Walter Donovan [Julian Glover], the renowned archeologist, discovers an ancient tablet which provides him with information about the Holy Grail. The most sought after of Christian relics, the Grail was the chalice used by Christ at the Last Supper, and which caught his blood at his crucifixion. Donovan becomes obsessed with finding the Grail to find out if the inscription on the tablet is true...who drinks the water I shall give him says the Lord, will have a spring inside him welling up for eternal life... and it explains that the Grail can be found ...across the desert...to the canyon of the crescent moon to the temple where the cup that holds the blood of Jesus Christ resides for ever... After overcoming numerous obstacles, Indiana finally finds the inner Grail Temple, where an array of cups and chalices are guarded over by an ancient Knight. Donovan soon arrives close on Indiana's heels. The Knight advises Donovan to choose one of the many chalices ...but choose wisely - the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you. Dr. Scheider [Alison Doody] chooses a chalice for him - the chalice included in this lot - which turns out to be the false Grail. When Donovan drinks from this chalice, the ageing process is horrifically accelerated reducing him to a crumbled skeleton.
According to the letter accompanying this lot, the chalice was purchased at an antique market in Paris in 1985 by the prop company and the green stones were added for The Last Crusade. It has been used for numerous other films, most notably Elizabeth, 1998.