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Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, Chapter 11 - Oganga, The Giver and Taker of Life [VHS]

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This one ranks as my personal favorite of the entire series George did. Frank Durabont (The Shawshank Redemption) offers a compelling study of human nature both at its best and at its worst (albeit with good intent). In this psychological tale, Indy confronts the moral question of saving the life of a child in a jungle ravaged by disease even though it may put his mission and his men at risk. He sides with his men in this moral quandry and opposes his commanding officer, a man ruthless and shrewd in conduct but professional as regards the mission. In a twist of fate, it's the child who saves them, with a lesson of sympathy and humility harkening back to the ideology that child is father of man. Later, Indy meets Albert Schweitzer, a German (thus by nature of heritage Indy's sworn enemy) who dedicates himself to comforting and curing the dying Africans. Indy learns lessons in political science, prejudice and compassion for humanity. This episode, my own favorite, should be watched by families, studied in classrooms and cherished by anyone with compassion for human life in its variant forms and ideas.

I thought, from reading the description, that this would be boring. But it wasn't, not by a long shot. It's probably the best "Young Indy".

The action is limited to the first five or so minutes, where Lieutenant De Fonz (aka Indy) disobeys his superior and tells the troops to advance instead of retreat. This results in victory, and a promotion to Captain, but also the Major holding a grudge. Naturally, Indy and the Major are then teamed up on a mission to retrieve some weapons.

The opening battle sequence was even more graphic then "Trenches of Hell", and when Indy grabs the machine gun and mows done countless men, we see just how far he's come (or fallen) in less than a year. I love this one for all the character developement Indy undergoes, especially in relation to the previous videos. It's good to keep in mind that it's now December of 1916, and just last February all Indy cared about was the prom, and driving a cool car to said event. More has happened to Indy in ten months than happens in real peoples' entire lives.

That's where he is at the start of "Oganga". By the end he's changed even more, due to all the slow death he's had to witness. "Onganga" is great just for the fact that Indy is more human in this than he's ever been. He gets feverish, delusionary, and downright depressed. He seems like a real 17-year-old who's in way over his head. This isn't your typical Indy.

While it's good to see Indy's interaction with Schweitzer, and how it changes his outlook on life, I can't help but note that Harrison Ford's Indy seems to have forgotten the whole thing. He's back to killing with nonchalance, and even glee. Perhaps the Young Indy writers should have tried to be more consistent with the already established future. But at least they are consistent within the series, because in the next video ("Hawkmen") Indy changes his approach to the war by joining the secret service.

Kudos to Sean Patrick Flanery, he's a great Indy, especially in this one.

In the other movies, Indy never seemed to care about human life. In this he learns lots about life, feelings and points of view. This movie should be seen by everyone who can see it! It teaches valuable lessons and is still a classic Indiana Jones film.

I have always wanted to be a director and these movies have already taught me alot about the types of movies people like. I have used these and other George Lucas and Steven Spielberg films to use as exaples. Right now my friends and I are working on a film. We hope to have it completed by Jr. High.

This film lacks the cheesy comedy of the traditional indy videos. It explores philosophy and human nature. Indy has doubts about his involvment in the Belgian armys imperialist war in Africa. After speaking to an African native soldier about the war Indy learns that the Belgians will not leave Africa for the Africans but merely take it over from the Germans they are liberating it from. While it is action packed it also shows the political science of WWI. Get this!

This episode most likely marks the longest journey of Indie's life, as he goes from a brave and somewhat reckless soldier to a man uncomfortable with his beliefs. It opens with his participation in a battle in east Africa, leading a charge against an entrenched German position. He takes a bullet in the chest; fortunately for him a locket stops it. Knocked down and out for a short time, he then continues leading the charge, even though his superior officer has ordered a retreat. The German troops are routed and Indie's forces have won a victory.
Afterwards, Indie is promoted and made the second in command of an expedition across the continent to the west coast where the expedition is to accept a consignment of weapons. It is a long and harrowing trip through dry plains and then thick, wet jungle. Disease claims the lives of many of the men and Indie gets his first lesson when he speaks with his black sergeant. When Indie comments on what they are fighting for and the high position of the man in his unit, he is told by the sergeant that he is nothing more than a soldier in the white man's army and when the war is over, the white man will come and take his land again.
Once they reach the river they charter a boat do go down to the Atlantic coast. As the unit is on the way back upriver, everyone is sick with fever. They encounter Dr. Albert Schweitzer and he treats them so that some of them recover. This begins a dialog between Schweitzer and Indie as they discuss their philosophies of life and it begins to alter and mature Indie's view of the world. When the son of a chief becomes gravely ill and cannot travel, Indie uses the boat to take Schweitzer upriver and the boy is saved. Afterwards, the chief asks them several questions about the war in Europe and is astounded to learn that more than ten men have been killed.
This is a significant moment for Indie as he realizes that the people in Africa are not savages, for compared to the Europeans, their approach to war is quite civilized, as it does not destroy their society. When they return to Schweitzer's hospital, a detachment of the French army is there to take Schweitzer into custody as an enemy alien. Indie and Remy are furious but their ranting gains nothing.
While the idea that a military unit would attempt to cross the African jungle on foot like that, take control of a large contingent of weapons and then take them back is absurd. The logical journey would have been to simply sail around the cape. However, that logical flaw is overcome by the depth of the lessons that Indie learns about the reality of colonialism, the simple-mindedness of bureaucracy, and the meaning and joy of life as expressed by the words of Schweitzer. It is a great episode.

This is a great story!! makes you think. A must see story!!