Does Harrison Ford hold the championship belt for greatest movie star of the last 50 years? Whether you agree or disagree, the proof is in the pudding. Ford’s resume speaks for itself: a filmography consisting of blockbusters, cult classics and pantheon characters.
From whip-cracking archaeologists to scruffy-looking nerf herders, Ford has spent five decades turning in performances that defined generations and reshaped entire franchises. Narrowing it down to just seven? Yeah, that was brutal. But we did it anyway.
Our ranking is really a testament to just how stacked his career is that “Blade Runner’s” Rick Deckard didn’t even make the cut. Here’s how we ranked Harrison Ford’s most iconic movie roles.
7. ‘Presumed Innocent’
Ford has made a career out of playing the good guy who saves the day. So it was a welcome change to see Ford play the immoral and unfaithful lawyer in “Presumed Innocent.” After the rape and murder of attorney Carolyn Polhemus (Greta Scacchi), District Attorney Raymond Horgan (Brian Dennehy) assigns his top prosecutor, Rusty Sabich (Ford).
During the litigation, Rusty is forced to reveal his dark secret: He had an affair with Carolyn. After evidence ties him to Carolyn, Rusty is charged with murder and faces an uphill battle to prove his innocence. Even while staring down life in prison, nothing compares to the humiliation and shame Rusty’s actions bring upon his wife, Barbara (Bonnie Bedelia). Ford’s stoicism works to his advantage as a morally ambiguous character. The film’s lasting takeaway is its unforgettable twist ending.
6. ‘American Graffiti’
“American Graffiti” might be Ford’s smallest role on the list, but a case can be made that it’s the most important as his breakout to a six-decade career. In one of his few villainous roles, Ford plays Bob Falfa, the hotshot racer and rival to John Milner (Paul Le Mat).
Ford is undoubtedly the douche of the movie, but his infectious smile and magnetic presence put a spotlight on the young actor’s potential. Without “American Graffiti,” who knows if director George Lucas would have cast Ford a few years later in “Star Wars,” which single-handedly changed the direction of the actor’s career?
5. ‘Air Force One’
After his performance in “Air Force One,” Ford entered an elite club of actors who gave convincing performances as the president of the United States. After speaking in Moscow, U.S. President James Marshall (Ford) boards Air Force One with his family and cabinet members as they prepare to fly back to the United States.
Shortly after takeoff, Russian communist radicals hijack Air Force One and demand the release of their military leader from prison. Instead of abandoning the plane in his escape pod, Marshall hides in the cargo hold and plots to retake the plane. “Air Force One” is a classic 1990s action movie relying solely on the charm and persona of its star. Thankfully, Ford was up for the challenge and delivered an iconic presidential performance.
4. ‘The Fugitive’
Ford is clearly attracted to playing complicated men falsely accused of murder. He did it in “Presumed Innocent” and then ran it back in “The Fugitive,” though Dr. Richard Kimball is more admirable than Rusty Sabich. Richard is arrested for the murder of his wife and sentenced to death. Richard maintains his innocence throughout the legal proceedings, proclaiming a one-armed man killed his wife.
While being transported to death row, Richard escapes the convoy and goes on the run from the authorities. The only way for Richard to save himself is to prove someone else killed his wife. It won’t be easy, especially with Deputy Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) following Richards’ every move. “The Fugitive” utilizes Ford’s everyman capabilities to their full extent, with the final result being an exhilarating and enthralling thriller.
3. ‘Star Wars: A New Hope'
Han Solo — need I say more? OK, we’ll talk about it. Look up the definition of cool, and you’ll find a picture of Han Solo. Han is the witty smuggler and captain of the Millennium Falcon. He’s snarky, snobbish, and, quite frankly, a jerk to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).
Guys want to be him, and girls want to be with him. His cockiness comes off as charming more than it does as arrogance. Han has no superpowers, making him a relatable character in a movie with lightsabers and force sensitivity. Han is a hero at his core, even if he tries to deny it at every turn. All you need to do is look at a poster of Han pointing his blaster, and you’ll understand why Ford became a star.
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2. ‘Witness’
In a career that started in the 1960s, Ford has only one Oscar nomination to show for it, which is a crime against humanity. Ford received his lone nod for 1985’s “Witness,” Peter Weir’s sensational crime thriller about murder, deception, and the Amish culture. While in a Philadelphia train station with his mother Rachel (Kelly McGillis), a young Amish boy named Samuel (Lukas Haas) witnesses a murder.
The weathered Detective John Book (Ford) is assigned to the case and learns from Samuel that the murderers are dirty cops. Forced on the run, Book flees the city and hides with Rachel and Samuel within the Amish community. A clash of cultures, Book eventually appreciates the Amish way of life and respects these undervalued members of society. Ford’s strength in “Witness” is his compassion toward Rachel, Samuel, and the Amish community. His innate ability to convey emotion without saying a word is on full display.
1. ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’
With all due respect to Han Solo fans, Indiana Jones is the superior hero. It also helps that Ford’s first appearance as Indiana Jones happens to be in one of the defining movies of the last 50 years, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
Archeologist Indiana (“Indy”) Jones traverses the globe searching for priceless artifacts. His next challenge: find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis to prevent Hitler from creating an unbeatable army. Indy doesn’t have a superpower — unless you count his ingenuity. He’s a tough, stubborn, and foul-mouthed action hero. Once Indy puts on the hat and cracks the whip, Ford perfectly channels the swashbuckling megastar who became an American icon.
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