MovieChat Forums > Continental Divide (1981) Discussion > Spielberg/Kasdan use the same scene twic...

Spielberg/Kasdan use the same scene twice in '81


So I was watching this movie for the first time in over a decade today and I noticed the similarity in the scenes in this movie and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" where the male lead's wounds are kissed by the romantic interest.

There's a small difference (Blair Brown kisses Belushi where it hurts in this movie and in "Raiders" Marion kisses Indy where it DOESN'T hurt) but the similarity is overwhelming and considering the people involved there's no way it's a coincidence.

I'd be willing to bet that it was originally in "Continental Divide" but Spielberg recognized its potential for "his" movie and didn't want it to go to waste in a smaller movie that would probably be seen by 10% as many people in the other.

It apparently worked because I couldn't find any reference to the similarity elsewhere and you know that kind of thing would have been even less noticeable in the early 80's when people didn't have the internet and home video to bring this stuff to their attentions.

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[deleted]

Yep, noticed that too and I think you're right about why it was recycled in Raiders. Spielberg had a habit of recycling ideas back then. He used the threatening-weapon-that's-really-just-a-wire-hanger gag in Raiders that was originally used but cut from 1941. He obviously didn't want that one to go to waste either.

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They were both "his" movies.

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As soon as I saw that scene I thought of the similar one in "Raiders."

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