ShareThisBy ROBERT DENERSTEIN
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
He's been a global adventurer, an analyst for the CIA, a doctor trying to prove himself innocent of murdering his wife and a very successful investment broker.
He's an actor who, in fact, has enjoyed phenomenal commercial success and who simultaneously has retained an unusually high level of public regard.
Think of Harrison Ford and the words "rock solid" come to mind, even though he has had his forays into offbeat roles. Think of the hard-boiled cop in "Blade Runner" or the attorney who suffers brain damage in "Regarding Henry."
At 64, Ford remains a major star, but on the day I spoke with him he was involved in domestic chores. He'd spent his morning taking Calista Flockhart's 5-year-old son, Liam, to the doctor. Flockhart, who's working on a new TV series, had to be on set at 7 a.m., the boy had strep and Ford wound up at a doctor's office.
It's a bit of domesticity that might surprise those who confuse Ford with the characters he plays, say Indiana Jones, perhaps the greatest action hero in movie history.
If you're expecting elaboration from Ford, you may be disappointed. He's reserved, his speech arrives in measured sentences and he obviously cherishes his privacy.
"What I hate is having to issue the same answer over and over because it happens to be the truth," said Ford. "You've done it so many times that it sounds like a lie to you."
Having a public face is one of the liabilities of being a movie star.
"One of the many," said Ford.
So what are some of the others?
"Well, the other is the risk involved every time you do something. Just because you're spending somebody else's money doesn't mean that you don't feel bad if it doesn't come back.
"There's also the risk you take every time you try to give expression to someone's idea. You know that you will be judged and found wanting by some measure of the intended audience."
If you're a Ford fan, you probably want to know about the Indiana Jones sequel. The Internet Movie Data Base lists Indiana Jones 4 as in pre-production. So a two-fold question: Is it rewarding to have created such a signature character and is No. 4 a go?
"Happily, it's a character that I enjoy," said Ford. "I enjoy working with Steven (Spielberg) and George (Lucas). It's unlike anything else I've done. That makes it a pleasure. There are still issues to be resolved with the movie. But hopefully they will be, and we'll be able to shoot some time next year."
Beyond that, Ford can't say much. He's also working on developing his own projects; about six of them are simmering.
"I have been developing things for myself," he said. "That's something I never did before. Studios were providing a wealth of material, but they no longer develop scripts. The business has changed so much within the last 10 years. I enjoy developing the scripts. I get to work with good writers and producers. And if I don't like it, I don't have to make it."
Maybe Ford the producer has trouble being directed on projects he has developed. Not so, he says.
"I love to be directed. I love to have somebody with a good pair of eyes watching the whole process and attending to things ... There's a point where you have to give up any position of authority and do the acting."
Ford has collaborated with some great directors, so it figures he must have some favorites.
"Yeah," he says, "quite a few actually. Spielberg and Lucas are obvious. Sydney Pollack ("Sabrina" and "Random Hearts"), of course. I've been very lucky to be able to work with so many of these guys, but I think purely on the basis of direction the one person people often don't give as much credit as he deserves is Alan Pakula, who I worked with two times (on "The Devil's Own" and "Presumed Innocent"). I had remarkable experiences both times."
These days, it's very difficult for actors to avoid publicity. If Ford, who divides his time between Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Los Angeles, doesn't like talking about himself, you can imagine how much he likes answering questions about his relationships.
Ford said that attention to his relationship with 41-year-old Flockhart _ intense in the beginning _ has died down. He said he's able to live normally.
"I find it quite easy to live a normal life here (in Los Angeles). I don't go out a lot, but it's not because I'm concerned about being chased by paparazzi. It's a personal inclination."
When he isn't working, Ford devotes a lot of time to environmental causes. For 15 years, he's supported an organization called Conservation International. He loved Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth."
"It's brilliant, I think. And the science is sound. The intention is also pure and honorable, but it (global warming) is only one of the many issues that must be addressed. We don't need to put all our eggs in one basket. There's a lot to be done."
