#341. Harrison Ford

If you don’t know who Harrison Ford is, then you’ve likely never seen any number of successful or timeless classics. While Ford has been in many thrillers and dramas, including Best Picture nominees American Graffiti (1973), The Conversation (1974), Apocalypse Now! (1979), Witness (1985) (wherein he obtained his one and only Best Actor Oscar nomination), and The Fugitive (1993), he is perhaps best known for his leading roles in such franchises as Star Wars and Indiana Jones (both of which also obtained Best Picture nominations over the years). He’s so recognizable that it’s sometimes shocking to find his appearance altered in movies like 42 (2013), only to eventually recognize that trademark smirk and gravelly voice and know it’s really Harrison Ford. This week’s two films highlight some of the best roles of Harrison Ford.

Blade Runner
Year: 1982
Rating: R
Length: 117 minutes / 1.95 hours

The sci-fi genre has been kind to Harrison Ford, offering him many memorable roles throughout the years. Not only has Han Solo from Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) been placed as #14 on the American Film Institute’s list of Top 50 heroes, but the role has been repeated by Ford in the sequels, The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), and The Force Awakens (2015). While Han Solo is certainly iconic, Ford doesn’t bring him into his other roles, like Colonel Hyrum Graff in Ender’s Game (2013), thus showing he has a certain amount of range when it comes to his sci-fi characters. Of course, some of this is dictated by the movie itself. The cyberpunk-inspired Blade Runner (1982), and its sequel, Blade Runner 2049 (2017), have a darker tone than his other sci-fi roles, and he adapts the character of Rick Deckard to fit the theme.

Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is put on task as a Blade Runner to track down four androids who have recently arrived on Earth. Androids aren’t allowed on Earth, having been relegated to the outer worlds of the human empire, so their presence in Los Angeles is illegal. While most androids can be identified via an “emotion test” known as the “Voight-Kampff,” some of these newer models have figured out how to outsmart it. With this added challenge, Rick manages to find these androids as they search for their “maker,” Tyrell Corporation founder Eldon Tyrell (Joe Turkel). Along the way, Rick learns from the androids’ leader, Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), that they want to live longer than the four-year lifespan the androids have been given. As sentience and humanity become increasingly ambiguous, Rick continues to fulfill his duties as a Blade Runner and eliminate the android threats.

Raiders of the Lost Ark
Year: 1981
Rating: PG
Length: 115 minutes / 1.92 hours

George Lucas really liked working with Harrison Ford. Not only was he cast in Star Wars, but he was also included in Lucas’ breakout film, American Graffiti (1973). Obviously, Ford made an impression, because he was eventually given the titular role of Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). A role he went on to repeat in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). It’s no wonder that Indiana Jones was placed at #2 on the American Film Institute’s list of Top 50 heroes, only bested by Gregory Peck’s Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Time will tell if the fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise will recreate the magic of the original Raiders of the Lost Ark, but it hopefully isn’t as bad as Crystal Skull, which almost feels serious next to the camp of Cowboys & Aliens (2011).

After a failed expedition in Peru, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) returns to his academic job at Marshall College where he teaches archaeology. Following one of his lectures, two men from Army Intelligence approach Dr. Jones and inform him of a plot by the Nazis to obtain the fabled Ark of the Covenant. They want him to go to Egypt to try and find this artifact before the enemy does. After a short stop in Nepal to recover a piece of the Staff of Ra, Jones makes his way to Egypt and uses his archeological knowledge to find the Ark amongst a Nazi excavation site. Unfortunately, the Nazis intercept Jones and take the Ark away, leaving him in a pit of snakes. Using some ingenuity, Jones escapes and intercepts the Nazis again, but fails to stop them from testing the artifact. Fortunately, the power of the Ark is too much for the Nazis to handle and Jones manages to safely return it to the United States.

2 sum it up: 2 films, 2 fantastic Harrison Ford roles

Bacon #: 2 (Apocalypse Now! / Robert Duvall -> Jayne Mansfield’s Car / Kevin Bacon)

#328. Alec Guinness

When it comes to acting, the Shakespearian actor is often seen as the epitome of the profession. Being able to bring the Bard’s work to life on the stage requires a vast amount of skill and talent if it is to be done correctly. While many of these actors will remain in this highest form of thespian art, some take their skills to other mediums. Of course, because of this Shakespearian background, many of these actors who do start to perform in movies are quite selective about the films they decide to make. Often, they will stick to Shakespearian adaptations, since that’s mostly what they already know. But sometimes, the allure of a nice, big paycheck can get these actors to perform in pieces they do not fully endorse. This week’s two films highlight some moments from Shakespearian actor Alec Guinness’ career.

Doctor Zhivago
Year: 1965
Rating: Approved
Length: 197 minutes / 3.28 hours

Alec Guinness’ acting talent is undeniable, which is at least in part due to his regular collaboration with director David Lean. Even with supporting roles in films like Great Expectations (1946), Oliver Twist (1948), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984), the combination of the British actor and British director worked well. They would both would win an Academy Award for Best Director and Actor, respectively, for their work on The Bridge on the River Kwai (1958). Of course, this was only five years after Guinness was nominated for Best Actor for his work in The Lavender Hill Mob (1951). He even won an honorary Oscar in 1980 “For advancing the art of screen acting through a host of memorable and distinguished performances.” While he would be nominated for Best Supporting Actor twice in his career, he really made his mark in his supporting roles like in Doctor Zhivago.

Years after the Russian Revolution that brought communism into power, General Yevgraf Zhivago (Alec Guinness) is using his military connections to find his niece, the daughter of his half-brother, Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif). When he finds a young woman he believes to fit the description, he tells her of her parents’ lives. While Yevgraf was always a military man, Yuri was a poet in the body of a doctor. Through the events of an attack on a peaceful demonstration, Yuri first meets Lara (Julie Christie). When World War I arrives, Yevgraf is sent to fight while Yuri and Lara work for the army as doctor and nurse, respectively, and fall in love. After wars and revolutions pass, Yevgraf now works for the communist military and warns Yuri that his poetry is now condemned by the new regime. After getting Yuri to safety, Yevgraf finds that his half-brother’s poetry affected many people, albeit years later.

Star Wars: A New Hope
Year: 1977
Rating: PG
Length: 121 minutes / 2.02 hours

Do actors have regrets? Sure they do, and Alec Guinness is no different. While he praised the special effects and technical aspects of Star Wars (1977), he absolutely hated the dialogue (amongst other factors). Even though the film netted him his first Best Supporting Actor nomination, Guinness loathed that it was essentially the only film most people knew him from. Because of his hesitations, he was quite the shrewd businessman and managed to get a sizeable payday and a good chunk of the royalties for his work on the film. Always the professional actor, he did the part and interacted with everyone involved courteously, despite regretting the attention he received after the films entered into the realm of “fandom.” In fact, Guinness himself wanted his character killed off in the first film so he wouldn’t have to play him as much in the later parts of the franchise.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) is an old hermit who lives in the remote areas of the desert planet Tatooine. One day, he finds a familiar droid by the name of R2-D2 and learns that the Rebel Alliance, led by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), needs his help to get the plans of a devastating weapon to their headquarters on Alderaan. Deciding to comply with Leia’s request, he also enlists the help of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who initially found R2-D2 and is the son of his former protégé, Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones). Upon chartering a ride to Alderaan on the Millennium Falcon, the sudden disappearance of the planet causes them to be captured by the Galactic Empire on the Death Star. Kenobi allows the Falcon to escape, but at the cost of his life. Now that the Rebels have the Death Star plans, Luke sets out to assist them in destroying the moon-sized weapon.

2 sum it up: 2 films, 2 great Alec Guinness performances

Bacon #: 2 (Kafka / Theresa Russell -> Wild Things / Kevin Bacon)