Indiana Jones star John Rhys-Davies about filming challenges and the dark deleted scene in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” [Exclusive]

Introduction to Indiana Jones

The adventure of Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, played by Harrison Ford, took the brave archaeologist around the world and resulted in five unforgettable feature films. Everything started with Steven Spielberg’s 1981 masterpiece, Raiders of the Lost Ark, which remains the gold standard for action-adventure filmmaking to this day. In addition to the stunning action sequences and the frequent punching of Nazis, one of the best additions to the franchise was Sallah, played by the great John Rhys-Davies.

John Rhys-Davies’ Experience with Raiders of the Lost Ark

John Rhys-Davies, who has played in three Indiana Jones films and three Lord of the Rings films, is no stranger to difficult shooting conditions. In an interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub at Fan Expo Boston, Rhys-Davies was asked about the most difficult scene or film to shoot. He revealed that filming Raiders of the Lost Ark left him and several other cast and crew members with dysentery. Additionally, Rhys-Davies mentioned a particularly dark, deleted scene where Sallah is almost killed by a Nazi. He explained that in the scene, "the German cook is instructed to bring me out and shoot me." Rhys-Davies then recalled returning to his hotel room with a fever of over 100 degrees.

The Deleted Scene: A Prototype for Schindler’s List

The idea of Sallah being almost killed by a Nazi is already scary, but what makes the cut scene even darker is its similarity to another darker film that Steven Spielberg would make a decade later. In Spielberg’s Oscar-winning film, Schindler’s List, one of the most notorious scenes involves a character trying to carry out a brutal task in a concentration camp. The cut Sallah scene almost sounds like a prototype of this sequence, and there’s a good chance it was cut because it was too dark and realistic for the tone of Raiders.

John Rhys-Davies’ Experience with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Raiders of the Lost Ark was not the only time Rhys-Davies had difficulties filming. During the same interview, Rhys-Davies detailed his notorious experience working on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, particularly with the incredibly unpleasant makeup that prevented him from working on certain shooting days. Although he still has great love for the films and his character, Rhys-Davies explained that the medical adhesives used for the prosthetics caused him to lose skin around his eyes, leading to histamine reactions and swelling.

The Challenges of Filming

Rhys-Davies clarified that it was a misunderstanding to say he had an allergy, stating, "We used medical adhesives for the prosthetics, and medical adhesive is hypoallergenic. There is no allergic reaction. The only tendency is that it is a very strong adhesive that bonds with the outer cells of the skin." He recalled that sometimes he would go in for filming, and the crew would decide not to apply the prosthesis due to the condition of his eyes. Despite the challenges, Raiders of the Lost Ark is available to stream on Disney+, allowing fans to relive the adventures of Indiana Jones and Sallah.