Think of the best-loved actors on the planet, and more specifically those who have embodied pop culture icons on more than one occasion, and it won’t be long before your mind rests on Harrison Ford. The US actor is one of the most popular stars in Hollywood and thanks to some key roles he is certainly one of the most recognisable.
Ford began his film career in 1966, via an uncredited role in the long forgotten movie Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round, but since this time has gone on to appear in a succession of huge pictures. This has allowed him to portray an array of characters, ranging from a space smuggler and an archaeologist-adventurer, to a vascular surgeon and the President of the United States, and he’s built up a strong collection of fans in the process.
And of course, if you consider yourself a fan of Harrison Ford, then you’ll be more than familiar with his best work. But if you’re fairly new to the actor, or you’ve simply forgotten what he has to offer, then you may be missing out on some top-notch entertainment.
Well, don’t worry, set out below is a run-through of Harrison Ford’s best movies, covering all his iconic pictures and more. If for any reason you’re unsure of what to watch next, these are the Ford films you need to check out.
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Witness (1985)
First up is the neo-noir crime thriller, Witness. The movie – directed by Peter Weir – sees Harrison Ford take on the role of Detective Sergeant John Book – a police officer who goes undercover to protect an Amish woman and her son, after the latter witnesses a brutal murder.
Released to a strong critical and commercial reception, Witness was a significant hit when it debuted in 1985. The movie went on to be nominated for eight Academy Awards, of which it won two for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing.
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Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
Up next is arguably one of the most famous movies of all-time. The film, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, sees Harrison Ford take on the role of loveable space smuggler, Han Solo, in a galaxy-spanning sci-fi fantasy about a captured princess and a deadly space station.
Written and directed by George Lucas, Star Wars was a huge hit upon release in 1977 and remains extremely popular to this day. The film provided Ford with one of his signature roles, and put his career into hyper-drive.
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Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Although Star Wars is a key movie for Harrison Ford’s career, and easily one of his best-loved pictures, no list of must-see Harrison Ford movies would be anything without The Empire Strikes Back. This 1980 follow-up from director Irvin Kershner, is often regarded as the best Star Wars movie in the series, and Ford plays a huge part in this.
Reprising the role of Han Solo, Ford demonstrates a greater confidence this second time around, and brings plenty of swagger to the screen. While Star Wars may have introduced Han Solo, it is The Empire Strikes Back which gives him some of his best material, and allows Harrison Ford to highlight his acting talents.
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What Lies Beneath (2000)
Over to supernatural territory for this next entry – the 2000 mystery-horror movie, What Lies Beneath. The film – directed by Robert Zemeckis – sees Harrison Ford act opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in an intriguing picture about a married couple and a sinister situation unfolding with their new neighbours.
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Sabrina (1995)
Directed by Sydney Pollack, Sabrina is a romantic comedy-drama about a woman who is in love with a playboy, but falls for his older brother instead. Julia Ormond plays the titular Sabrina, while Greg Kinnear plays the playboy and Ford takes on the role of brother, Linus, in this likeable rom-com which is a remake of Billy Wilder’s 1954 film of the same name.
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Blade Runner (1982)
Directed by Ridley Scott and based on Philip K. Dick’s book, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner is a science-fiction movie set in a dystopian future. The film follows the story of former cop, Rick Deckard, who is tasked with tracking down a fugitive group of synthetic humans known as replicants.
Ford takes on the role of Deckard for the movie, in what is one of the most popular cult films of the 1980s. Although the movie struggled at the box-office during its initial release back in 1982, it soon found a second wind and is today regarded as one of the most influential sci-fi pictures of all-time.
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Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Sticking with the Blade Runner movie series for this next entry, brings this list onto the belated sequel Blade Runner 2049. Ford reprises the role of Deckard for this sci-fi follow-up, playing opposite lead star Ryan Gosling.
Gosling takes on the role of a new ‘blade runner’, crossing paths with Deckard in the process. Meanwhile, Denis Villeneuve hops into the director’s chair for this breathtakingly beautiful movie, which expands upon the Blade Runner premise.
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Presumed Innocent (1990)
Up next is the legal thriller, Presumed Innocent. In this picture, Ford takes on the role of legal prosecutor Rusty Sabich – a man who is charged with the murder of his colleague and mistress, Carolyn Polhemus.
Directed by Alan J. Pakula, Presumed Innocent features a cast which includes Brian Dennehy, Bonnie Bedelia, and Raul Julia. The movie was a critical hit upon release and one of the highest grossing films of 1990.
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Clear and Present Danger (1994)
Directed by Philip Noyce, Clear and Present Danger is an action-thriller based on the Tom Clancy book of the same name. The movie is the third entry in the Jack Ryan movie series, following on from The Hunt for Red October (1990) and Patriot Games (1992), and is the second film to feature Ford as Ryan.
In the movie, Jack Ryan discovers his colleagues are conducting a covert war against a drug cartel. As CIA Acting Deputy Director, it’s not long before Ryan gets pulled in, in this blockbuster thriller.
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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
As noted above, Star Wars provided Ford with one of his signature roles in the shape of Han Solo, but for those keeping track, his other signature role came in 1981 via the action-adventure movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, and set a few years before the events of World War II, Raiders focused on globe-trotting archaeologist, Indiana Jones, and his quest to recover the long-lost Ark of the Covenant. The Ark is said to be the source of great power, and Indy’s goal is to find the artefact before it falls into the hands of the Nazis.
Released to rave reviews and a very healthy box-office, Raiders of the Lost Ark was the highest grossing movie of 1981 and the first entry in the Indiana Jones movie series. Speaking of which…
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Set a couple of years after the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is the third entry in the Indy series and sees the titular adventurer on the hunt for the Holy Grail. Once again, the Nazis are keen to get their hands on the priceless artefact, leading Indy on a race against time.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a marvellous picture filled with action, adventure, and plenty of humour. For this entry, Ford is teamed up with the late actor, Sean Connery, who takes on the role of Indy’s father, Henry Jones Sr.
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Air Force One (1997)
Wolfgang Petersen directs Ford in this next movie – the political action-thriller, Air Force One. The film sees Ford take on the role of US President James Marshall, who finds himself in a deadly situation when terrorists hijack Air Force One mid-flight.
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The Call of the Wild (2020)
Based on Jack London’s 1903 novel of the same name, and directed by Chris Sanders, The Call of the Wild is a 2020 adventure movie which sees Ford take on the role of experienced frontiersman, John Thornton. The film details the friendship developed between Thornton and a Saint Bernard/Scotch Shepherd, with Ford putting in a superb performance.
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Frantic (1988)
Almost at the end of the list, but there’s still time for two more movies, beginning with the US-French neo-noir thriller, Frantic. Roman Polanski directs Ford in this picture, with the actor taking on the role of surgeon, Dr. Richard Walker.
In the movie, Walker is in Paris wife his wife Sondra to attend a medical conference. But when Sondra suddenly goes missing from their hotel, he sets out on a desperate search to find her.
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The Fugitive (1993)
And finally, no list of Harrison Ford movies would be complete without the 1993 action-thriller, The Fugitive. The movie – from director Andrew Davis – follows the story of vascular surgeon, Dr. Richard Kimble who is wrongly accused and convicted of the murder of his wife.
Based on the 1960s television show of the same name, this big-budget picture sees Ford take on the role of Kimble as he escapes custody and attempts to prove his innocence. According to Kimble, the real killer was a one-armed man, and he wont rest until he is vindicated and his wife’s killer pays for his crime.
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Recap
So, those are the fifteen best Harrison Ford movies. Now, to save you from having to scroll back up, here are the titles of all the movies in one handy list!
- Witness (1985)
- Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
- Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- What Lies Beneath (2000)
- Sabrina (1995)
- Blade Runner (1982)
- Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
- Presumed Innocent (1990)
- Clear and Present Danger (1994)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- Air Force One (1997)
- The Call of the Wild (2020)
- Frantic (1988)
- The Fugitive (1993)
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Thank you for taking the time to read this post about Harrison Ford movies on It’s A Stampede! – I hope it has proved useful. For more useful posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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