Harrison Ford: Not just a playboy

July, 2002
Sympatico.ca
by Bob Thompson

Harrison Ford says he is fed up with his "playboy image" in supermarket tabloids.

In the scandal sheets, Ford has been linked romantically to Minnie Driver, Lara Flynn Boyle and Calista Flockhart. The alleged dalliances suggest an end to his low-profile ways, but he disagrees.

"Harrison Ford hasn't changed that much," he maintains, "I think we've seen a remarkable change in journalism -- people just make shit up."

He wouldn't specify which of the stories were inaccurate, but he did resign himself to his plight. "You can't do anything about it," Ford adds, shrugging, "you just have to keep your mouth shut."

The 59-year-old actor is a great deal more talkative about his latest film, K-19: The Widowmaker, which opens July 19.

He promoted the Cold War submarine drama in New York on the June 21 weekend, and June 24 in Toronto where most of the interiors for the film were shot in the winter of 2001.

In the movie, based on an actual 1961 incident, Ford plays the Soviet captain of a nuclear submarine, who has to make critical decisions when the sub is crippled by a core meltdown of its reactor.

Liam Neeson portrays the second in command. But it is Ford who's expected to attract moviegoers. Ford has starred in eight summer films that earned $100-million or more.

Maybe that's why he was paid $25 million to play the lead. He also took on the assignment of executive producer in K-19.

He won't comment on his salary or his box-office power but he's willing to discuss why he wanted two jobs instead of one on K-19.

"I didn't want to be regarded as just a movie star," Ford says. "I wanted to be involved in the decisions, sit behind a desk and actually have control over a few things."

Director Kathryn Bigelow, who worked on the film project since its inception five years ago, is thankful that Ford came on board in both capacities.

"Harrison is selfless and generous and fabulous when it comes to understanding the process of filmmaking," reports Bigelow. "He also brings an intensity to the set that is ultimately rewarding."

Ford will take those attributes with him when he shows up for two more movies he's signed to do.

In August, he starts shooting an untitled Ron Shelton cop comedy with Josh Hartnett. Early next year, he is set to do another police film, Walking Among Tombstones, a thriller about an aging detective who has assigned to investigate a series of murders.

He is also tentatively set to do the much-anticipated fourth Indiana Jones adventure, which will be directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by George Lucas.

Ford is cautious about committing to the movie. "I'll get excited about the prospects, getting the whip out again, when the script is in place," he says.

According to insiders, Ford is likely to agree to the screenplay revisions, and will start filming the adventure in 2004.

He'll be 62 then (Ford turns 60 on July 13), and maybe not as spry as he should be for all that Indiana Jones "running and jumping" as Ford describes it.

But he's not concerned, if and when he does the picture.

"I don't think the character is defined or confined by age," says Ford

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