whether in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” or “Temple of Doom,” is the adventurer Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford, but the unquestionable star is his hat. The felt fedora hat had long been a currency of exchange among mobsters and government thugs. But this object somehow made the character’s silhouette as distinctive as Darth Vader’s helmet in “Star Wars” or Batman’s mask, whether it’s Michael Keaton or Christian Bale.
Its almost mythical qualities have been admired by fans for decades. According to its creator, George Lucas, Indy took the fedora hat to New Mexico in 1916 and wore it there while getting involved in the Mexican Revolution, and later on adventures in Ireland and the United Kingdom. After enlisting in the Belgian army for World War I, Jones took the hat with him to war, although he sported various military helmets while in the field as a soldier and messenger.
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