From the roguish charm of Han Solo in the Star Wars saga to the swashbuckling adventures of Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford has built a repertoire that is vast, varied and iconic. Across six decades, his charismatic screen presence and outstanding acting have cemented his place as a Hollywood legend. With his latest appearance as Thaddeus Ross or the Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World, it’s the perfect time to revisit some of the best Harrison Ford movies and TV shows.
Directed by Julius Onah, it was released on 14 February. Based on the Marvel Comics character, the film shows Sam Wilson (played by Anthony Mackie) amid an international crisis after meeting President Thaddeus Ross. Sam must go behind this nefarious global plot before the true masterminds unleash terror.
Harrison Ford’s acting career highlights
Shortly after college, Ford serendipitously found himself in Hollywood while pursuing carpentry. In 1973, director George Lucas cast him in a minor role in American Graffiti (1973), and since then, there has been no looking back. He collaborated with Francis Ford Coppola on The Conversation (1974) the following year. Ford achieved his breakthrough role as Han Solo in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), which propelled him to international fame. He reprised the role throughout the original Star Wars trilogy and returned in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015).
After his roaring success in 1977, Harrison Ford reached new heights when he collaborated with Steven Spielberg on the Indiana Jones franchise in Raiders of The Lost Ark (1981). The film’s global box office triumph cemented his position as a leading frontman in the action genre.
Over the following decade, Harrison Ford made return appearances in both franchises with successful titles — Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
Of course, there was the classic sci-fi film Blade Runner (1982), directed by Ridley Scott, and Frantic (1988) by Roman Polanski, where he plays Dr Richard Walker, who gets trapped in global espionage.
In the late 1980s and ‘90s, Harrison Ford transitioned into more dramatic roles without abandoning his action roots. He portrayed characters in films like Witness (1985), The Mosquito Coast (1986), and Regarding Henry (1991), in which he played young lawyer Henry Turner, who struggled to regain his memory. He also played CIA agent Jack Ryan in Patriot Games (1992). Then there are other highly rated titles like The Fugitive (1993), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), and 42 (2013).
Speaking of the best Harrison Ford movies and TV shows, his deserving television credits include The F.B.I, Gunsmoke, Shrinking and 1923.
Here are some of the highest-rated Harrison Ford movies and TV shows that prove his acting prowess
Note: The movies and TV shows have been ranked according to their IMDb ratings, from lowest to highest.
1 /16
Directed by: Lee Toland Krieger
Cast: Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Kathy Baker
IMDb rating: 7.2
Synopsis: Adaline Bowman (Lively) has miraculously remained 29 after an accident that ceased her ageing. She has spent nearly eight decades in solitude, never allowing anyone to come near her who might reveal her secret. But meeting the charismatic philanthropist Ellis Jones (Huisman) reignites romance and passion in her. When a weekend with his parents, William Jones (Ford) and Kathy Jones (Baker), threatens to uncover the truth, Adaline takes a drastic step.
2 /16
Directed by: George Lucas
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Cindy Williams
IMDb rating: 7.4
Synopsis: Recent high school graduates Curt Henderson (Dreyfuss) and Steve Bolander (Howard) must leave their Northern California town for a better future, yet they have contrasting thoughts and ideas. Adventure unfolds when a bunch of their friends cruise around the town on their graduation night, causing mayhem.
Harrison Ford’s role: Harrison Ford plays skilled drag racer Bob Falfa, who is determined to dethrone John Milner (Le Matt) as the racing champion. On the night of the challenge, he has a heated argument with Steve and picks up his girlfriend and Curt’s sister, Laurie Henderson (Willaims).
Awards won: Nominated for five Oscars in 1974 and one BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress to Cindy Williams in 1975. At the 1974 Golen Globes, it won Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and Paul Le Matt won Most Promising Newcomer – Male.
Image credit: American Graffiti/ IMDb
3 /16
Directed by: Peter Weir
Cast: Kelly McGillis, Lukas Haas, Josef Sommer
IMDb rating: 7.4
Synopsis: An 8-year-old Amish boy witnesses a brutal murder at a train station and becomes the sole witness to the incident. Police Detective John Book (Ford) is assigned to investigate the case. To protect the child and his mother, John is compelled to live in the Amish community and adopt their ways of life while his own life is on the line.
About the film: Witness is the only Oscar nomination for Harrison Ford to date.
Awards won: Won two of eight Oscar nominations in 1986 and the Best Score at the 1986 BAFTA Awards.
Image credit: Witness/ IMDb
4 /16
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Amrish Puri, Roshan Seth
IMDb rating: 7.5
Synopsis: Indiana Jones (Ford) teams up with a nightclub singer named Wilhelmina “Willie” Scott (Capshaw) and a young Chinese boy called Short Hound (Quan) as they land in a remote Indian village. Here, people believe evil spirits have taken their children away after a sacred precious stone was stolen. They also learn about the terrifying mystery surrounding the so-called Temple of Doom. Now, Indiana Jones must give all he has to rescue the children and conquer the Temple of Doom to restore peace.
Awards won: Won the 1985 Oscar and BAFTA for Best Effects, Visual Effects.
5 /16
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield
IMDb rating: 7.7
Synopsis: Harry Caul (Hackman) is a San Francisco-based electronic surveillance expert who goes to extreme lengths to not let anyone close to him, not even his business associate Stan (Cazale). Their recent task involves recording the private conversations of a young couple meeting in the crowded and noisy Union Square and providing it to his client, referred to as “the director”. But when Harry realises these clippings could jeopardise the couple’s lives, he must decide whether to remain detached or intervene to save them.
Harrison Ford’s role: The American actor plays Martin Stett, the director’s assistant who mediates between his boss and Harry.
Awards won: Nominated for three Oscars in 1975. Won Palme d’Or in and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury – Special Mention at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival. The film also bagged two BAFTA Awards.
6 /16
Directed by: Andrew Davis
Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward, Julianne Moore
IMDb rating: 7.8
Synopsis: Well-respected Chicago surgeon Dr Richard Kimble (Ford) finds his wife Helen (Ward) is brutally murdered in their home. Richard is wrongly accused and tried for the murder, resulting in a death sentence. However, when the vehicle he was in crashes on the way to the prison, Richard escapes and is now on the run. He must race against time to find the real killer before Deputy Samuel Gerard (Jones) gets him.
Awards won: Jones won Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the 1994 Academy Awards, and the film received seven nominations. Jones won the Golden Globe in the same category as well.
Image credit: The Fugitive/ IMDb
7 /16
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew,
IMDb rating: 7.8
Synopsis: Three decades after the defeat of Darth Vader and the Empire, Rey (Ridley), a scavenger from the Jakku planet, finds a BB-8 droid that knows the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Hamill). As a new threat to the Galaxy rises, Rey, along with Finn (Boyega), an ex-stormtrooper, must join Han Solo (Ford) and Chewbacca (Mayhew) to search for him.
Awards won: Nominated for five Oscars in 2016.
8 /16
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Cast: Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos
IMDb rating: 8.1
Synopsis: When the superhuman Nexus 6 replicant robots, originally designated for dangerous off-Earth activities, instigated a war on an off-Earth colony, replicants became illegal on Earth. Police units called Blade Runners must destroy replicants that made their way back to the Earth and sentence anyone aiding in creating them to death. Now Rick Reckard (Ford), a former Blade Runner, is called out of retirement when four known replicants, most combat models, have returned to Earth. He must find them along with their leader, Roy Batty (Hauer). As Rick investigates, a world of conspiracy comes up.
About the film: Although it may not have been a major box office success upon its release, Blade Runner has become one of the most celebrated and sought-after cult sci-fi movies ever made.
Awards won: Nominated for two Oscars in 1983 and won three BAFTA Awards in 1983.
9 /16
Created by: Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein
Cast: Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie
Episodes: 22
IMDb rating: 8.1
Synopsis: Jimmy (Segel), a professional therapist, struggles to cope with the loss of his life. This affects his relationships as a father and friend, as well as his responsibilities towards his clients. He adopts a new approach — being completely unfiltered and brutally honest with anyone who crosses his path. Will this help others or unleash chaos?
Harrison Ford’s role: Ford plays a comical role as Paul Rhoades, Jimmy’s mentor and fellow therapist. He has Parkinson’s disease and enjoys lightly disparaging Jimmy.
10 /16
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Sean Connery, Alison Doody, Julian Glover
IMDb rating: 8.2
Synopsis: In 1938, after his father, Sir Henry Jones (Connery), goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, Indiana Jones (Ford) finds himself pitted against the Nazis. The quest for the holy grail is far more difficult than anticipated, and he must stop them from obtaining its powers.
Awards won: Won the Oscar for Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing in 1990.
11 /16
Created by: Taylor Sheridan
Cast: Helen Mirren, Brandon Sklenar, Sebastian Roché, Jerome Flynn
Episodes: 8
IMDb rating: 8.3
Synopsis: Jacob Dutton (Ford), his wife Cara Dutton (Mirren) and their family are trapped in the 20th century, where they face several global crises — pandemics, draughts, the Prohibition period and the Great Depression, to name a few.
About the series: The Paramount+ original series is a prequel to the popular drama Yellowstone (2018-2024) starring Kevin Costner and Luke Grimes.
Image credit: 1923/ Photo by Lo Smith – © Paramount+/ IMDb
12 /16
Directed by: Richard Marquand
Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, James Earl Jones
IMDb rating: 8.3
Synopsis: Luke Skywalker (Hamill) battles Jabba the Hut and Darth Vader (Prowse, v Jones) to rescue his comrades. Han Solo (Ford) and Princess Leia (Fisher) reaffirm their love and join Chewbacca (Mayhew), Lando Calrissian (Williams), the Ewoks and the androids C-3PO (Daniels) and R2-D2 (Baker) to destroy Darth Vader and disrupt the dark side.
Awards won: Won one out of five Oscar nominations in 1984.
13 /16
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall
IMDb rating: 8.4
Synopsis: At the height of the Vietnam War, Colonel Lucas (Ford) sends US Army Captain Willard (Sheen) on a classified mission that officially ‘does not exist’ and will never be documented. The job is to find Colonel Walter Kurtz (Brando), whose troop has crossed the border into Cambodia and is conducting hit-and-run missions against the Viet Cong and NVA. The US Army believes he has gone completely rogue and is working independently. Willard must find and eliminate him, but will he be successful?
Awards won: Won two out of eight Oscar nominations in 1980. Won two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes in 1980. At the 1979 Cannes Film Festival, Coppola bagged the Palme d’Or and the FIPRESCI Prize.
Read more: Titanic, Oppenheimer & more: Complete list of the most Oscar-nominated movies
14 /16
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott
IMDb rating: 8.4
Synopsis: In 1936, archaeologist Indiana Jones (Ford) goes into the South American jungles to find a golden statue where he miraculously escapes a deadly trap. When museum curator Marcus Brody (Elliott) informs him about the biblical artefact called The Ark of the Covenant, which could hold the key to human existence, he must travel far and wide to get it before his nemesis Rene Belloq (Freeman) and his troop of Nazis find out.
Awards won: Won five Oscars, one BAFTA and a Grammy Award in 1982.
15 /16
Directed by: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, James Earl Jones
IMDb rating: 8.6
Synopsis: Under the orders of the nefarious Darth Vader (Prowse, v Jones), the rogue Imperial Forces have taken Princess Leia (Fisher) hostage. Now, Luke Skywalker (Hamill) and Han Solo (Ford), captain of the Millennium Falcon, must join forces along with the companionable droid duo R2-D2 (Baker) and C-3PO (Daniels) to retrieve her and restore freedom and justice in the Galaxy.
Awards won: Won seven Oscars, two BAFTAs, three Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe.
Read more: Snowtrooper helmet to R2-D2: 18 of the most valuable ‘Star Wars’ collectibles in the galaxy
16 /16
Directed by: Irvin Kershner
Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Jeremy Bulloch, Frank Oz, David Prowse, James Earl Jones
IMDb rating: 8.7
Synopsis: As the Rebel Alliance faces increasing challenges from the mighty Galactic Empire, Luke Skywalker (Hamill), Han Solo (Ford), and Princess Leia (Fisher) must prove their loyalty and friendship. While Luke Skywalker begins training with Jedi Master Yoda (Oz) and Han Solo and Princess Leia go on a perilous path to a galaxy under Imperial control, Darth Vader (Prowse, v Jones) and bounty hunter Boba Fett relentlessly pursue friends across the galaxy.
Awards won: Won two out of four Oscar nominations and bagged a BAFTA and one Grammy in 1981.