Harrison Ford turns 80, with intact mileage

In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), when we still did not know that the archaeologist with the hat and the whip was called Henry, and that Indiana was the name of his dog, our hero coined one of his most beautiful phrases: “They are not the years, they are the mileage, “I said to Marion, the girl in the film, to explain the reason for so many bruises together. Today Harrison Ford turns 80.

And it has the mileage intact.

As much as he injured his shoulder in a (fake) fight scene in Indiana’s fifth scene, brand new in 2023. Or like in 2015, when he was injured when he crashed, piloting his WWII plane. , on a golf course in Los Angeles. He was hospitalized with a pelvic and ankle fracture.

It does not matter. It is still intact.

Born on July 13, 1942 in Chicago, her mother was a radio actress. Not exactly a good student, she starred and signed a deal first in Hollywood with Columbia and then with Universal. she starred in the series iron side (1967), among others, but became discouraged and devoted himself to carpentry.

But it was george luca to whoever called him American graffiti (1973), later it would have a small role in The conversation (1974), by Francis Ford Coppola, and his leap into the stratosphere with Han Solo, also directed by George Lucas, in Star Wars (1977). Coppola called him back Apocalypse now (1979) and played Colonel Lucas.

Ford owes a lot, therefore, to George Lucas. It was he who suggested to his friend Steven Spielberg who thought the 1.85 meter tall actor was Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark.

We said it before. Indiana Jones will be wrinkled, but not worn out; aged, but with its youthful spirit intact. At the beginning of his films Indy always appeared from behind, in the shadows or from the side.

And even Harrison appears ET the alien. One day of filming he came to the set to greet his then-girlfriend, and later second wife, screenwriter Melissa Mathison. And Spielberg asked him to do a cameo.

If you pay attention next time you see etWhen members of the government break into Elliott’s house, Harrison is the guy who monitors the recordings (but is hardly recognized).

Other successes? It was Deckard, the replicant hunter Blade Runner (1982), John Book in the Oscar nominee witness in danger (1985), his only Oscar nomination for lead actor, which he lost to the recently deceased William Hurt for The kiss of the spider women.

It would follow the coast of mosquitoes, frantic search, Executive Secretary. He was the first Jack Ryan to enter patriot game (1992) and Dr. Richard Kimble in The fugitive (1993). And he was president of the United States in Air Force One (1997).

Back to being Han Solo

I had a first meeting with Harrison Ford, in New York, in March 1997. He introduced intimate enemy, the film in which filming he had fought – some have even said to punch – with his co-star, Brad Pitt. At that time, the topic was the 20th anniversary of the premiere of Star Warsand also the rumors / news that George Lucas would be back to shoot another trilogy (the episodes 1, II Y III).

When I asked Ford about his thoughts on the revival of the series, his response, fans of Star Wars, has disjoined us. “I don’t want to know anything about Star Wars“He said, with a face of few friends and less willing to continue the conversation on that side.

More than 18 years would pass, and Harrison Ford was starring as a co-star Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, which ushered in a new galactic trilogy. Ford sat in the Los Angeles Convention Center, smiling.

And he had enough reason to smile. To put on Han Solo’s jacket again and fly the Millennium Falcon spaceship, Ford was paid $ 25 million, plus 0.5% of the film’s gross profits, about $ 9.5 million more. And you have to add the nearly $ 1.5 million he had already received in compensation when the ship’s plumbing door fell on his leg, and he was injured, at Pinewood Studios in the middle of filming.

At the press conference, Ford’s first question was “Isn’t he rich already? Why are you making this movie? The tone was supposed to be laughter, and the then 73-year-old actor’s response was, “It’s because doing this is what I like. That’s what amuses me. “

And that’s what Harrison Ford does today. Married three times, divorced twice, he has five children. Next year we will see him in the fifth of Indiana Jones, no longer directed by Spielberg as in the other four, with his scar on the pear.

And as we continue to wonder if the end of Indiana Jones and the last crusadewhen he drinks from the Holy Grail becoming immortal, and marches, on horseback, towards the horizon, perhaps not the best ending for Indy, Harrison Ford celebrates today by blowing out 80 candles.