What are Marion and Belloq drinking in Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark?
What is the drink in the scene between Marion and Belloq in the Raiders of the Lost Ark? It seems to be kind of clear liqueur and bottle contains some Arabic or possible Hebrew writing.
I am interested to know what the drink is supposed be according to the script, what the drink actually is (if not the same) and what does it say on the bottle.
EDIT: The reason I want to know the type of the beverage is to determine how intoxicated would they be after consuming the whole bottle. It seems that signs of intoxication on both of the participants are somewhat exaggerated...
Best Answer
While Kevin points out that Belloq is providing something from his family vineyard, that doesn't answer the question of what it actually is.
Given that it's clear, and they are getting very drunk, it's more likely a distilled spirit.
Almost all brandy that is made is distilled by vineyards/winemakers. Most people think of it as an amber liquid, but that coloring comes from aging in oak barrels.
Unaged, clear brandy is called Eau-de-vie by the French. I'd think this would be our best candidate, based on the information provided by Kevin.
Fine Wine and Good Spirits: Learn About Brandy
EDIT/NOTE: Since the OP is wondering about the relative strength of the mystery substance....
Brandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink.
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What is Marion drinking in Raiders of the Lost Ark?
Additionally, further into the scene when Indy is being held down on the bar by an assailant, he asks Marion for whiskey, and after she hands him a bottle of Johnnie Walker, he uses it to smash against the head of his attacker.What was Karen Allen drinking in Raiders of the Lost Ark?
We are introduced to her character inside her bar in Nepal where she is engaged in a drinking contest with a tub of lard three times her size. They take turns downing whiskey shots, and from the empty glasses overturned on the table, it is obvious that they are well into the battle.What does Marion eat in Indiana Jones?
Cheese? Here is what we agree on from the scene: We see her take a big bite out of a good looking chunk of bread, then she picks up a white oblong and bites it. It appears to be homogeneous throughout and appears to possess a relatively soft texture. It doesn't look like it crumbs.What does Indiana Jones drink?
The Blood Mary, with its mixture of spices and vodka, is one of the most popular and what many would consider to be the holy grail of brunch drinks. In 1989's "Last Crusade," Jones drank from the Holy Grail in hopes of gaining immortality.Raiders of the Lost Ark: Marion and Belloq (1981) [HD]
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Answer 2
Belloq states it is his family's wine label:
[Marion and Belloq are both very drunk] Marion: [laughs] What is this stuff, Rene?
Belloq: [laughing as well] I grew up on this. It's my family label.
[Marion falls to the ground laughing, then calmly pulls out the knife she was concealing and points it at Belloq, who bursts out laughing in response]
Also, according to the indiana jones wiki entry for Belloq, he was
born in Marseilles, France to a wealthy wine making family at Forteresse Malevil[...]
This factoid cites an entry for "The Lost Chronicles of Young Indiana Jones" on starwars.com, although sadly the link is now 404. There is a cached page at the internet archive here.
Answer 3
The label is not in French but the fact that Belloq says it's from his family's vineyard, the clarity of the liquid, and Belloq's reaction to taking a shot of it would suggest they are drinking marc. That's a French version of grappa and it is made by distilling the fermented seeds, stems, and must leftover from making wine.
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