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Welcome to the internet's number one fan page
dedicated to one of cinema's most memorable sociopaths. Though his name is
never spoken on screen in Raiders of the Lost Ark, it is the presence of
Toht - the nazi psycho, the guy in the black coat, Mister Poker, Herr Mac, He
Who Could Not Let Go Of The Medallion - that many fans remember as one of the
film's highlights.
"The scarring's not so bad but the throbbing gets pretty
unbearable after a while..."
Toht appears in very few scenes in
Raiders, but the critical Toht Mohments are:
- His dealings with Marion Ravenwood at the Raven Bar, wherein
he attempts to brand her with a red-hot poker before being stopped by Indiana
Jones. A bit slow on the uptake, Toht grabs a bronze medallion that has been
lying in full flame for several minutes.... then takes several more
minutes to realize it is burning a permanent imprint into his hand.
- His later appearance at the Nazi dig at Tanis, where we
discover that Toht's hand-scar is in fact the key to the discovery of the Well
of the Souls.
- The show-stopping moment where Toht approaches Marion with a
very painful-looking chain-and-staff combo... only to use it to hang up his
coat.
- And the piece de resistance, the climax of the film, where
Toht is melted by the power of the Ark.
Pretty strong stuff. Toht - admirably played by
the late Ronald Lacey - brought a lasting sense
of malevolent wickedness to Raiders that is so over the top, it is
note-perfect for the film's loving hommage to the serials of the '30s and
'40s.
Toht's presence in Raiders - and Lacey's casting in the
role - was largely inspired by the work of Peter Lorre, who also played several
cherubic yet threatening nazis. Spielberg often referenced Lorre when speaking
of Toht and of Lacey's work.
Hence this page, where we explore all things
Toht: the man, the movies, the mystery.
A note on site contributions:
Our readers often contribute material for use on the page. Many of the facts
and imahges on these pages come courtesy of Michael Loris and Justin
Humphreys.
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