Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford (Chicago, Illinois, July 13, 1942) is an American film and television actor.
He owes his notoriety to his collaboration with writer-producer-director George Lucas, who was the first to give him the chance to be an actor. His roles as Han Solo in the Star Wars saga and Indiana Jones in the homonymous saga elevated him to international star level. Although an initial flop at the box office, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner , in which he plays replicant hunter Rick Deckard, ended up becoming a cult sci-fi film.
With more than $5.6 billion grossed worldwide for his films, Ford is the highest-grossing actor in box office history. In 1998, at the age of fifty-six, he was voted the oldest man alive. Sexy in the World by the American magazine People, and in 1995 by the British Empire as one of the hundred most sexiest in history (ranked 15th).
World famous for his roles in action-adventure films, he was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2002 Golden Globes and the Honorary César for Lifetime Achievement in 2010; in 1994 the National Association of Theater Owners awarded him the title of "Box-Office Star of the Century". In addition to the personal distinctions received, six of the films in those he worked on are listed in the National Film Registry, and five are ranked in the "top 100" by the American Film Institute.
He has put his notoriety at the service of nature conservation and the preservation of the environment, raising awareness particularly about the critical situation of deforestation of tropical forests.
Biography
Early Years
Harrison Ford was born during the summer of 1942 in Chicago, the son of a Catholic father, Christopher Ford, and a Jewish mother, Dorothy Nidelman. His paternal grandfather, John Fitzgerald Ford, was an Irish Catholic, and his grandmother, Florence Veronica Niehaus, was German. His maternal grandparents, Harry Nidelman and Anna Lifschutz, were Jewish immigrants from Minsk, Belarus, his mother was a radio actress before moving into her home, and his father was an advertising manager and occasional radio actor. like his wife. Harrison and his brother Terence, born in 1945, grew up in a middle-class family. Christopher and Dorothy Ford raised their children based on their combined religious and cultural convictions. Today, when asked what his religion is, he humorously replies: "Democrat". He also says that he feels "Irish as a person, but Jewish as an actor".
Studies
In Chicago, he began his studies with his brother at Graeme Stewart Elementary School. Ford, called "Harry" by his friends, was admitted to East Maine Township High School (Illinois) in 1956. Average student However, he participates in all kinds of associations within the center: president of the social sciences club, member of the model railway club, representative of the school club and class delegate. public performance as the voice of the school radio, which had just been created. On the other hand, she also joins the school dance company as well as the gymnastics team for a brief period.
After graduating, in 1960 he left high school, and joined, pressured by his parents, Ripon College in Wisconsin. There he was part of the "Sigma Nu" fraternity, and studied English literature and philosophy, but his results leave much to be desired. In the third year, this poor student enrolls in drama courses, thinking that this would give him a chance to easily get good grades. It is during this period that Harrison discovers what he wants. do in the future in his professional life. In 1964, three days from the delivery of diplomas, he knows that he will not get his because of his repeated absences, so he returns to Illinois with a feeling of shame and humiliation.
Artistic career
His beginnings
Despite their skepticism about their son's chosen path, his parents encourage him to continue. Knowing that Wisconsin is not where he can launch his career, Harrison decides to go to Hollywood with Mary Marquardt, an actress he met during his college years and whom he married in 1964.
Back in California, he initially has difficulties getting roles, but after a series of castings without results, he receives an offer from Columbia Pictures to sign a $150-a-week contract to do small television appearances. During this period, Ford narrowly escaped death following a car accident, losing control of his vehicle and crashing into a pole. His scar on his chin, one of his hallmarks, it is a sequel to this event. Finally, in 1966 he appears for the first time on the big screen, in Thief and Lover, with James Coburn, in a role that does not give him the right to appear in the credits. The same year, he escapes a summons to attend the Vietnam War by feigning insanity, by writing a pseudo-philosophical letter to the authorities to explain the reasons for his act.
In 1967 he got his second role, also without appearing in the credits, in the film Luv... means love (Luv). Finally, he appears in La cavalada de los malditos (A Time for Killing), the same year, in which his name appears for the first time on screen, although under the name of "Harrison J. Ford" to differentiate him from the former silent film actor of the same name. Despite these small roles, the Ford family is not exactly swamped by millions, which is especially problematic at the time as Mary gives gave birth to his son Benjamin. The actor badly accepts the small roles that Columbia assigns him and the impossibility of expressing his acting ability and personality. The studio breaks his contract under the pretext of his lack of charisma and because of his constant observations on the poverty of the scripts that offer him. He would later admit to not having been very cooperative with the study, but considers that this arrogance was what allowed him to believe in his career and hide his shyness, which until then was about to make him abandon the path he had decided to take. Shortly after, he signed with Universal Pictures, with which he landed small roles in series such as The Virginian (The Virginian) or Ironside. But his small appearances are not enough to support his family's needs, so he seeks an alternative to his acting job.
New Hopes
Doing jobs around the house, Ford suddenly decides to become a carpenter. He gives up becoming an actor and learns woodworking through books he borrows from the local library. He finds his first job on construction site at a recording studio for the composer Sérgio Mendes. In parallel with his new profession, he accepts any of the small roles that he is offered in the cinema —Zabriskie Point in 1970— or in television series — The F.B.I. in 1969 or Gunsmoke in 1972. During this period Mary gives birth to her second child.
In the course of their meetings, Ford befriended Fred Roos, a casting director at Universal, for whom he often does work. While working on a play for Goldwyn Studios, Fred Roos introduces him to a still unknown young filmmaker: George Lucas. This meeting is decisive for his acting career.
In 1972, George Lucas offered him the role of speed enthusiast Bob Falfa in his next film, American Graffiti. Harrison accepts because he considers the role important enough to involve him in the possible success of the film. To shoot his scenes he had to cut his hair, but fearing that he would not be able to face possible shooting offers that could be offered later, he suggested George Lucas outfitting Bob Falfa in a cowboy hat. The film opens during the summer of 1973 and grosses over $21 million during its first theatrical release. Despite this success, Harrison resumes his carpentry business because the salary The $600 he receives for shooting this film is insufficient to support his family. However, he does revive his motivation to pursue a career in film.
Ford, therefore, recovers his acting job by accepting other small roles. After doing some work in Francis Ford Coppola's office, he is offered a role by the latter in his film The Conversation, starring Gene Hackman. In it he was supposed to play the part of Mark, but, at the last moment, Frederic Forrest gets the part; Ford, who finally plays the character of Martin Stett, is furious about this fact. However, thanks to this role, the young actor begins to make people talk about him in Hollywood.
Until 1976, he got some roles for television and watched with pleasure as his activity increased. During some work at George Lucas's house, he asks him to collaborate with him by replying to the actors in the casting for his next film, since he does not want to give Harrison an audition since he wants to work with new faces. But after a few sessions, Lucas decides that he already has an actor for the role of Han Solo.
Her papers
Star Wars
In 1976, despite its reluctance to hire unknown actors for the film, Twentieth Century Fox accepts that Harrison Ford be chosen to play Han Solo in what will become a great movie saga: Star Wars. Ford lands the role against competition from Kurt Russell, Nick Nolte, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Richard Dreyfuss. George Lucas considers Ford better suited to embody a character who has a cynical dimension that contrasts with Luke or Leia. He is also an older character than the other characters, with the notable exception of Sir Alec Guinness, a famous British actor whose presence makes up for a cast of unknown actors, an astonishing risk for a film of such magnitude. Feeling like they are taking part in a children's movie, the actors have a hard time playing him seriously and make constant jokes during filming.
With a salary of $650,000, this film allows him to finally abandon his trade as a carpenter and fully concentrate on his artistic career. Despite the premature failure announced by Fox, the first installment of Star Wars , released as Star Wars and later known as A New Hope, becomes a huge success and makes the actor one of the darlings of the public.
The film spawns two sequels in which Ford continues in the role. In The Empire Strikes Back, his role as a comedian takes on a new dimension with the dramatic evolution of the role of Han Solo, coupled with both his love affair with Leia and his awkward position in the face of his betrayal. friend, Lando Calrissian. Before her character is frozen in carbonite, the princess declares her love for her and must answer "I love you too!", But, seeing that it was unconvincing, Irvin Kershner, the director, asks her to improvise.. He then changes the reply to "I know...", which will remain inextricably linked to his character. The fact that Solo is immersed in carbonite also constitutes an alternative for the writers in the event that the actor refused to appear in the third episode of the saga. Indeed, George Lucas wasn't sure his star would agree to regain the role after his success in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
His participation is later confirmed and he appears again in Return of the Jedi. The lack of depth of his character does not allow him to exploit the beginning of the film, which he is dedicated to freeing him. To make up for this weakness, he wishes Han Solo a heroic death so that he can regain the stature of the preceding episodes. George Lucas refuses.
More than 30 years after the premiere of Return of the Jedi, Ford reprises the role of Han Solo in the seventh installment of the saga, The Force Awakens i>. According to the Daily Mail, the actor was paid £16 million, plus a 0.5% share of box office receipts for his appearance in this film, while in the original film As of 1977 his salary was £7,000.
Indiana Jones
In the late 1970s, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg work on their next production: a film that pays homage to the serials of their childhood.
For this project, Steven Spielberg immediately thought of him, with the idea of representing a hero worthy of Allan Quatermain, but George Lucas was against it. In fact, in addition to never being in favor of recovering an actor with whom he already would have worked ("I don't want to do my Robert De Niro!", a reference to the actor's union with Martin Scorsese), he also fears that this new character will be confused with Han Solo. For this reason, he thinks of several actors to offer them the role. Finally, Tom Selleck is chosen to play the adventurer, but he does not accept the role because of the contract that binds him to the series Magnum P.I. For this reason, Steven Spielberg persuades George Lucas that "Indy » is a character tailored to Ford. The actor and director are introduced by George Lucas and, despite his reluctance to sign a contract for three films, the actor accepts the offer. Thus, Indiana Jones is born.
To play the adventurer, Ford must learn how to wield the whip and prepare himself physically for a grueling shoot. He gives Indy the look of the adventurer with a stubble and an old leather jacket, not forgetting those who will become his distinctive signs, the worn hat and the whip. This is how he characterizes a multifaceted character: brave but romantic, funny and sometimes fragile.
Filming Raiders of the Lost Ark is exhausting and demanding for the entire crew. During the scene of the fight against a Nazi mechanic, the plane rolls over his leg; he finds himself with a torn ligament in the interior of Tunis. But instead of getting healed, he bandages his leg so he can continue shooting.Later, he badly injures his ribs wanting to do the stunt himself where Indiana is dragged across the ground by a truck. As for the scene where Indy confronts a warrior who threatens him with a great saber, in which an elaborate combat was planned that would have required long preparation, Ford is not in a position to shoot it: like many members of the team at that time, At the time, he was sick. To take care of himself, he proposes to Steven Spielberg to simply shoot the opponent. The success of this short scene among the team members is such that it is maintained in the final cut. Raiders of the Lost Ark opens in 1981 and is a great success. Indiana Jones manages to surpass even the notoriety of Han Solo and Ford becomes a star.
In 1984 the sequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, was released. Indy's female partner, after Karen Allen in Raiders of the Lost Ark, is Kate Capshaw. It is Ford who, under the influence of Steven Spielberg, chooses her to play Willie Scott.
During the filming of the scenes in the Maharaja's palace, the actor begins to suffer from a herniated disc from riding an elephant, and during the fight against a thuggee in Indy's room, the herniation seriously paralyzes him. The care given to him in the place has no effect and he is urgently repatriated to the United States for surgery.During his convalescence, he follows a papaya enzyme-based treatment. The remedy is effective and the actor returns to Sri Lanka after three weeks. After this incident, filming continues as normal. At the time of its release, although critics find the film too dark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a success.
On May 16, 1988, filming began on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the third film in the series. This film shows Indy's relationship with his father as a backdrop of the search for the Grail. While Ford dons his adventurer outfit again, the "bookworm" role of his father is played by Sean Connery. This father/son confrontation allows Ford to tap into and express other facets of his character's personality. In this film you can see a teenage Indy, and Ford proposes Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to the young actor who had played his son in The Mosquito Coast, River Phoenix, well, according to himself Ford, is the one who most resembles him at his age. On the set the atmosphere is jovial, as for the sequence where Indy and his father talk on board the zeppelin, where Ford and Connery film it without pants because of the prevailing heat Accustomed to being a part of his stunts, Ford finds himself suspended from the barrel of a tank and against a stone wall as props throw chunks of clay at him as the machine moves forward. He often has to start over scenes where he is riding a horse due to his hat being thrown off, because it is unimaginable that Indiana Jones would lose his hat. After a smooth shoot, the film opens in May 1989 and is, as the preceding ones, a commercial success.
A fourth part has been planned since 1994, but the overloaded schedules of Ford, Lucas and Spielberg endlessly postpone the start of the film. After having hesitated to do this new episode, Ford ends up proposing to Spielberg to do it: «Why not do another one of these movies? The public asks for it." He ends up convincing Lucas and the project begins. On September 10, 2007, the title of this new episode was finally revealed: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The action of the film takes place during the Cold War, with Indiana Jones already older. Despite his advanced age, he undergoes a very strict training and regimen to get back into shape, and thus is able to perform most of his stunts himself. The film is presented on May 18, 2008 as a preview at the Cannes Film Festival, 19 years after the last adventure. The box office showed that the public wanted another film in the saga and, with nearly 800 million dollars raised Worldwide, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the most successful film in the series.
Blade Runner
In the film Blade Runner, by Ridley Scott, based on the novel by Philip K. Dick Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Ford plays Rick Deckard, a kind of police detective (Blade Runner) disappointed and cynical. His portrayal in this film is intense and gives the character a vulnerable and morally ambiguous image that makes him one of the standout elements of the film, and even leads one to wonder if Deckard is human. Indeed, the empathy that he manifests at the moment of his executory actions towards the replicants, reminds precisely that of his prey.
The first actor considered by screenwriter Hampton Fancher was Robert Mitchum. Other actors on the Rick Deckard potential list included Sean Connery, Jack Nicholson, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Peter Falk, Al Pacino, Nick Nolte, Burt Reynolds, and Dustin Hoffman. Finally Hampton Fancher, who was also a producer on the film, suggests Harrison Ford. The production contacts Steven Spielberg, who is in the editing phase of Raiders of the Lost Ark, to inquire about the actor. The director's response is clear: "He is a great star." Thus, Ridley Scott travels to London to see images of the recording of Steven Spielberg's film and finds the perfect actor for the role.
Ford is interested in the film but reading the first script doesn't quite convince him because of the presence of a voiceover that tells viewers what is not shown in Deckard's investigation. He wants things to be seen rather than told. This detail becomes a source of friction between the director and his main performer, who believes that Ridley Scott tends to care more about his sets than his actors. Anecdotally, the character played by Edward James Olmos was created to correct a design error: the cockpit of the vehicle Ford is to drive turns out to be too narrow for him and a smaller actor has to be hired to drive the machine. Olmos is the one who drives, while Ford curls up in the passenger seat.
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Despite the divergences, Ford is as involved as he can. In the scene where he gets into a fight with Pris (Daryl Hannah), he insists that he not fake the punches. She complies and sticks her fingers up his nose, to such an extent that he ends up bloodied at the end of takes.His discomfort during filming also helped give his character a dramatic dimension. During test screenings of the film, his portrayal is poorly received by viewers. Indeed, the image of him is that of a hero without fear, brave and without reproach since his roles as Han Solo and Indiana Jones and his followers do not see him in the role of a somewhat cowardly and unscrupulous character. For these reasons (and other purely commercial ones), the producers have the film recut to simplify the story and eliminate parallel themes. The ending is modified, transforming the spirit of the original denouement.
Despite their disagreement, the actor was contractually obliged to record the voice-over that guided the viewer in his understanding of the film, which was a true ordeal for him. After reading six different versions of the narration, the fatigue of the demanded work is perceived in his monotone voice that appears in the film.
The film is released in 1982, critics are not exactly fond of it, and it is a commercial flop. Her completely different role from the precedents and the film's darkness are the main factors. the premiere, a few days before, of E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial, by Spielberg.
However, Blade Runner ended up becoming a cult film over the years, especially thanks to the release of versions closer to the vision of the director (Director&# 39;s cut). Still today a question remains in suspense: is Rick Deckard a replicant? Ridley Scott says yes, while Ford says otherwise.
In 2017, thirty-five years later, Ford plays Rick Deckard again in Blade Runner 2049, a film directed by Denis Villeneuve and again with Ridley Scott, but this time as executive producer. In this sequel, a new Blade Runner, Los Angeles Police Department Officer K (played by Ryan Gosling), unearths a hidden secret that has the potential to drive what remains from society to chaos; K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Deckard, who has been missing for thirty years.
Other films
After Star Wars he gets a lot more roles than before thanks to his newly acquired status. He is cast in the movie Heroes , directed by Jeremy Kagan, a friend of George Lucas.In the film he is partnered with Henry Winkler and plays Ken Boyd, a dreamy boy. Critics welcome his portrayal of a character he admits to adore, but the film flies under the radar and doesn't allow him to accentuate his notoriety.
The need for money is felt again. He manages to land one of the leading roles in Navarone's Force 10, the sequel to The Guns of Navarone. The film, in which he has Robert Shaw as a co-star, opens in 1978 and, although it is a flop in the United States, the name of the new star attracts audiences in Europe, where, for example in France, he sells almost a million entries.
The following year Apocalypse Now, by Francis Ford Coppola, premiered, appearing in only one sequence. He plays Colonel Lucas, who conveys the leave of absence for Captain Willard, played by Martin Sheen. Although this film opens in 1979, Ford filmed his scene in 1976, before he was known for his role as Han Solo.
The same year he appears in Hanover Street, by Peter Hyams. In it he plays David Halloran, an American pilot sent to England during World War II, who falls in love with an English nurse and who has the mission of escorting a British intelligence service agent (played by Christopher Plummer) in France who turns out to be her husband. The role allows her to experience portraying him for the first time in romantic and dramatic genres. The film is a flop and does not allow the actor to satisfy his predisposition to have a leading role.
His next film is The Rabbi and the Gunslinger (The Frisco Kid), a comedy by Robert Aldrich. The "kind pressure" of his son Willard and his own desire to return to American filming after two films in England, make him accept the role of cowboy Tommy Lillard. In this film he works alongside Gene Wilder, actor who collaborated several times with Mel Brooks. Comedy was not a field in which the director was comfortable, and the film does not meet his expectations, but it is better than Goodbye Street . He then reprises his role as Bob Falfa in a cameo appearance (not credited) in the sequel to American Graffiti .
The consecration comes from the hands of the Star Wars saga, later confirmed with the adventures of Indiana Jones. After the filming of Blade Runner, he participates in the filming of E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial, where he acts as the school principal who summons Elliott after the incident of the rebellion in the classroom. In this scene he appears from behind and his face is not seen. This sequence was cut in the initial cut and was not integrated into the 20th anniversary version of the film because Steven Spielberg did not want to make too many changes from the original, which he regards as one of his "most perfect" films.
In 1985, his career took a new turn with Witness, by Peter Weir. He puts blockbusters aside and plays the role of John Book, a policeman tasked with protecting a young Amish man. Prior to filming, he meticulously prepared for his role as a police officer by spending time with the Philadelphia crime squad, with whom he goes on night patrols. This film allows him to gain an insight into the psychology of his character, who faces a clash of cultures upon being introduced to in an amish community. From being a protector he becomes a protégé, and gradually integrates into the way of life of his guests and falls in love with the mother of the young witness, a role played by Kelly McGillis. In the film, before the construction of a barn, a reference to his past slips in when the actress asks him if he knows anything about carpentry, and he answers "a little." This interpretation earned him the first recognition in the world of cinema, with nominations for best actor in various film awards.
In 1986, he stars again for Peter Weir in the film in which Ford claims to have played his best role: The Mosquito Coast. In it he plays a manic inventor and family man who he allows himself to be absorbed by his ideals. The character of one of his sons is played by River Phoenix, with whom he will share the role of Indiana Jones a few years later in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade .
In The Mosquito Coast, Regarding Henry and Frantic, Ford confirms his orientation taken from Witness with papers of singular characters in important films. In 1989, he was offered the role of Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October, an adaptation of Tom Clancy's novel of the same name, but, preferring the role of Commander Marko Ramius, already reserved for Sean Connery, he declined the offer and was played by Alec Baldwin. In 1992, after being released from a Paramount project, he played the role of a CIA agent, left vacant by Alec Baldwin, who prefers to work on the Broadway stage. He then plays the hero Tom Clancy in Patriot Games and in its sequel Imminent Danger (1994), both directed by Phillip Noyce. The script for Patriot Games must be readapted for the new actor, because he has to go from a 35-year-old agent to a 50-year-old agent. This film is the opportunity to give more relevance to the character of Jack Ryan and his family after a supporting role in Red October. Ford imposes a vulnerable character, the opposite of an action hero without fear and without reproach, which corresponds to the CIA analyst and family man who is the protagonist of the novel. The script for Imminent Danger is written at the same time as that of Juego de patriotas , and it is in the middle of filming the latter when its filming is confirmed. Both movies are a success.
In 1993, between the two Jack Ryan adventures, he once again gave a boost to his career by participating in The Fugitive, by Andrew Davis, an adaptation of the television series of the same name. In it he plays Dr. Richard Kimble, wrongly accused of the murder of his wife. A ruthless manhunt, led by a marshal (Tommy Lee Jones), leads Kimble to Chicago, where he does everything he can to prove his innocence. The film is a worldwide success that places Ford at the top of the hierarchy of the most popular actors in Hollywood and that allows Tommy Lee Jones to win the Oscar for best supporting actor.
In 1995, he plays the role of Linus Larrabee in Sydney Pollack's Sabrina, a role initially played by Humphrey Bogart in Billy Wilder's original 1954 film. After a year without filming, The Devil's Shadow opens on the big screen in 1997. Ford shares the spotlight with Brad Pitt, whose career really begins to take shape. The film, whose theme is the betrayal of the mentor by his protégé, is a failure.
That same year Air Force One, directed by Wolfgang Petersen, was released. The script was initially written for Kevin Costner, but he was not available when the film was ready for release and it is he himself who suggests Ford's name to the production to replace him. Wolfgang Petersen proposes Gary Oldman to his main interpreter, to play the terrorist who hijacks Air Force One. For the role of the vice-president, the filmmaker wanted Glenn Close from the beginning, but fears a refusal for this small role. Ford, who agrees with Petersen about the suitability of Close for this role, he himself is in charge of proposing it to the interested party. During a charity dinner in Wyoming, where they both live, he proposes to the actress. This dinner is also attended by Bill Clinton, who appreciates the idea of a woman as vice president. It is because of the president's encouragement that Glenn Close accepts the role. Bill Clinton, very enthusiastic about the film (which he will see twice in three days after its release), invites a small part of the film crew, including the filmmaker and Ford, aboard the real Air Force One for interior locations for the re-enactment of the plane for the film. For his speech scene at the beginning of the film, Ford must learn a text in Russian, language he does not know. The only scenes he shares with Glenn Close are some dialogue over the phone and it's usually an assistant who gives the actor a reply over the phone, but he takes a trip (as does Gary Oldman) to do it himself to give him a better background. work to the actress. The filming takes place in a festive atmosphere, to the point that the crew nicknames the film "Air Force Fun". In the fight scenes, which he considers his best, the actor does not it is dubbed by a stuntman. In the scene where he is first in front of the terrorist played by Gary Oldman, he is struck in the face by the terrorist, and Ford insists that he not fake the blow. The day after this scene, which required 13 takes (thus 13 blows to the face), he arrives on the set with a scarred face, forcing Petersen to film him from an angle that would hide the aftermath. President of the United States, former Vietnam War soldier and Medal of Honor recipient, standing up to a Russian terrorist commando that hijacks Air Force One. Usually in thrillers or movies of action, the president is the protected character, but in Air Force One he becomes the "man of action", and that gives a clear pro-American cast to the film. After a 75-year shoot days, the film opens during the summer period and takes advantage of its status as a blockbuster film to achieve great success in the United States.
The summer of 1998 sees the return of the actor in a comedy with Ivan Reitman's Six days, seven nights, where he plays a grumpy aviator, who doesn't get a good reception. His next film, Sydney Pollack's Random Hearts, is a resounding flop. There he plays a police sergeant who investigates the circumstances of his wife's death in a plane crash and discovers that she was accompanied by a man. His investigation leads him to the latter's wife (played by Kristin Scott Thomas), with whom he develops a particularly intense relationship.
Ford is chosen by Robert Zemeckis to act in his next film. The script, very different from other films in which he usually participates, attracts him, as well as the careful construction of the plot and the originality of his character. What Lies Beneath appears on the screens in the year 2000 and the star reveals a new facet of his acting career incarnating one of his few "bad" roles, far from the hero of action films in which who usually participates. He plays the role of Norman Spencer and his wife is played by Michelle Pfeiffer, giving life to a mature couple who see how her daughter has grown up and leaves home, entering a new phase in the life of she. His wife soon begins to suffer strange and harrowing situations at her lake house. This fantastic thriller, a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock's cinema, is received with great acclaim and allows him to return to the top of the box-office.
During this period, he rejected several roles in successful films such as Traffic, The Perfect Storm or The Patriot. In the latter, his refusal is motivated by considering it "too violent", especially by the number of children who die in the film and by considering the story too simple: "the Revolutionary War came down to one man seeking revenge", he stated.
You have to wait two years before seeing it again on the big screen. K-19: The Widowmaker opens in 2002, under the direction of Kathryn Bigelow. For this film, in addition to being the main actor, he tries out as an executive producer and takes his role very seriously, getting involved in the development of the story and all other aspects of production. The film, which recounts a historical event that happened during the Cold War, offers him one of his best roles. He plays a Soviet nuclear submarine commander, the K-19, whose inauguration seems moot. He takes over as commander from Captain Mikhail Polenin (Liam Neeson), who is relegated to second-in-command, making him an unsympathetic character. The attitude of his character contrasts with that of his colleague, who is closer to his man. Later they enter into full confrontation regarding their crew due to a leak from the reactor. But this antipathy is transformed into heroism by the turn of events. The film, despite his best acting and producing efforts, is his biggest flop since he's been at the top of the movie scene.
Ford was offered the chance to play the role of Bob Barnes in Syriana (ultimately played by George Clooney, who received an Oscar for this role), but he declines and it is a decision of the which he later regrets. Two other disappointments for the actor follow. First with Hollywood: Homicide Department, which achieves the "feat" of raising even less money than K-19, and then with Firewall, which gets a lukewarm reception. It is finally with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull that he once again finds himself at the top of the box office.
His next film, Crossing Over, was released in March 2009; in it he plays the role of judge Max Brogan and shares the lead with Ray Liotta and Ashley Judd.This film shows immigrants of different nationalities who strive to achieve legal status in Los Angeles. It deals with borders, document forgery, asylum, naturalization and the clash of cultures.
2010 saw the release of Extraordinary Measures, directed by Tom Vaughan, a drama centered on the efforts of Aileen (Keri Russell) and John Crowley (Brendan Fraser) to find a researcher who can find a cure. for a rare genetic disorder suffered by his children, where Ford plays the role of Dr. Robert Stonehill, and the comedy Morning Glory, directed by Roger Michell, where he plays the role of Mike Pomeroy and shares leading roles with actors such as Rachel McAdams, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum and Diane Keaton, among others. his role as an actor with the functions of executive producer. This same year the filming of Cowboys & Aliens, a mix of science fiction and western film in which he shares the lead with Daniel Craig, which is produced, among others, by Steven Spielberg and which was released in July 2011. In 2012 he began filming Ender's Game, a film based on the successful novel of the same title, where he played the role of Colonel Hyrum Graff. He then stars in 42 , in the role of Branch Rickey, and in Paranoia , alongside Amber Heard, Liam Hemsworth and Gary Oldman. These three films were released in 2013. In 2014 The Expendables 3 was released, where the actor plays the role of Max Drummer, and in 2015 The Age of Adaline, where he plays the role of William Jones. In 2020 he stars in The Call of the Wild, an adventure film that combines real image and computer animation based on the 1903 novel of the same title written by Jack London.
In October 2022, it was announced that he is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe to play General Thaddeus Ross, a role previously played by the late William Hurt; thus the actor will participate in several series and films of the saga.
The actor seen by critics
The role in Star Wars brought him to the top of the scene. With this film, the critics were enthusiastic with his refreshing interpretation of Han Solo, which mixes sarcasm and humor. For some, he manages to make his character the most coherent in the film. Regarding the success in the choice of his films, the opinion is unanimous, because despite the fact that the scripts or the performances are far from being innovative, Ford seems to understand what the public is looking for in the cinema. His low number of Oscar nominations reflects this trend that favors show business over great performance as an actor. After Indiana Jones, specialized journalists began to doubt his abilities to play a role other than that of a hero worthy of the comics, but he managed to break out of this stereotypical image with Witness, which awarded him for On the other hand, his only Oscar nomination. In The Mosquito Coast, he confirms this new trajectory in his career with a "brilliant" performance. After moving performances in Regarding Henry and Presumed Innocent, his role as an escaped convict in The Fugitive wins over critics. His role as an ordinary man relentlessly harassed and persecuted who tries to prove his innocence is described as “formidable.” The years pass and the succession of roles of brave and unreproachable “good boy” seem to discredit him. He tries his hand at comedy with Six days, seven nights, but his role as a grumpy adventurer doesn't convince. His radical change of register in What Lies Beneath is savior, where his The role of the "bad guy" is very convincing. His role in Firewall has a lukewarm reception; his interpretation is correct, but the character who grows old in the middle of an action film gives the bitter impression of already seen. Before the premiere of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull at Festival In Cannes, the critics are favorable to the adventurer's reunion on the big screen. His performance as an old bully is not questioned, unlike the film, which is sometimes "accused" of adequacy in relation to the previous ones.
Her own vision of her career
The profession of an actor, according to him, is nothing more than a simple "job" and that his vocation is not to make the spectator happy but rather to help him to be more altruistic. Contrary to his beginnings, when he reproached the producers who did not allow him to express himself enough, he describes himself as a "servant of history" and interprets what he is told. He does not consider himself a star, but rather someone who was very lucky at the beginning of his career and even more to always be at the top of the billboard.
Contrary to Ford's opinion of himself, filmmaker Mike Nichols stated that he considered Ford "the Ferrari of actors".
Complete filmography
Awards
- Harrison Ford left the impression of his feet and hands at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre cement on June 4, 1992.
- In 1998 he was elected, with 56 years, the most living man sexy by the American magazine Peopleand in 1995 by the British Empire as one of 100 more actors sexy of history (at post 15).
- Since May 30, 2003 he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at the height of 6801 Hollywood Boulevard.
- In addition to the personal distinctions received, six of the films he worked on are listed in the National Film Registry, and five are classified into the "top 100" of the American Film Institute.
- Two of the characters he played, Indiana Jones (Second Classified) and Han Solo (Top 50) are featured in the "top 50" of the American Film Institute's greatest film heroes.
Awards
| Year | Ceremony | Prize | Nominated work |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Saturn Awards | Best actor | Raiders of the Lost Ark |
| 1985 | Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best actor | Witness |
| 1994 | Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Predilect Action Film Actor | The fugitive |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Duo on screen (together with Tommy Lee Jones) | The fugitive | |
| ShoWest Convention | Star of the century box-office | ||
| 1995 | Blockbuster Entertainment Award | Predilect Action Film Actor | Impending danger |
| Predilect Action Film Actor (Video) | Impending danger | ||
| 1996 | Saturn Awards | Prize to the whole of your career | |
| Hasty Pudding Theatricals | Man of the year | ||
| 1997 | Bambi | Bambi | |
| 1998 | People's Choice Awards | Predilect cinema actor | |
| 1999 | Blockbuster Entertainment Award | Predilect comedy actor | Six days, seven nights |
| People's Choice Awards | Predilective Star of All Times | ||
| 2000 | American Film Institute | Prize to the whole of your career | |
| People's Choice Awards | Predilect cinema actor | ||
| 2001 | Blockbuster Entertainment Award | Actor de suspense predilecto | What Lies Beneath |
| 2002 | Golden Globes | Cecil B. DeMille Award | |
| 2003 | Taurus World Stunt Awards | Honorary Taurus Award | |
| Young Hollywood Awards | Model Award to follow | ||
| 2010 | César Awards | Caesar honored the whole of his career | |
| 2016 | Saturn Awards | Best actor | Star Wars: Episode VII - The Awakening of Force |
Nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Nomination | Nominated work |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Golden Apple Awards | Sour Apple | |
| 1985 | Saturn Awards | Best actor | Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom |
| 1986 | Oscar Awards | Best actor | Witness |
| BAFTA Awards | Best actor | Witness | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best actor (drama) | Witness | |
| 1987 | Golden Globe Awards | Best actor (drama) | The Mosquito Coast |
| 1991 | Saturn Awards | Best actor | Indiana Jones and the last crusade |
| 1994 | Golden Globe Awards | Best actor (drama) | The fugitive |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best masculine interpretation | The fugitive | |
| 1996 | Golden Globe Awards | Best actor (comedia) | Sabrina |
| 1998 | Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Predilect Action Film Actor | Air Force One |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best fight (with Gary Oldman) | Air Force One | |
| 1999 | Blockbuster Entertainment Award | Predilect Action Film Actor (Video) | Air Force One |
| 2008 | Teen Choice Awards | Best Action and Adventure Film actor | Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the crystal skull |
| 2009 | Saturn Awards | Best actor | Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the crystal skull |
| 2011 | Saturn Awards | Best cast actor | Cowboys & Aliens |
Private life
On June 18, 1964, he married Mary Marquardt. As a result of this marriage they had two children: Benjamin, born on September 22, 1967, and Willard, born on May 14, 1969. The couple divorced in 1979. A victim of multiple sclerosis, Mary is psychologically and financially supported by the actor, who bought him a house and is in charge of his treatment and all the necessary medical expenses.
On March 14, 1983, he married screenwriter Melissa Mathison, with whom he has a son, Malcolm, born March 10, 1987, and a daughter, Georgia, born June 30, 1990. They divorced after more than 20 years of marriage, on January 6, 2004, in what was one of the costliest divorces in Hollywood.
On June 15, 2010, he married actress Calista Flockhart, with whom he had lived since 2004, and mother of Liam, whom she adopted on January 1, 2001. The marriage took place in Santa Fe (New Mexico), where Ford was filming Cowboys & Aliens, and the ceremony was officiated by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and State Chief Justice Charles W. Daniels. Ford has three grandchildren: Eliel, born 1993, Ethan in 2000 and Waylon in 2010.
The public man
Your commitment to the environment
After buying his ranch in Jackson, Wyoming, he became aware of the importance of preserving the planet. He then gives about half of his land to the Jackson Hole Land Trust, a nature conservation organization.
He has served as vice president on the board of Conservation International since 1991, and is one of the "flying guardians" of Riverkeeper, an organization whose mission is to identify and bring to justice polluters of the Hudson River (which passes near his home in New York). In 2003 he received the Lindbergh Award for his helicopter patrols over the river.
On October 6, 2006, he was honored with the Jules Verne Spirit of Natural Award, established by the Jules Verne Adventures association, for his commitment to protecting the planet.
In April 2008, in an advertisement, he waxed his chest to symbolically denounce the deforestation of tropical forests. This gesture was intended to attract attention and show public opinion the critical moment of deforestation. In 2018 she participated in the World Climate Change Action Summit in San Francisco, where she gave a speech in defense of the environment and warned about the dangers of climate change.
Its ecological action is recognized with various distinctions, including the World Ecological Citizen Award from the Harvard University Medical School, or the World Ecology Award from the International Center for Tropical Ecology. Perhaps his most unusual recognition in this field is the fact that an ant native to Honduras and Belize has been named after him, under the name Pheidole harrisonfordi, for his support of The Ant Society of Conservation International, and a California spider, Calponia harrisonfordi, in recognition of their efforts on behalf of the American Museum of Natural History.
Political beliefs
Like his parents, Ford has been a recognized Democrat for years. In 2003, he publicly condemned the Iraq war and called for a change of government in the United States. He also accuses Hollywood of producing too many violent movies and is in favor of greater control over firearms in his country.
The actor opposed the reelection of California Governor Gray Davis, but said replacing him with Arnold Schwarzenegger would be a mistake.
During Thanksgiving 2007 Ford and Calista Flockhart joined Kirk Douglas to serve hot meals to the homeless in Los Angeles. This action was intended to remind that Los Angeles is the city with the most homeless people in the United States.
For years he has also supported the cause of the Tibetans and their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. On September 7, 1995, he intervened in the US Congress to testify about his experience in Tibet. In 2007, he again materialized this support as the narrator of the documentary Dalai Lama Renaissance. This documentary shows the meeting of the Dalai Lama with Western thinkers in Dharamsala, who together address the questions of how to change the world and how to solve its problems.
Archaeology
Having played the role of archaeologist Indiana Jones in movies, Ford later supported the work of professional archaeologists. Since 2008, he has held a position on the board of trustees of the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA), a non-profit organization based at Boston University dedicated to promoting public interest in archeology and the preservation of archaeological sites.. His appointment is due, according to the president of the AIA, "to the significant role he played in stimulating public interest in archaeological exploration." In response to his integration into the organization, the actor stated that "knowledge is power, and understanding the past helps us cope with the present and the future."
However, this appointment was a source of controversy within the profession. Oscar Muscarella, a former curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and an open critic of the antiquities trade, considers that the image of Indiana Jones and, therefore, of Harrison Ford, is the opposite of what a true archaeologist is. Referring to the AIA president's intervention, he stated that “Jones is the very antithesis of an archaeologist. In fact, he has played a significant role in spurring the wreckers, the looters who supply 'antiques' to the world. to a museum », and added that he« he is not an archaeologist, but a looter ».
Aviation
Ford began taking piloting lessons in the 1960s. He flew a TriPacer biplane, but at the time the price of $11 an hour was too high for him to continue his learning. His interest in piloting was revived in the mid-1990s, when he purchased a Gulfstream II aircraft. He then asked an experienced pilot, Terry Bender, to give him new flying lessons. These began in a Cessna 182, later moving to a Cessna 206. He finally earned his private pilot's license in 1996 and later extended his practice to flying single-engine seaplanes and helicopters.
As part of his collaboration with local authorities for emergency interventions, the actor rescued an isolated hiker suffering from dehydration. He also collaborated with the Teton County (Wyoming) rescue service for other mountain rescues.
On October 23, 1999, he was the victim of a helicopter crash during a routine training flight over Lake Piru, near Santa Clarita, California. During an autorotation practice, he lost altitude and crashed violently. against the floor. Neither he nor his instructor were seriously injured.During a television interview on the program Inside the Actor's Studio he was asked about the event, and he simply replied: "I broke it ».
In March 2004, he was named president of the Young Eagles, a program of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) created to introduce children to aviation. He was invited by the vice president of the EAA to replace Chuck Yeager, who left the position due to his retirement. Ford, since his first participation in the program in 2001, has flown with more than 250 children.
On March 5, 2015, he was involved in a plane crash near the Santa Monica Municipal Airport (Los Angeles).
Additional bibliography
- Alan McKenzie (1984). The Harrison Ford Story (in English). Arbor House Pub Co. 109 pp. ISBN 0877956677.
- Paul Honeyford (1986). Harrison Ford: A Biography (in English). Sidgwick & Jackson. 152 pp. ISBN 0283993200.
- Minty Clinch (1987). Harrison Ford: A Biography (in English). New English Library. 214 pp. ISBN 0450399400.
- Ethlie Ann Vare et Mary Toledo (1988). Harrison Ford (in English). St. Martin's Press. 127 pp. ISBN 0312906323.
- Jean-Jacques Jelot-Blanc (1989). Harrison Ford. Le Dernier Aventurier Du Cinéma (in French). Sévigny. 150 pp. ISBN 2907763024.
- Edward Gross (1990). The Films of Harrison Ford (in English). Pioneer Books. ISBN 155698247X.
- Robert Sellers (1993). Harrison Ford: A Biography (in English). Hale. 219 pp. ISBN 0709048289.
- Garry Jenkins (1998). Harrison Ford: Imperfect Hero (in English). Carol Pub. Group. 362 pp. ISBN 1559724439.
- Robert Abele (2000). Harrison Ford: A Biography (in English). Time Inc. 132 pp. ASIN B0006REI5K.