The Hollywood Reporter has a lengthy new interview with Harrison Ford, and while you should read the whole thing, it’s the Dial of Destiny segment you want. Find it below the cut:
Ford would never proclaim a favorite role, but Indiana Jones, whom he has played in five movies over four decades, is arguably his most fitting. The intrepid archaeologist combines Ford’s signature strengths: a heroic figure projecting intensity and intelligence, dashes of comic timing and plenty of muscular-yet-deft physical acting.
The saga’s fourth film, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was released amid heavy speculation that Ford was too old to still be swinging from a bullwhip — and that was 15 years ago. Disney’s upcoming entry, Dial of Destiny, is almost certainly the first wall-to-wall action movie from a major studio to star anybody near 80 years old (“Indiana Bones,” snarked Drudge Report of reports that Ford injured his shoulder during a fight scene).
Director Mangold co-wrote a script that reflects on Ford’s age and, just as crucially, the way the world has radically changed around him. “The mistake you can make in movies is when someone is of a ripe age but the movie continues this charade that they’re not that old,” Mangold says. “Every challenge he faces is through the reality of what someone of that age would be dealing with.”
On set, Mangold says the actor “looks for ways to make it more like life, mess up the false moments and to take the piss out of his own character. He’s got this great sense of how to be a hero and how to undermine the tropes of heroism at the same time.”
The director also found Ford was willing to continue to endure physical punishment to get that perfect take. Yet at one point on set, after being thrown onto the ground yet again, even Ford had enough, declaring to the director: “That’s the last time I’m falling down for you!”
Critics came down pretty hard on the last Indiana Jones movie. Now that some years have passed, what’s your feeling about it?
Where are they now?
Well, they’re still pretty harsh on it.
No. I mean, [the critics] were harsh on it, but what are they doing now? I understand. But those were their rules — not [director Steven Spielberg’s and co-writer George Lucas’] rules. They were imposing their rules on what the movie should be. I don’t feel it’s necessary to address those issues. I think that everyone has a right to their opinion. The film was not as successful as we wanted it to be, perhaps. But it didn’t create an attitude or a behavior that carried over into this film.
The film had a lot of “old Indy” jokes. It feels like that itself is outdated and that you have settled into who you are now.
Yeah. In [Dial of Destiny] there were a lot of old jokes in the script. We took them all out. There is a moment where he observes himself in this situation and says, “What the fuck am I doing in here?” But I hate what I call “talking about the story.” I want to see circumstances in which the audience gets a chance to experience the story, not to be led through the nose with highlights pointed out to them. I’d rather create behavior that is the joke of age rather than talk about it.
What was it like working with James Mangold instead of Steven Spielberg on this one?
Jim developed the script, so I knew what we were getting when we were going in that direction. But Steven’s still on the picture and has always been on the picture. He’s not the director this time, but he’s intimately involved.
What was your reaction when somebody first mentioned the idea of de-aging you for the film’s opening sequence?
I never loved the idea until I saw how it was accomplished in this case — which is very different than the way it’s been done in other films I’ve seen. They’ve got every frame of film, either printed or unprinted, of me during 40 years of working with Lucasfilm on various stuff. I can act the scene and they sort through with AI every fucking foot of film to find me in that same angle and light. It’s bizarre and it works and it is my face.
I know you’re not a nostalgic guy, but how did it feel putting on the hat and the jacket and whip for what is probably the last time?
(As if first learning of the role) I’m playing this archaeologist … who wears a brown fedora … and a leather jacket regardless of the weather … and carries a whip? OK, I’ll do it! Look, it was bizarre to start with, and it’s bizarre again. But that feeling goes away immediately because it’s so grounded in other things.
What’s the tone like? Each film is slightly different.
What I love is that we’re meeting him at a different point in his life to where we’ve seen him in these other films. It’s a logical place for him to be at this stage, considering his behavior and what he spent his time doing. It’s a very interesting script Jim came up with.
Has there been any other actor you’ve seen and thought: “That kid might fit”?
Tom Selleck [who was originally offered Raiders of the Lost Ark but CBS wouldn’t let him out of his Magnum, P.I. contract].
Poor guy. You’ve got to feel for him a little bit.
No. I feel lucky I got it. But I don’t feel that he’s had an unlucky career. He seems like a happy guy.
Need more Indy 5 hype? Rumor has it that the movie will be getting a Super Bowl spot this Sunday, which may include some new footage. Those of you not into the NFL can always just tune in to Mojo, which guarantees to be among at least the first 150 outlets to embed the YouTube link.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter