Harrison Ford is one of the most accomplished actors in the business, most famous for playing the archaeology professor Indiana Jones and the space swashbuckler Han Solo in the long-running Star Wars film saga.
- The recent exciting casting new confirms that Harrison Ford will be joining the MCU as Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America: New World Order. This marks another huge movie for the legendary actor who is no stranger to big franchises. But with such a long career, there are even more great Harrison Ford movies that fans might not be as familiar with but are worth checking out.
However, his success is not limited to just the mega-blockbuster franchises he’s been attached to over the years. In fact, there are some great movies other than Blade Runner that make up a second tier of highly acclaimed movies starring Ford that are worth a watch for fans.
Regarding Henry (1991)
- Available on Showtime and DIRECTV
In Regarding Henry, Henry Turner (Ford) is a hotshot attorney, an unfaithful husband, and a spiteful father. One night he is wounded in a botched robbery causing him to lose his memory and mobility. Over the course of the film, he discovers who he was before the shooting, and he vows to change.
This is no ordinary Harrison Ford movie. It’s slow, as audiences follow Henry on the road to recovery allowing a deep connection that pays off when the credits roll. Ford sells the pre-shooting Henry with his archetypical bravado. Nearly two hours later, however, he has transformed the title character from a cutthroat adult to a child in a man’s body forming a new identity.
Force 10 From Navarone (1978)
- Available to rent on Apple TV
The team-on-a-mission genre is a lot of fun and has made for some classic movies like Kelly’s Heroes and The Dirty Dozen. One overlooked movie in that genre is Force 10 From Navarone, a WWII adventure featuring a fun cast, including Ford.
The movie follows an odd group of military experts thrown together on a mission to destroy an enemy bridge. Ford is joined by the likes of Robert Shaw and Carl Weathers in this rollicking ride.
The Conversation (1974)
- Available on Prime Video, Paramount+, Epix and DIRECTV
Though Francis Ford Coppola is mostly known for The Godfather movies, The Conversation is another of his brilliant films that sometimes gets forgotten. Gene Hackman plays a surveillance expert who believes he has overheard a conversation that leads to murder.
Ford plays a young executive who has hired Hackman for the job. It is fun to see him in this smaller supporting role yet still making an impact. The movie itself is a clever and taut thriller featuring a twist ending that flew under the radar.
The Mosquito Coast (1986)
Given how many iconic heroes Ford has played over the years, it is fun to see him playing a character who is much harder to like. The Mosquito Coast stars Ford as an eccentric inventor who sells his home and uproots his children to start a new life living in the Central American jungle.
Ford gives one of his best performances as a man driven by obsession and not letting any obstacle stand in his way. He is joined by Helen Mirren and River Phoenix, who also give terrific performances.
Ender’s Game (2013)
- Available on HBO Max and DIRECTV
Occasionally Harrison Ford will trade in his Han Solo blaster for a serious sci-fi role. In this adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s 1985 novel, the audience finds him training the title character, who is a teen, into an efficient technological operative in humanity’s ongoing struggle with an alien race known as the Formics.
In a step back from his usual leading position, Ford is not the hero of the story. His character is central to the final twist, though, and paints him as a cold, calculating soldier who must win at any cost. His job is to ensure the survival of humanity against the insectoids threatening Earth. With its theme of paranoia, the film channels elements of the Battlestar Galactica franchise.
K-19 The Widowmaker (2002)
- Available to buy on DIRECTV
Harrison Ford makes an honest effort at giving Captain Alexei Vostrikov an authentic Russian accent for this mostly forgotten Kathryn Bigelow outing. The K-19 submarine is the pride of the Soviet naval fleet in 1961. When its nuclear-powered reactor begins to melt down, Vostrikov is faced with a daunting choice: maintain loyalty to the State by completing its spy mission against the West or attempt to surface the ship to save his crew from radiation poisoning.
The film bears a striking resemblance to The Hunt For Red October with similar geopolitical implications. Ford is intense under pressure, delivering a realistic interpretation of a Soviet skipper in conflict with himself and his oath. It is a story of duty to make honorable choices when presented with extraordinary circumstances.
Working Girl (1988)
- Available on Apple TV
Working Girl follows Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith), a lone secretary with a career that is stuck in first gear until she sees an opening in Ford’s Jack Trainer, a Wall Street businessman. In a bid to seize her chance, Tess tries to make a name for herself and ascend to a higher level while taking revenge against her uncaring boss, Katharine Parker (Sigourney Weaver).
Ford seems to have a distinct twinkle in his eyes during his scenes with Tess and is intrigued by her self-confidence. Once in a while, an actor plays a part for pleasure, and it’s evident. Though he has top billing, Ford doesn’t seem to own his scenes. He allows Griffith to shine and backs her up with witty mannerisms full of subtext.
The Call Of The Wild (2020)
- Available on Disney+
An adaptation of Jack London’s novel, 2020’s Call of the Wild finds Ford playing John Thorton who, along with the heroic dog Buck, faces the wilderness of Alaska during a gold rush in the late 19th century. Together, they must battle the elements on a journey through the Yukon territory as part of a dog sled delivery service.
The casting of Ford is unusual at first glance, and there are many elements that overshadow his presence, including the beautiful scenery. And, of course, Buck, the CGI mix of St. Bernard and Scottish Collie, according to USA Today, is distracting when he is on screen, but the movie is watchable because it’s vintage Harrison Ford.
Presumed Innocent (1990)
The Prosecutor becomes the prosecuted when Ford portrays district attorney Rusty Sabitch caught up in a sea of love and murder. When his lover turns up dead, evidence suggests Rusty is to blame and he goes on trial, shocking the legal establishment.
Ford, once again, is convincing in that he might have the motive to kill because of adultery. The suspense is first-rate because all the evidence seems to be stacked against Rusty, who is not a likable character. That is until an eleventh-hour twist puts forth a different theory: is he guilty or just responsible? The film stands apart from other legal thrillers because it puts the aforementioned establishment under a microscope.
Frantic (1988)
The horror of one’s spouse taken while on a business trip in Paris – this is Harrison Ford’s Dr. Richard Walker’s conundrum in this thriller from Roman Polanski. Alone and devoid of French language ability or geographical knowledge, Walker must track down the kidnappers with the help of a local drifter.
The exotic location for the plot adds a little something extra to this redefined abduction story. Typically, Ford plays characters that display an uncanny ability to think on their feet and know how to solve complex problems but in this film, he is completely dependent, attached almost literally at the hip to his co-star, Emmanuelle Seigner.
What Lies Beneath (2000)
Ford isn’t an actor many would expect to see in the genre, but What Lies Beneath is a solid yet overlooked horror movie ghost story. Ford plays a husband who moves into a new home with his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer) only for her to begin feeling haunted by an unseen spirit.
Having these two Hollywood legends leading the movie really elevates it beyond a typical horror offering. It is suspenseful and gripping with a solid twist ending that fans likely won’t see coming.
Witness (1985)
Ford is John Book, a Philadelphia detective investigating the murder of a fellow officer witnessed by a young Amish boy. Book, the boy, and his mother go on the run when a band of corrupt cops gets wind of his investigation. Forced to hide out in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and adapt to Amish customs, Book prepares for the inevitable confrontation.
This Peter Weir-directed examination of life outside mainstream society marked the only Academy Award nomination for Ford thus far. The police procedural is paused halfway through the film to allow for a closer look at Amish culture and customs, with Ford providing many examples of how ‘’them English’’ often misunderstand them. He accurately communicates the struggle an outsider experiences, especially when he can’t control his temper or urge to dance.
Patriot Games (1992)
Though the Jack Ryan movies aren’t as big as Star Wars or Indiana Jones, it marks another successful franchise for Ford. He took over the role of CIA analyst Jack Ryan in Patriot Games, which finds him trying to protect his family after they are targeted by an IRA terrorist.
The movie features some of the best moments in the Jack Ryan franchise, while Ford steps into the role of Ryan very effectively, making him an intellectual and grounded hero. The movie is a fun and smart action thriller that also features early roles for future stars like Samuel L. Jackson and Sean Bean.
42 (2013)
- Available on HBO Max
Harrison Ford had not played a historical figure until this account of how Jackie Robinson broke the race barrier in professional baseball in 1946. He portrays the owner and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickley, determined to defy racial stereotypes of post-World War II America.
Chadwick Boseman steals the thunder of this triumphant story, while Ford leads from the sidelines. The 2010s were an era that saw the famed actor take on more supporting than starring roles. His name adds value, though, and he always grabs attention when he enters a scene. It’s an inspiring period piece in addition to one of the best motivating sports movies.
