The Complexity Of The Mosquito Coast Came Naturally To Harrison Ford
Allie Fox isn't your ordinary Hollywood protagonist. It's tempting to pigeonhole the main character of "The Mosquito Coast" as a narrow-minded, arrogant, irritating jerk, but while the descriptions might be accurate, Allie's also remarkably charming, clever, and seems like a well-intentioned (if terrible) father. Throw in Harrison Ford's signature mix of on-screen crankiness and charisma, and you've got someone who isn't quite an anti-hero, but isn't a villain, either.
It'd be fair to describe Allie as a loving yet narcissistic family man who's desperate for his chance to play God — and too arrogant to admit when things spiral out of control — but it's still hard to convey just how charming Allie can be. After all, the man managed to convince an entire community that he was a savior-type figure. He convinced his family to trade the comforts of suburbia for a frontier lifestyle. Few roles seem so nuanced, and few actors can do them justice.
Apparently, though, Ford had a knack for becoming Allie. You'd be forgiven for assuming that it'd be tough to embody such a complex character, but as the actor told The Ringer in 2021, the process was relatively easy:
"I just tried it on piece by piece. A little bit of costume here, a little bit of dialogue there, a relationship to another actor or actress, and guidance from Peter, and put it all together. Sometimes you plan a lot, and sometimes you just put on the clothes. In this case, I think it was just a matter of putting on the clothes — you know, going for it."
Ford might've been selling himself short
Harrison Ford's performance in "The Mosquito Coast" was undoubtedly impressive, but as it turns out, it might not have been quite so effortless. The actor spoke to the Los Angeles Daily News in 1986 — the same year that "The Mosquito Coast" was released — and had the following to say about his role:
"...I found [shooting 'The Mosquito Coast'] more exhausting mentally than physically because of the complexity of the role and the endless process of sorting out and reappraising where we were at. You had to be on your toes all the time."
Now, this comment does admittedly contradict Ford's later claims that the role was relatively easy to slip into, so it's only natural to wonder which is true. Were the earlier comments more accurate since the experience of shooting "The Mosquito Coast" was fresh in his memory? Were recent on-set frustrations clouding his judgment? We'll never know for sure, but given the fact that Ford would call Allie Fox his "best" role, it seems safe to say that the actor did ultimately enjoy the experience — a noteworthy feat in itself.
Shooting The Mosquito Coast was a tropical adventure
If Harrison Ford did find it easy to slip into Allie's shoes, part of that was likely due to the fact that he found himself in a similar situation. "The Mosquito Coast" was shot in Belize, but as production publicist Reid Rosefelt would later recall, the crew generally stayed in a less comfortable, not-so-touristy part of the country. In the actor's own words, '[t]he shoot was long, hot, and humid."
That being said, Ford was determined to make the most of the experience. Looking back fondly, he told The Ringer:
"I was living in a boat offshore, a wooden yacht that I brought down from Biloxi, Mississippi, to live on. Because the only other choice was the hotel at that time, and it was pretty funky. But every day I'd get up and take a boat into the market on Haulover Creek and pay somebody five bucks to watch the boat all day. Yeah, it was a really neat experience."
On set, Ford's setup was similarly unconventional. According to Rosefelt, Ford had a "very relaxing" tent (as opposed to a trailer) that was always stocked with refreshments. Like Allie, Ford was evidently determined to make his tropical home relatively comfortable — he just wasn't afraid to pick up some Western comforts along the way.