The thronged Croisette at Cannes is a thoroughfare of diversity, celebrating both auteur films and commercial giants like Indiana Jones. Critical mutterings of discontent were dispelled by applauding fans who jostled at the afternoon screening which preceded the official cast and crew premiere on Sunday night.

Of course the collective thumbs-up of fans is what concerns the studio, Paramount Pictures, which earmarked a $130 million budget for promotion. Paramount can take comfort in the mixed critical reception of Da Vinci Code which was roundly panned only to pull in around $800 million dollars global. The Indiana Jones pedigree is no slouch either and the franchise has reputedly grossed over a billion dollars.

It's fitting that the Cannes Film Festival is now 61. It was joined by those other  60-somethings, Harrison Ford (65) and his co-conspirators, director Steven Spielberg (61) and producer George Lucas (64).

Unsurprisingly the attention was stolen by Harrison Ford’s distinctly younger and shapelier co-star, Cate Blanchett (left), who plays the film's villainess, Irina Spalko.

Shia Labeouf plays Mutt Williams, the star's ally in the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Ford reprises the role which he has played over a near 30-year cycle and he was accompanied down the red carpet by his partner Calista Flockhart of Ally McBeal fame.

Cast members Jim Broadbent, John Hurt and Karen Allen also attended the premiere. Other celeb attendees included Goldie Hawn, Dennis Hopper, Salma Hayek, Jimmy Choo's Tamara Mellon and partner Christian Slater.