When I first read the title of this article from Fox New Pop Tarts – “Harrison Ford Opens Up About the Decline of Good Hollywood Roles” – my immediate thought was “Harrison Ford pulls a Jessica Biel, whines about there being ‘no material’.” So imagine my surprise and delight when Pop Tarts even puts a f-cking Biel quote in the article! This seriously made my day. So, anyway, Harrison is bitching about what Hollywood was like back in the good ol’ days when “the studios spent a lot of money on the development of stories and ideas and bought books and they really developed the scripts. That doesn’t happen anymore.” While I will agree that overall, the story-telling aspect of Hollywood films has declined over the years, I do think there is a more particular reason in Harrison Ford’s case.
Veteran actor Harrison Ford has only made a handful of movies over the last few years, and it’s not because he no longer loves acting – it’s just that according to him – Hollywood isn’t producing any quality material.
“I grew up in a system where the studios spent a lot of money on the development of stories and ideas and bought books and they really developed the scripts. That doesn’t happen anymore,” Ford told Tarts. “Now, if you want good material you have to develop it for yourself or have a hand in the process. I have been determined to do that over the past few years.”
Ford took matters into his own hands by signing on as executive producer for the new fact-based drama “Extraordinary Measures,” where he plays an unconventional scientist that sets out to develop a cure for Pompe disease alongside John and Aileen Crowley (Brendan Fraser and Keri Russell), whose young children are inflicted with the rare degenerative disorder.
“I was looking to develop material for myself,” Ford added. “I saw an opportunity to tell a very positive human story and the opportunity to craft for myself a part different to what I’ve normally done and a different genre.”
However the 67-year-old “Indiana Jones” star certainly isn’t the first to be dismayed by the caliber of Hollywood roles these days. In fact, it seems to be quite a hot topic, among both male and female actors.
“Where are the roles for the female experience from that (strong, admirable) point of view for the young college girls, mothers and grandmothers? A lot of actresses I speak to find the same thing,” actress Jessica Biel recently told us. “We’re all scrambling for it when something good comes out that actually has a good female character.”
[From Fox News Pop Tarts]
Now, I love Harrison. He’s made so many good movies, he’s a friggin’ icon, I still have sexual fantasies about his character Jack in Working Girl, and, you know, bless his heart. But he’s old. And I’m not saying old people can’t make movies or that old people can’t make good movies (I’m seriously not saying that), but that Harrison seems to think he should still be making the same kind of films he was making 25 years ago, and no one wants to see him in those roles anymore. Could it be, much like in Biel’s case, Harrison simply isn’t getting the great scripts because those films are going to other (better/younger) actors? With Biel, she lusts after the parts going to Natalie Portman or Anne Hathaway or Scarlett Johansson. With Harrison, I get the feeling he’s lusting after parts going to people like George Clooney or Matt Damon. Why couldn’t Harrison reinvent himself into some Tom Wilkinson-type actor? You know, a stellar character actor and sometime leading man. Because I do miss seeing Harrison. I especially miss him acting in good movies that I want to see.
Oh, and take out the earring. I know he’s had it for a decade or whatever and I should be over it, but the thing still makes me chuckle sadly.
Harrison and girlfriend Calista Flockhart at the ‘Extreme Measures’ premiere in LA on January 19, 2010. Credit: Apega/WENN.com.
“Grandpa’s still in play” is what the earring says to me.
“Why couldn’t Harrison reinvent himself into some Tom Wilkinson-type actor? You know, a stellar character actor and sometime leading man.”
Because – I hate to say it – he’s Harrison Ford. Don’t get me wrong, I love Harrison Ford and he’s a very good actor, but he’s too famous and not quite talented enough to do it, to change, to become that acting chameleon, to sink into a role and make you forget who he is the way someone like (for instance) Gary Oldman can. (Although God knows Oldman’s been wasting his talents for a decade or more.)
Indie thriller might do the trick – one of those movies where a Big Star Actor plays it bald, bespectacled, creepy and ugly, gets raves, and nobody wants to see it. Would Ford take a role like Kevin Bacon took on in The Woodsman? I’d love to see him try it.
Other than that, there’s something silly and disingenuous about Harrison Ford, of all people, making THIS complaint. Where did all the well-written dramas go? Um, George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg came and squashed them flat, Harrison. You remember, you were there.
The earring is the worst! This is probably just me having my own set of issues but as soon as he left his wife I stopped wanting to watch his movies. I don’t think he looks good anymore, he reminds me of Tootsie. I agree that he could be a character actor if he could get past his ego.
Is that a little bit of crazy in his eyes in the last picture?
I read this as a discussion of how Hollywood has changed and how he is choosing to change with it in hopes of continuing is career. Not hearing the whining myself.
I believe that IS a little bit of crazy-eye!!
Does anyone else think Calista’s head looks big on her tiny little body in the header pic?
@Risa Not only does her head look a little big, it makes me think “Precious!” A La Gollum!
If you can’t see the decline of the quality of films over the years, I don’t think anyone could explain it to you. I totally understand where he’s coming from, most movies these days are crap. And I didn’t notice any whining, he’s telling it like it is.
we all think as we get a bit older that we are still 25 yrs old
“Craft a part” my beehonkus. I just re-watched him in Sabrina and it was AWFUL. Just a lot of nose-breathing and making you hate him – even at the end. I can’t remember why I used to think he was hot. But at that age I was also attracted to Johnny 5, so it’s not like I had taste… actually I think I’d be more into Johnny 5 now.
I get where he’s coming from, the quality isn’t there. Studios are only interested in investing in crap like Transformers because they know it will make money.
He is getting up there in years too though, so it’s also understandable that the roles he’s used to aren’t available to him anymore.
At least he admits that if you don’t like what’s out there, produce stuff yourself. That’s the way to do it. Or you can just whine like Jessica.
I’m sorry but he’s right. He’s an amazing actor and its a shame that he is not being utilized by hollywood. I’d rather an actor be honest and truthful than to take any piece of crap movie he can get for $$ like Jennifer Aniston or those horrid ocean 11 movies.
He is becoming an embittered old man, he reminds me of Grandpa Simpson.
It’s not like he is well known for playing Shakespeare’s plays!
But I still love the man so, it’s all good… 😉
But he is “You know, a stellar character actor and sometime leading man.” Without the earring. I have always loved him, I respect his viewpoint and wish him success – Redford stopped getting roles and so he started writing them and ended up creating a whole institution; I’m just not sure Harrison has taken enough steps to get to that point.
I always did like Harrison Ford. Why doesn’t he go the Clint Eastwood route? Clint is still plowing away at Hollywood and getting good parts and Oscar noms…..
Interesting comment on Tom Wilkinson, neither he nor Jim Broadbent became particularly famous until they were older. But they started off as character actors, which Harry didn’t, so I think there’s a lot of sense in what Lenore says.
But yeah, start funding a production company or get on with doing indie roles if popcorn-flicks annoy you so much!
There’s a huge difference between ford and biel…as in ford has earned good material.
I agree, he is becoming a bitter old guy. Did you see him announcing at the Golden Globes? He seemed drunk and bored. That isn’t anybody’s fault but his own!
I don’t care how many movies he does, he’s still going to be Indiana Jones or Han Solo to me (and I think a lot of people). He does the same schtick in every other movie – he has the funny charming face or he’s making his angry, yelling face. I never thought he had much range. I think his new movie looks like crap based on the trailers.
Calista’s always had that bobblehead going, but I think she looks good compared to her emaciated Ally McBeal days.
@ Belle – yeah, I thought his presenting at the GG was disturbing. He acted like he didn’t care, almost angry. And it looked like he’s dying his grey hair blond, and it looked fake and sad.
@Lenore “Where did all the well-written dramas go? Um, George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg came and squashed them flat, Harrison. You remember, you were there.” LOL, so true. “Jaws” was the first epic summer blockbuster with a schlock theme, though it was masterfully executed (despite its hellish shooting problems) and its appeal actually lies in the camaraderie between the three men on the boat as they face the peril. The action movies descended from “Jaws” are mostly just schlock without affecting characters or an engaging/surprising plot.
@Dorothy: Ever since he divorced his second wife, the life seems to have been sucked out of him. Even his face looks flappy and deflated. He often sounded very money-concerned in interviews, talking lovingly of his investments and so forth, so maybe it was the heartbreak of losing millions to Melissa Mathison. Or maybe he relied on her more than he realized for emotional support that allowed him to thrive as an actor.
Years ago, I used to have a Harrison Ford scrapbook (there’s an indication of my level of fandom), but he hasn’t done a good movie since “Regarding Henry”, basically. At some point, some actors just plateau and disappear into their actor personas, and become incapable of being vulnerable and acting individual parts with commitment anymore. I would include in this category: Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford and George Clooney. In every part now, there’s this snark from them, like they’re winking at the audience. It’s distracting. They become sort of like Barbie, you know, they may be in a different outfit/part, but they’re still recognizably themselves just tarted up as something else: Julia Roberts Teacher, Harrison Ford Doctor, etc.
Fact is, Ford’s not a good enough actor for dramatic roles anymore, and the more action-y stuff goes to younger dudes. That Brendan Fraser-Ford movie looks terrible, and based on the trailers, it’s a Ford-is-God! setup with Ford giving his now familiar audience-winky performance. Sad.
@Kaiser: My enduring Harrison Ford vision is from “Raiders of the Lost Ark”… it’ll make me swoon forever!
I agree with the overall message, but frankly, if he feels this way he has a lot of options for developing better material.
I used to have a huge crush, but everytime I see that earring I just think about him cheating on his wife and divorcing her for Calista. Such poor taste…
“At some point, some actors just plateau and disappear into their actor personas, and become incapable of being vulnerable and acting individual parts with commitment anymore. I would include in this category: Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford and George Clooney. In every part now, there’s this snark from them, like they’re winking at the audience. It’s distracting. They become sort of like Barbie, you know, they may be in a different outfit/part, but they’re still recognizably themselves just tarted up as something else”
that was SO well stated – I agree completely but don’t think I could have said it so well. Especially well-stated was the “winking at the audience” part.
I am on Team Harrison for this one, as long as we don’t have to sport a single earring…My dad wears one like HF too, sigh. They think its cool.
I disagree on his talent, I think he could make Pitt and Clooney look like Heidi Montag’s left nipple on screen.
I do not want to see the new movie, but I wonder if that is because the marketing for it has been so bleh, and the movie is actually good….
Maybe he should try enunciating. Seriously, one of my friends said a few years ago, after one of his mumbling, inaudible Oscar appearances, “I wish they’d just say he’d had a stroke. Then I’d be all ‘Oh, he’s so brave.’ But I’m pretty sure it’s just way too much pot.”
@Risa, Calista has always been a Lollipop Head.
BTW, “Extraordinary Measures” looks horrible. I think the studio must not know what to do with it, based on the shift in tone between the first and second ads I’ve seen.
Harrison Ford has a valid point.
Many studio executives are under a great deal of pressure to operate as profitably as possible which limits their creativity to a great degree. Films that cater to teenagers and children have a tremendous potential to increase profits due to the additional revenues that can be derived from product merchandising. Star Wars and Indiana Jones were two very profitable movie franchises that Harrison starred in.
Stars like Harrison Ford have made quite a bit of money over the years and perhaps he should pool some of his resources together with other actors and film makers who share his insights. They could concentrate on much smaller, more dramatically interesting material and fore go the large, upfront salaries and perks they demand from the major studios for a larger share of the profits. It would certainly be gamble and perhaps one well worth taking.
I understand his point. There is a lot of crap out there. OTOH, it took him a long time to make it under the system he describes. It is well known that he worked as a carpenter for years after he had more-or-less given up on Hollywood. He may need to get into the producing/directing business or make some new friends.
People who say films are getting worse and that there’s a lot of crap out there are just overly nostalgic and forget to remember that there was a lot of crap in the past.
For every classic of the past there were 10 horrible forgettable films.
There are easily 20 really good memorable films some of which will go on to be classics put out each year. Which is at least as good as it’s ever been.
The problem is that many crap films are being rewarded with success while many good films are under appreciated.
It’s the same in music. There is brilliant music out there as good as ever but (even moreso than film) the junk food of music is being rewarded and marketed beyond it’s own worth.
It’s easy to blame some film studio that a subsidiary of an ‘evil corporation’, but the problem isn’t hollywood it’s us as the consumer who are driving these practices.
I’m often guilty of seeing a film I know is bad just because, and meanwhile missing a film I know will be excellent.
@ Ben…co-sign.
Why is it always the marginally talented who complain about the the dearth of quality material? You never hear of Ian McKellan making comments like these. Granted, Harrison Ford made it a long way on chisled looks and a specific set of idiosyncrasis that translated well to the the big screen, but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that he is thespian of the century. Medocrity is really the only thing you need to make it Hollywood, and he accomplished that. In line with what Ben said, the roles are out there! They are just not being given the proper support. Ford’s problem is compounded by the mad dash to hire people Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Derek Jacobi, Peter O’Toole, Alan Rickman, Jeremy Irons, Daniel Day-Lewis…our prodigiously skilled bretheren across the pond as they don’t infect the roles with fading celebrity.
It seems that these projects that he’s developing are still of the Hollywood variety, and well that’s part of the problem. If he were willing to step out the limelight and spend time and energy working on more modest ventures then maybe he could achieve the quality that he craves.
Actually, “Jaws” was a treatment of a bestseller by Peter Benchley (later followed by ‘The Deep’ and ‘The Island’, both made into movies), it was not the ‘first of the action movies’. I believe that honor goes either to ‘Airport’ (a treatment of a book by Arthur Hailey) ‘Earthquake’, ‘The Poseidon Adventure’ or, lest we forget Paul Newman and Steve McQueen together in ‘The Towering Inferno’.
Actually, HF could take some tips from Gene Hackman’s career. Man won a best actor Oscar for ‘The French Connection’ , a best supporting actor Oscar for ‘Unforgiven’ and worked continuously whether as second lead or character roles and seems to have even more fun doing it.
If you want to see an enduring HF moment, watch ‘American Graffiti’. It is interesting to note that he’s only 7 years older than T-Bone Streep and she is at the apex of her career. Maybe’s he just mad he’s never been given a chance to work with her but something tells me he’s too egotistical to share the spotlight with someone of her caliber.
whine whine whine, it hasnt occured to him how lucky he’s been-yes there’s ageism in hollywood, but its moreso geared towards women then men. also how many people of colour have harder times finding work in hollywood.
he still has more opportunities as the amount of times i’ve seen really old men paired up with 20 somthing women is just wierd. plus i guess i just have a grudge against him as hes a big roman polanski supporter. i guess i am hoping this is karma.
To start, I love your commentary, and I usually agree with your interpretations of events, quotes, pictures, etc. But the particular quotes you’ve been pulling from Biel and from Ford don’t sound that whiny to me. They sound like legitimate complaints, especially in Biel’s case. Ford has the gravitas to make something change, but Biel is too young — and too, you know, FEMALE — to have this kind of power. Biel should really make better friends with Sandra Bullock in the short run…but as for the long run…? Yeah, it doesn’t look like female roles are getting any more substantial. I wish you would discriminate between, say, Biel’s comments about how beautiful she is versus Biel’s comments about the lack of quality female parts in movies.