The 10 Best Harrison Ford Roles That Aren't Han Solo Or Indiana Jones
Harrison Ford is one of the most recognizable movie stars in the world, in no small part thanks to his iconic roles as Han Solo in "Star Wars" and globe-trotting archaeologist Indiana Jones. But with a career spanning nearly 60 years, Ford has brought plenty of memorable roles to the silver screen outside of the two Lucasfilm franchises, often to critical and commercial success. Sometimes his beloved roles in blockbuster franchises overshadow his extensive filmography. From tense political thrillers to character-driven dramatic pieces, Ford has displayed an enormous range of talent.
Yes, we love him as Han Solo and Indiana Jones. But we're here to highlight and celebrate 10 other characters Ford has brought to life. Some of these roles are popular and well-known, and others are criminally underappreciated. With Ford showing no signs of slowing down in his career, here's to hoping for many more characters to come from the living legend who continues to thrill and entertain audiences worldwide.
10. John Book (Witness)
Ford's only Academy Award nomination is for the 1985's "Witness." In the crime thriller, Ford portrays police detective John Book, who seeks refuge in the Pennsylvania Amish community after he stumbles across a criminal conspiracy. Book temporarily moves in with a single mother, Rachel Lapp (Kelly McGillis), and her son, protecting them as he recovers from his wounds. As Book and Rachel fall in love, the corrupt police officers track down Book to his rural hideout and look to finish him off.
"Witness" feels very familiar, with its basic premise and romantic subplot, but its pastoral setting and humanist focus elevate what could have been a standard thriller. Ford's self-assured performance tactfully conceals a surprising amount of sensitivity as Book gradually opens himself up to the community and family where he has found shelter. Beautiful in its subtlety and the natural chemistry between Ford and McGillis, "Witness" is a masterclass in the power of understated performance.
9. Jack Trainer (Working Girl)
For as extensive as his film career is and as charming and ruggedly handsome as he appears, Ford (surprisingly) hasn't starred in many romantic comedies. Of the few he has appeared in, the best one is 1988's "Working Girl." In the film, he stars alongside Melanie Griffith and Sigourney Weaver amidst a fast-paced Manhattan backdrop. Ford plays Jack Trainer, a corporate figure dating co-worker Katharine Parker (Weaver), only to fall for up-and-coming working professional Tess McGill (Griffith) as they work together on a merger.
Ford has a surprisingly adept sense of comic timing and delivery that fans have caught flashes of in his more action-oriented roles. "Working Girl" takes full advantage of these strengths as Ford's character finds himself playing catch-up with Tess while simultaneously falling in love. "Working Girl" is a star-making vehicle for Griffith, but her give-and-take onscreen rapport with Ford makes the movie shine.
8. Rusty Sabich (Presumed Innocent)
While "The Fugitive" is the most memorable film that saw Ford falsely accused of murder, it was by no means the first. That honor went to 1990's "Presumed Innocent," which leaned more into courtroom drama and investigative thriller territory. Ford stars as Rusty Sabich, an attorney who investigates the murder of a former extramarital lover only to be charged with the murder himself as new evidence comes to light. Packed with plenty of twists and turns, "Presumed Innocent" puts Rusty through an emotional rollercoaster as the resulting court case becomes increasingly convoluted and immoral.
Ford's acting in "Presumed Innocent" is beautifully understated by design, with the character reacting to revelations as the story unfolds rather than proactively taking point in unraveling the mystery. That subtlety and restraint heighten the suspense and intrigue, leaving audiences guessing until the movie's shocking ending. Ford is a passenger and participant in this twisting narrative. "Presumed Innocent" is a haunting legal thriller, and Ford quietly guides the viewer through its murky murder mystery.
7. Henry Turner (Regarding Henry)
Decades before J.J. Abrams worked with Ford on "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," the pair collaborated on the 1991 character-driven drama "Regarding Henry." Written by Abrams and directed by Mike Nichols, the movie follows amoral Manhattan lawyer Henry Turner (Ford) after he barely survives a gunshot wound to the head. The traumatic brain injury forces Henry to relearn how to walk and talk. The resulting retrograde amnesia has him gradually reintroduced to the domestic life he long took for granted.
Working with Nichols again, after their time on "Working Girl," Ford displays an amount of raw emotional vulnerability that he has rarely brought to the screen before or since. While the general narrative premise comes off as schmaltzy sentimentality, Ford's performance ties everything together and makes the movie work. Ford brings the usual unflinching professionalism to his role but with the subtle complexity of a man rebuilding his life and memories from the ground up with a genuine innocence.
6. James Marshall (Air Force One)
With time, Ford's gruff yet distinguished quality has only grown as he's become a man of a certain age: It's a wonder Ford has only played the President of the United States in a single film, but what a film it is! 1997's "Air Force One" is perhaps the best action movie to follow the basic "Die Hard" mold of terrorists taking over a location, forcing one man to outsmart them to fight back. That one man in this movie is Ford's President James Marshall, whose eponymous plane is hijacked by terrorists while flying home from Moscow.
With its political thriller trappings and Ford's articulate statesman performance, James Marshall feels like a spiritual successor to Ford's previous role as Jack Ryan. However, Ford's presence overcomes "Air Force One's" action movie cliches while playing well off his on-screen adversary — Gary Oldman's formidable antagonist Egor Korshunov. No one-liner delivered by Ford outside of "Star Wars" or "Indiana Jones" has quite the lasting legacy as Marshall's firm declaration of, "Get off my plane."
5. Allie Fox (The Mosquito Coast)
After working together on "Witness," Ford reunited with director Peter Weir for the 1986 drama "The Mosquito Coast," adapting the 1981 novel of the same name by Paul Theroux. Ford gives his most complex and divisive performance to date as failed inventor Allie Fox, a man who relocates his family deep into the rainforests of Central America to design his utopian society. As Fox alienates his family, he clashes with a local missionary who seeks to subjugate the local populace through religion instead of science.
Allie is a complicated character. He believes in the American Dream but thinks only the developing world will appreciate his genius. By design, Allie is an unlikeable character, manipulative and self-centered. Ford achieves the task of keeping the audience invested in his character's struggle. The film examines a character's heart of darkness, and "The Mosquito Coast" stands as Ford's most underrated performance and one of his favorites.
4. Richard Kimble (The Fugitive)
Something lost on casual fans is that "The Fugitive" earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, an incredible feat for any action thriller during cutthroat award season. Although Tommy Lee Jones rightfully won best supporting actor for his role as U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard, not enough credit is given to Ford in his leading role as protagonist Doctor Richard Kimble. Ford's dark determination, fueled by the raw grief of Kimble losing his wife, propels the entire movie forward and gives him and Jones room to square off.
Adapting the '60s television series of the same name, "The Fugitive" features Kimble wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife while the real culprit is on the loose. Escaping from a death row convoy, Kimble evades the authorities while tracking down the killer to clear his name. Ford plays Kimble like a flawed everyman, not a rugged action hero. That makes the whole premise work, with Ford's haunted intensity injecting plenty of energy into this cinematic game of cat-and-mouse.
3. Norman Spencer (What Lies Beneath)
After an extensive career bringing some of cinema's most iconic heroes to life, Ford memorably delivered a heel turn as the villain in 2000's "What Lies Beneath." Ford stars alongside Michelle Pfeiffer, playing married couple Norman and Claire Spencer. In the film, their tumultuous marriage has faced multiple rough patches. After Claire suspects her neighbor of killing his wife, she launches an investigation only to discover it wasn't her neighbor who murdered someone from Norman's past — making Norman the primary suspect.
"What Lies Beneath" plays as a whodunnit, packed with plenty of twists, that turns the film into a ghost story that keeps its audience guessing until its haunting climax. Though the movie turns into a predictable thriller after its big reveal, Ford and Pfeiffer make for an effective onscreen couple that elevates the material. Intrigued by the opportunity, Ford cleared his schedule specifically for this project. He plays Norman with plenty of nuances before openly embracing the dark potential of the role with understated menace.
2. Jack Ryan (Patriot Games/Clear and Present Danger)
While a parade of actors has played Tom Clancy's political thriller hero Jack Ryan over the years, the only person to play him in multiple feature films to date is Ford. Taking on the role in 1992's "Patriot Games," Ford's Ryan became more personally involved in the action than his predecessor Alec Baldwin while avoiding standard action hero infallibility. Ford reprised his role as Ryan in 1994's "Clear and Present Danger," with Ryan facing political intrigue at the highest levels of the federal government amidst a drug war in Colombia.
Ford's Ryan is more of an everyman analyst. He isn't afraid to become directly involved in the action but is at the most comfortable running observations from his CIA office. "Patriot Games" gives Ford an engaging version of Ryan, with the character's family targeted by an IRA revenge plot. Throughout the film, Ryan has to endure personal tragedy and step up to defend his home. "Clear and Present Danger" plays out more like the political thrillers prevalent in the '90s. Still, Ford delivers a driven and grounded performance, confronting corruption as high as the Oval Office.
1. Rick Deckard (Blade Runner/Blade Runner 2049)
Notably, Ford's other big science fiction film (practically) brought cyberpunk to the Hollywood mainstream single-handedly. In 1982's "Blade Runner," Ford stars as Rick Deckard, a man assigned to hunt down rogue androids hiding throughout a dystopian future Los Angeles. Along the way, Rick questions the ideas of autonomous existence and identity. Stay as far away from the theatrical cut as possible, which features studio-mandated voiceover narration from a Ford who sounds like he's reading a ransom message. Stick with the superior final cut!
A big part of what makes Ford's portrayal of Deckard work is that he's not playing a Han Solo-like character. Instead, he's a hard-luck detective trying to stay alive against physically superior opponents. That desperation, coupled with the film's atmospheric neo-noir setting, makes Deckard feel like a fuller character and more easily believed to be put off-balance as the story continues. Ford reprised his role as Deckard in 2017's "Blade Runner 2049," bringing even more tragedy to the character as someone forced to hide out for decades to protect the ones he loves while being as irascible as ever. Though Ford only appears in the sequel's final act, he provides some of his best, most emotional acting moments that he has given since the '90s.