Harrison Ford

After playing small parts in films such as American Graffiti, Harrison Ford won the role of Han Solo in George Lucas’s Star Wars trilogy and the title role in Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones films. As a result of playing these roles, Ford became one of the top box-office stars of the 1980s and continued landing roles in major films into the twenty-first century.

Harrison Ford appeared in four of the top-ten grossing films of the 1980s: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Return of the Jedi (1983), and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). His work in Witness (1985) and the Star Wars (which also includes Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980)) and Indiana Jones trilogies in particular led to his status as a major star who could guarantee huge profits at the box office. Ford’s appeal as a strong yet heroic Everyman won him wide appeal with audiences and critics alike.

While Ford is best known for his portrayals of Han Solo and Indiana Jones, his versatility as an actor led to his playing a wide range of characters in all genres. He starred in science-fiction films, such as the cult hit Blade Runner (1982); detective films, such as Witness; and romantic comedies, such as Working Girl (1988). In The Mosquito Coast (1986), the actor took on the challenge of playing the role of a less likable character to mixed reviews. Even though this film was not as successful as Ford’s other films, his personal popularity continued to gain momentum during the rest of the decade.

Other films that Ford starred in during the 1980s include Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Frantic (1988). He worked with several major directors during the decade, including Steven Spielberg, Peter Weir, Roman Polanski, Ridley Scott, and Mike Nichols. In the mid-1980s, Ford was recognized by his peers in the film industry when he was nominated for Golden Globe awards in 1985 and 1986 for his roles in Witness and The Mosquito Coast. As a result of his personal success and the recognition of the film industry, Ford was able to pick the roles that he wanted to play, and he went on to take chances in some of the characters that he chose to portray. While the resulting films were not always popular, he continued to enjoy the artistic freedom to choose the kinds of characters he played and the way that he practiced his craft.

In the 1990s, Ford continued to be recruited for both romantic and thriller roles in major films. Such films included Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994), based off of the best-selling novels featuring the character Jack Ryan, The Fugitive (1993), Sabrina (1995), and Air Force One (1997), in which he plays the president of the United States who overcomes a terrorist attack on the presidential plane. Still in demand in the twenty-first century, he continued this trend, appearing in adventure and thriller films such as What Lies Beneath (2000), Firewall (2006), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), and Ender's Game (2013) as well as occasional dramas such as The Age of Adaline (2015). In 2008, he reprised his role as Indiana Jones once more in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which received mixed reviews overall from critics and fans of the franchise alike but performed well at the box office. While some were excited to see the character once again after such a prolonged time period, many felt that the film lacked some of the qualities that had made its predecessors great.

On the other hand, Ford went on to appear once again as yet another beloved character in a much-anticipated revival of the Star Wars series. After fans and critics had largely been disappointed by the series of prequels that had been released in the late 1990s and early 2000s, expectations were high upon the announcement that a new Star Wars film would be released in 2015. This time, the film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, essentially picks up where Return of the Jedi had left off, bringing back many of the original cast members. Both critics and fans positively reviewed the addition to the franchise, which became the highest-grossing domestic film in US history. In 2017, Ford appeared in the sequel Blade Runner 2049, though it was not one of his highest grossing films. He also took on his first voice role in The Secret Life of Pets (2016), took a small role in The Call of the Wild (2020), and appeared in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). Exploring television roles, Ford starred in Helen Mirren beginning in 2022 and played a role in Shrinking beginning in 2023.

Impact

Few actors have achieved the popularity of Harrison Ford. His portrayals of characters who meet extraordinary challenges with courage and determination have won him a large number of fans and the respect of his peers. Whether he plays swashbuckling action heroes or ordinary men who must become heroes, Ford remains one of Hollywood’s most resilient and successful actors.

Bibliography

Duke, Brad. Harrison Ford: The Films. McFarland & Company Inc., 2008.

"Harrison Ford." IMDb, 2023, www.imdb.com/name/nm0000148/. Accessed 20 May 2024.

Hiatt, Brian. "Harrison Ford on The Force Awakens and the Return of Han Solo." Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 2015, www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/harrison-ford-on-the-force-awakens-and-the-return-of-han-solo-50370/. Accessed 20 May 2024.

Jenkins, Garry. Harrison Ford: Imperfect Hero. Carol, 1998.

Pfeiffer, Lee, and Michael Lewis. The Films of Harrison Ford. 3rd ed. Citadel, 2002.

Stevenson, Peter. "Harrison Ford Flies Again." Men's Journal, 2 Dec. 2019, www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/harrison-ford-flies-again-20151210. Accessed 20 May 2024.