Favorite Harrison Ford movie.
Before he started making movies I may never feel like watching, he did some of the finest stuff on celluloid, and some of my favorite.
His dopey Bob Falfa in American Graffiti wasn't worth much, though it suited the need just fine, but reteaming with Lucas (against Lucas's original artistic prejudice) in Star Wars as Han Solo started him on a string of films that would have made a career and a half for any ambitious actor.
Much to Lucas's extended chagrin, it became unmistakably clear that Ford was, indeed, the best man for Indiana Jones (what with Selleck being tied to Magnum on CBS). So, Fate was having a little fun with Lucas, who earnestly expressed his desire to not make "Harrison my Bobby DeNiro".
When Ford decided to get serious, bat to left instead of right field, if you will, he knocked it just as far over the fence. Though never having won an Oscar, he was nominated (the one and only, so far) for his turn in the Weir effort Witness, facing the likes of Jack Nicholson in Prizzi's Honor, both losing to William Hurt for Kiss of the Spider Woman.
The Golden Globes were kinder (as they usually are) and nominated him not only for Witness, but also The Fugitive, Sabrina, and The Mosquito Coast. He also walked away with the People's Choice awards for either favorite movie actor or all-time movie star each year from 1999-2000.
It's tough for me to pick a favorite anything, and this is no different. I can narrow it down to two with some effort, but those two are so vastly different that it's really apples to oranges.
I'm going to go with only movies he headlines or features in (which is really the bulk of his career anyway). So, if I had to throw just one vote in a hat, see number one on my list below of my top ten Ford films of all time:
1. The Mosquito Coast
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark
3. Blade Runner
4. Star Wars: A New Hope
5. The Frisco Kid
6. The Fugitive
7. Frantic
8. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
9. Regarding Henry
10. Presumed Innocent
Sporting a dishy Helen Mirren, enshrouded in gorgeous John Seale photography, guided by an unflinching Peter Weir, spouting thought-provoking social commentary on both a grand and intimate level, propelled along by an intriguing and highly unusual Theroux tale, accompanied by genius music scoring from the legendary Maurice Jarre (Lawrence of Arabia, A Passage to India, et. al.), and brilliantly nabbing the now late River Phoenix (and Phoenix's off-screen girlfriend to be, Plimpton, as the onscreen equivalent) as Ford's son, this is not only my favorite Ford role, but probably my favorite Ford film, and certainly one of my favorite films, period.
I connect with this film emotionally, philosophically, and creatively like no other film.
I'd love for it to be a tie between "Raiders" and "Coast" (so, that's my answer if it's allowed), but MC takes top honors for all of the above reasons, along with having what may be his best, most important, and most personal performance ever and certainly one of his most interesting and mesmerizing characters.
I'm always quite jealous of all the accolades that the other Weir/Ford effort, Witness, steals from this. A fine film in its own right, I still think "Coast" is easily better.
Rent it. Watch it. Love it or hate it. If you want to understand and appreciate Ford's acting career, you have to go to The Mosquito Coast.
(Additional reading.)
His dopey Bob Falfa in American Graffiti wasn't worth much, though it suited the need just fine, but reteaming with Lucas (against Lucas's original artistic prejudice) in Star Wars as Han Solo started him on a string of films that would have made a career and a half for any ambitious actor.
Much to Lucas's extended chagrin, it became unmistakably clear that Ford was, indeed, the best man for Indiana Jones (what with Selleck being tied to Magnum on CBS). So, Fate was having a little fun with Lucas, who earnestly expressed his desire to not make "Harrison my Bobby DeNiro".
When Ford decided to get serious, bat to left instead of right field, if you will, he knocked it just as far over the fence. Though never having won an Oscar, he was nominated (the one and only, so far) for his turn in the Weir effort Witness, facing the likes of Jack Nicholson in Prizzi's Honor, both losing to William Hurt for Kiss of the Spider Woman.
The Golden Globes were kinder (as they usually are) and nominated him not only for Witness, but also The Fugitive, Sabrina, and The Mosquito Coast. He also walked away with the People's Choice awards for either favorite movie actor or all-time movie star each year from 1999-2000.
It's tough for me to pick a favorite anything, and this is no different. I can narrow it down to two with some effort, but those two are so vastly different that it's really apples to oranges.
I'm going to go with only movies he headlines or features in (which is really the bulk of his career anyway). So, if I had to throw just one vote in a hat, see number one on my list below of my top ten Ford films of all time:
1. The Mosquito Coast
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark
3. Blade Runner
4. Star Wars: A New Hope
5. The Frisco Kid
6. The Fugitive
7. Frantic
8. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
9. Regarding Henry
10. Presumed Innocent
Sporting a dishy Helen Mirren, enshrouded in gorgeous John Seale photography, guided by an unflinching Peter Weir, spouting thought-provoking social commentary on both a grand and intimate level, propelled along by an intriguing and highly unusual Theroux tale, accompanied by genius music scoring from the legendary Maurice Jarre (Lawrence of Arabia, A Passage to India, et. al.), and brilliantly nabbing the now late River Phoenix (and Phoenix's off-screen girlfriend to be, Plimpton, as the onscreen equivalent) as Ford's son, this is not only my favorite Ford role, but probably my favorite Ford film, and certainly one of my favorite films, period.
I connect with this film emotionally, philosophically, and creatively like no other film.
I'd love for it to be a tie between "Raiders" and "Coast" (so, that's my answer if it's allowed), but MC takes top honors for all of the above reasons, along with having what may be his best, most important, and most personal performance ever and certainly one of his most interesting and mesmerizing characters.
I'm always quite jealous of all the accolades that the other Weir/Ford effort, Witness, steals from this. A fine film in its own right, I still think "Coast" is easily better.
Rent it. Watch it. Love it or hate it. If you want to understand and appreciate Ford's acting career, you have to go to The Mosquito Coast.
(Additional reading.)
posted by Chris Huston | 8/17/2006 10:21:00 PM
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