best film: I’m going with Blade Runner because Ford is in Apocalypse Now for about 5 minutes and he’s the fourth most important/impressive actor during that five minute sequence. Blade Runner is the seventh best film of all-time (or was the last time I updated my list) so there are not many films an actor could have in a higher spot here obviously. It’s one of the greatest artistic achievements in set design and mise-en-scene. From a performance standpoint masterpiece, Ford’s achievement is not Rutger Hauers. Ford is fine though- an admirable lead performance in a top 10 all-time film. I already mentioned Apocalypse but Star Wars, Empire, Raiders and The Conversation are masterpieces as well.
best performance: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Along with Spielberg (at the helm obviously) Harrison Ford invented (and really surpassed) a James Bond for the 80’s. He can animate (finale, sequence where he thinks Marion has passed away) and he can do supreme lead heroic stoicism (start of the film). It’s a confident leading performance in the lineage of Bogart, Wayne, Gary Cooper, Clint Eastwood and Steve Mcqueen.
stylistic innovations/traits: Many are going to argue Ford should be closer to the top 10 because of all of the great films he’s been in and roles he’s played (for many my age Ford has been in like 50% of their favorite 10-20 films). Still others are going to argue he’s not that great of an actor (range, skill) and that’s what this list is ranking. I see both sides. To me once you take out the franchises Star Wars, Indiana, Jack Ryan and Blade Runner there’s not a lot of THERE there. There is some good work with Weir, Nichols, Polanski but not much. However, you can’t take those out those films/performances in the franchises for Ford nor more can you take out some of the best work of any actor. Try playing the game where you replace Ford in these franchises with another “better” actor. It’s not a pretty “what if” alternative scenario and I end up being very thankful for Ford and what he have.
directors worked with: Spielberg (3), Lucas (2), Coppola (2), Weir (2) and then Ridley Scott, Polanski, Mike Nichols and Villeneuve-
Top 5 Performances:
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Star Wars
- Empire Strikes Back
- Blade Runner: 2049
- The Fugitive
Archiveable films
| 1973- American Graffiti |
| 1974- The Conversation |
| 1977- Star Wars |
| 1979- Apocalypse Now |
| 1980- The Empire Strikes Back |
| 1981- The Raiders of the Lost Ark |
| 1982- Blade Runner |
| 1983- Return of the Jedi |
| 1984- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom |
| 1985- Witness |
| 1986- Mosquito Coast |
| 1988- Frantic |
| 1988- Working Girl |
| 1989- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade |
| 1990- Presumed Innocent |
| 1992- Patriot Games |
| 1993- The Fugitive |
| 1994- Clear and Present Danger |
| 2015- Star Wars: The Force Awakens |
| 2017- Blade Runner 2049 |
The Fugitive is the answer for what Ford can do without a franchise and even though he’s only the 2nd best performance (after Tommy Lee Jones) He’s perfect playing “I didn’t kill my wife!”
You’re not wrong about the lack of range but being a specialist can be just as valuable if you find your calling which Ford clearly did. About to watch Raiders for the first time in years!
Harrison Ford had 3 roles in a 5 year stretch playing a character who is falsely accused of killing his wife, and 2 of these roles he plays a Doctor with the first name of Richard
Frantic, 1988 as Dr. Richard Walker
Presumed Innocent, 1990 as Rozat K. “Rusty” Sabich
The Fugitive, 1993 as Dr. Richard Kimble
@James Trapp- haha wild- well I am glad he didn’t pass on The Fugitive given the similarities.
Completely random, but i was looking on harrison fords wikipedia filmography, and apparently he is in zabriskie point as “arrested teenager” haha
@Big chungus– haha very interesting. Not a bad start either way if you count this or American Graffiti.
Definitely! Also, hypothetical question here, but lets say that ford gave a performance in blade runner (1982) equal to his performance in blade runner 2049, how much do you think that would improve his standing? As it stands, i think his filmography can probably rank him top ten, but his performances arent always great or important to the film and that hinders him
@Big chungus- Yeah a killer performance in the original could really change the story on Harrison Ford- not that is not already a ridiculously impressive career.