As one of the most beloved actors of all time, we take a look at Harrison Ford’s most iconic movie moments.
Harrison Ford remains one of the most prolific actors in Hollywood. He has played two of the most iconic fantasy heroes in movie history and has had a storied career any actor would be proud of. He continues to act to this day and recently signed on to arguably the greatest movie franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as he replaces the late great John Hurt as General Thunderbolt Ross in the upcoming Lightning strikes movie. With big moments definitely ahead of him in the MCU, and maybe even an appearance as the highly anticipated Red Hulk. We thought it only fitting to take a trip down memory lane and rank Harrison Ford’s eight most essential movie moments.
8 Amish knocked down – witness
Despite a stellar career spanning over fifty years, Harrison Ford has only been nominated for an Academy Award once, for his role as a police detective turning in Amish. Witness. At one point as a witness, Ford’s character sees John Book get into a fight with local townspeople when they speak disrespectfully to their Amish neighbors. This leads to a bloody fight between Book and the other men. A standout scene in the film is an essential film moment of Harrison Ford.
7 Poisoned – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Who could forget the opening scene of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Indy in his white tuxedo; Harrison Ford’s charm and charisma erupt as he hangs out with Chinese mobsters in a lavish nightclub. What follows is a quintessential Harrison Ford moment as Indiana Jones as he engages in a frenzied fight to retrieve an antidote after just being poisoned. It’s as memorable a scene as in the Indiana Jones franchise.
6 Might as well… Jump! – The refugee
Somewhat based on a true storythis classic from 1993, The refugeetells the story of Dr. Richard Kimble while on the run from US Marshals following his wife’s murder and his apparent connection to it. Kimble maintains his innocence throughout the film and sets out to find the real killer, a one-armed man. A standout moment of the film comes when Kimble is chased through the sewers until he gets stuck in a dead end as the corridor opens into a massive dam. Faced with the prospect of turning or jumping himself into the US Marshal, he makes the drastic decision to plunge into the water below. An unforgettable moment in film and in Harrison Ford’s career.
5 “Chewie, we’re home.” -Star Wars: The Force Awakens
November 29, 2014 is a day every Star Wars fan will remember for the rest of their lives. This was the release date for the first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a movie that marks the return of some of the most classic characters in movie history. The visually stunning trailer was tagged with a scene of Han Solo and Chewbacca re-entering the Millennium Falcon and Harrison Ford as Han Solo uttering the chilling words, “Chewie, we’re home.”
4 If you gotta go, you gotta go – Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
The world at large can agree that the disease known as dysentery is not funny at all. However, this gastrointestinal infection helped create one of Harrison Ford’s most memorable movie moments and one of the most iconic action movie moments of all time. A scene in it Raiders of the Lost Ark originally called for Indiana Jones to have a lengthy fight scene with the swordsman, but since Ford was ill during the filming of this scene, director Steven Spielberg suggested just shooting the man. This is how history was made and the film was in better shape.
3 She loves him and he knows it – The Empire Strikes Back
Considered by many to be the best Star Wars movie ever made, The Empire strikes back has several memorable scenes over its two hour and five minute runtime. One such moment can also be added to the most memorable moments of Harrison Ford’s career. Just before Han Solo is frozen in carbonite and shipped to the mobster Jabba the Hut, Princess Leia professes her love for him with a sweet and subtle “I love you.” Solo is the carefree, cool and collected scruffy-looking nerf herder and simply replies… “I know.”
2 Not on his plane – Air Force One
Harrison Ford characters have a penchant for kicking and or throwing people out of planes. Perhaps the most iconic moment, however, comes when fictional president James Marshall enters Air Force One. When the world’s safest plane is taken over by hijackers, Marshall must fend them off himself. In a final confrontation with the main hijacker, played by Gary Oldman, President Marshall speaks one of the coldest lines in movie history before kicking the terrorist off the plane and leading him to his doom.
1 Han shot first – Star Wars
The first time we ever see Han Solo, he’s sitting relaxed in a corner booth of the Cantina in the spaceport city of Mos Eisley, talking to a green bug-eyed alien, who we learn is named Greedo, an associate of the mobster Jabba. the hut. After a conversation about Han’s debt to Jabba and Han’s failed attempt to force his way out of the conversation, Han makes the decision to shoot Greedo before he can shoot him. If Greedo’s head hits the table, we’ll know who we’re dealing with. This essential film moment from Harrison Ford sets the tone for the absolutely iconic and important character Han Solo would become later.