Harrison Ford has been doing one iconic role after another ever since his early years as an actor. From Han Solo to Indiana Jones and now Thunderbolt Ross; he has a list not many can compete with. Each role has asked of him something special and each adds to his fame immensely. His dedication to acting and impeccable skill happen to be one of the biggest reasons Ford is as respected in the industry as he is.
His reputation as an actor has exceedingly surprised fans because he barely ever fails to perform accurately. The fifth and final movie in the Indiana Jones franchise is finally about to be released and there is ample amount of excitement for it. However, his dedication to the role brought about some of the most iconic ideas.
Harrison Ford Could Not Do A Swordfight
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark has some of the best reviews with how much fans adore it. It happens to be a cult classic and a fan favorite. The movie has an intriguing plot and an even more captivating cast. One particular scene in the movie had both Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford scratching their heads, trying to find the best possible way to go through with it.
The scene in question was when Jones was to face a swordsman. The scene was three and a half pages long and was to take three days to shoot. However, Ford had dysentery at that time, making him incapable of going head to head against the swordsman in a sword fight. The sequence was heavily planned by Spielberg. The actor had an idea that ultimately became one of the most iconic scenes in the movie, if not the franchise. He decided to shoot the swordsman instead. Harrison Ford brought a gun to a swordfight.
Harrison Ford Was Almost Replaced By A Body Double
The sword fighting scene had already been prepared and even the swordsman had been practicing on a daily basis. However, since Harrison Ford could not do the scene at all, Steven Spielberg contemplated using a body double instead. In his mind, the sequence would have also included a perfectly timed comedic stance where the swordsman would chop off a piece of meat perfectly in the marketplace.
He would then be thanked for his handiwork. Unfortunately, that scene never made it into the movie. Ford instead suggested that he shoot the swordsman. This was not only in character for Indiana Jones, but it also fits perfectly well with how little time they had, one hour to be exact because of the excruciating pain he was in.
Source: Screen Rant