Harrison Ford has
played some of the most memorable and iconic characters in the history of
cinema. Han Solo, Indiana Jones, and Rick Deckard from the Bladerunner films despite
making their first screen appearances, decades ago, still remain audience
favorites.
In addition to the
Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Blade Runner series, Ford has led many hugely
successful films, such as The Fugitive, Air Force One, Patriot Games, and Clear
and Present Danger.
But the
downside of superstardom is that some of Ford’s efforts were dwarfed,
not because of their lack of eminence, but because of the tendency of audiences
and critics to focus on the blockbusters and the iconic characters.
On his 80s birthday, we revisit some of Harrison Ford's
underrated films, in no particular order of importance.
Witness (1985)
When a young Amish
boy witnesses a murder, the investigating officer (Ford) goes into hiding with
the boy and his mother in Amish country. The film is notable for the endearing
love story that develops between Ford’s detective and the boy’s widowed mother.
The Mosquito
Coast (1986)
Ford is enthralling
as Allie Fox the cynical but genius inventor who relocates his family to the
jungles of Central America because he is sick of the decadence within the US.
Fox is selfish unpleasant, humorless, and egocentric to the point of madness. As
he goes deeper into the jungle he begins to lose his sanity.
The film is dark and
disturbing, and also a fascinating character study.
It makes one wonder
what Ford's career would have been like in absence of his superstardom. He
would have excelled playing a wider variety of parts that were not necessarily
virtuous.
Frantic (1988)
Ford plays a surgeon
on a trip to Paris, whose wife disappears mysteriously. Ford finds himself
dealing with rude French officials, unhelpful American embassy personnel,
crooks, smugglers, junkies, and a prostitute with a heart of gold as he
frantically attempts to make sense of the maze he is trapped in. Ford is
brilliant as the ordinary man caught in extraordinary circumstances.
Presumed
Innocent (1990)
Based on Scott
Turow's bestselling legal thriller, Ford plays Rusty Sabitch, an attorney
assigned to investigate the murder of a female colleague with whom Rusty once
had a passionate affair with. This was a challenging part and Ford excels as a
murder suspect who puts on a brave face despite suffering an implosion from
within.
Sabrina (1995)
Sydney Pollack's
remake of Billy Wilder's classic from 1955. Ford plays a mega-corporation boss Linus Larabee. Linus's younger brother David is set to marry
the daughter of an important business magnate. The marriage will lead to a
merger that Linus is looking forward to. When David begins to fall for the
family chauffer's daughter, Sabrina places the marriage and indeed merge in peril,
business-minded brother Linus intervene to distract Sabrina
Ford is superb as
the workaholic business tycoon who is known as the world's only living
heart donor. It earned Ford a Golden Globe nomination.
The Devil’s
Own (1997)
An IRA terrorist Rory
Devaney (Brad Pitt) flees from Belfast to the US to procure arms for the conflict
in Ireland. An Irish-American judge gets him a place to live, in the home
of an honest beat cop Tom O'Meara (Harrison
Ford). O’Meara is unaware of his guest’s past and his mission. In time Devaney
almost becomes a member of the family until Devaney's secrets begin to unravel.
This is an engrossing drama-thriller with a strong performance by Ford.
What Lies
Beneath (2000)
Harrison Ford and
Michelle Pfeiffer are a married couple whose daughter is just moved to college.
In time Pfeiffer’s character who is often all by herself becomes convinced that
their house is haunted by the ghost of a young woman. The question is could
this be a manifestation of her loneliness or could an evil spirit be lurking
around. This is a nice old-fashioned spooky horror-thriller that simmers before
it approaches its boiling point. And yes, the ending will surprise many. Ford
and Pfeiffer's presence elevates this piece greatly.
K-19: The
Widowmaker (2002)
This is based on a
true story set at the height of the cold war.
A newly launched
Soviet nuclear submarine K-19 suffers a major malfunction in its nuclear
reactor as it nears the US coast. It is now up to Captain Alexei Vostrikov
(Ford) to avoid a nuclear disaster.
Does
Vostrikov seek help from the Americans and risk upsetting his Kremlin
bosses and being branded a traitor or does he ignore the malfunction in the
reactor which would give the Americans the impression that it is an act of war
by the Soviets?
This is a riveting
drama thriller and Ford was terrific as the stoic Russian submarine captain who
is conflicted between his patriotism and the well-being of his crew members.
This is the only time Ford hasn't played an American on-screen, apart from
perhaps Han Solo.
Extraordinary Measures (2010)
Two sick children
suffering from Pompe
disease have less than a year to live. Their father (Brendan Fraser)
decides to opt for an unconventional path and seek help from a maverick
scientist (Harrison Ford) who may have a cure. Ford as the irascible eccentric
scientist turns in an excellent performance.
42 (2013)
Major League Baseball boss Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) drafts African American Jackie Robinson as a player making Robinson the first player of color to play for Major League Baseball. This was an important milestone in the civil rights movement. In 42, Ford doesn’t play Rickey, but he becomes Rickey. From the mannerisms to the bushy eyebrows to the tone of speaking and the cigar Ford captures every aspect of Rickey. He deserved an Oscar nomination for this one
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