Making a sequel is usually a cash grab. Everyone knows it. But with The Jewel of the Nile, the 1985 follow-up to the smash hit Romancing the Stone, the "cash grab" was actually a legal threat. Kathleen Turner literally didn't want to be there. She hated the script. She tried to back out, but 20th Century Fox slapped her with a $25 million lawsuit.
So, she showed up.
And honestly? That friction is exactly why the chemistry between the Jewel of the Nile actors works so well. You can feel the genuine exasperation. It isn't just acting; it's a trio of superstars—Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito—navigating a production that was, by all accounts, a total nightmare in the Moroccan desert.
The Big Three: Douglas, Turner, and DeVito
When you talk about this movie, you're really talking about the lightning-in-a-bottle energy of the lead trio. Michael Douglas wasn't just the star; he was the producer. He had a lot of skin in the game. He played Jack Colton with that classic 80s "scoundrel with a heart of gold" vibe, but you can see he’s carrying the weight of the production on his shoulders.
Then you have Kathleen Turner as Joan Wilder. In the first film, she’s a fish out of water. In Jewel, she’s bored. She’s a successful novelist who’s sick of the yacht life. Turner plays that restlessness perfectly, probably because she was actually restless to be anywhere else. Despite the behind-the-scenes legal drama, her banter with Douglas remains some of the sharpest of the era.
And Danny DeVito? The man is a gem. As Ralph, the bumbling, vengeful crook, he basically provides the frantic heartbeat of the film. DeVito has mentioned in interviews that he compared the chaotic final crowd fight to his days at Our Lady of Mount Carmel school. That's the kind of personal flavor he brought to a character that could have been a cardboard cutout.
Who Was the Actual "Jewel"?
Most people going into the theater in 1985 expected a literal gemstone. You know, like the emerald in the first movie. But the big twist is that the "Jewel" is a person.
Avner Eisenberg, known professionally as Avner the Eccentric, played the character of the Jewel (Al-Julhara).
Avner wasn't some Hollywood veteran. He was a world-class vaudeville performer, a clown, and a mime. He brought this ethereal, Gandhi-meets-Mary-Poppins energy to the role that totally reframed the movie. Interestingly, his performance was so distinct that it reportedly inspired Sean Connery’s portrayal of Henry Jones, Sr. in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade—specifically the round glasses and the bookish, calm demeanor.
The Supporting Cast You Forgot (But Shouldn't)
The movie is packed with character actors who did a lot of heavy lifting. Spiros Focás played the villainous Omar Khalifa. He had that perfect "charming dictator" snarl down to a science. Funny enough, his voice was actually dubbed by a British actor to give it a more specific "international" weight.
Then there are the tribesmen—Arak, Barak, Karak, Sarak, and Tarak. If they looked like they knew how to handle objects with weird precision, it’s because they were played by The Flying Karamazov Brothers. They weren't just random extras; they were a famous juggling and comedy troupe. Using them was a stroke of genius by director Lewis Teague, adding a layer of physical comedy that felt more like a stage play than a standard action flick.
Quick Cast Snapshot
- Michael Douglas: Jack Colton (The rugged adventurer)
- Kathleen Turner: Joan Wilder (The restless novelist)
- Danny DeVito: Ralph (The persistent nuisance)
- Spiros Focás: Omar (The wannabe world leader)
- Avner Eisenberg: The Jewel (The holy man)
- Holland Taylor: Gloria (Joan’s long-suffering agent)
Why the Production Was a Disaster
The actors weren't just fighting a script; they were fighting the elements. Filming in Morocco and France was grueling. There were plane crashes (literally, a crew plane went down), sandstorms, and political red tape.
Jan de Bont, who later directed Speed, was the cinematographer here. He had to figure out how to make the harsh desert light look romantic. He also had to deal with the fact that the F-16 Jack and Joan "fly" was actually a mock-up built on a Chevrolet engine. If you watch the movie now on a big 4K screen, you can actually see the driveshafts under the plane. It’s glorious 80s practical effects at their most desperate.
The Legacy of the Trio
The most telling thing about the Jewel of the Nile actors is what happened afterward. Despite the lawsuits and the "terrible" script, Douglas, Turner, and DeVito clearly loved working together as a unit. They reunited a few years later for The War of the Roses (1989).
That movie is the polar opposite of Jewel. It’s dark, mean-spirited, and cynical. It’s almost like they used all the frustration from the Morocco shoot and funneled it into a movie about a married couple trying to kill each other. It remains one of the best "chemistry" trilogies in cinema history, even though the characters changed between the films.
What You Should Do Next
If you're revisiting The Jewel of the Nile, don't just watch it for the explosions. Watch the background. Look at the Flying Karamazov Brothers’ choreography in the Sufi dance scenes.
Better yet, go find the music video for Billy Ocean’s "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going." It features Douglas, Turner, and DeVito as backup singers in white suits. It was actually banned in the UK at the time because the actors weren't members of the Musicians' Union. It is the peak of 80s movie promotion and shows that despite the lawsuits, they could still have a laugh.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out the 4K restoration: The desert colors are significantly better than the old DVD versions.
- Watch Romancing the Stone first: You really need the context of Joan’s character arc to understand why she’s so frustrated in the sequel.
- Look up Avner the Eccentric: He still performs and teaches. Seeing his live vaudeville work makes his performance as the Jewel even more impressive.
The movie isn't perfect. It's messy. But the cast—especially that central trio—elevated a "forced" sequel into something that still has a weird, chaotic charm forty years later.