Harrison Ford’s Best Movie Performance Isn't What You Think

Witness Encompasses Everything That's Special About Harrison Ford

In many ways, Witness marks a key moment in the transformation of Ford's screen persona, which by 1985 had reached the peak of its popularity. While there would be three returns to Indiana Jones in the years following Witness' release, John Book signals a shift in the kind of roles Ford would portray. Han Solo and Indy are immortal, but - and this isn't a negative - they reflect only a facet of Ford's potential as an actor.

Wrapped up in Witness is everything that makes Ford such a legendary screen presence - his sensitive masculinity, his sex appeal, and his committed approach to action. He'd display these talents separately and in tandem on numerous occasions following Witness' release, most notably in Mosquito Coast (also directed by Weir) and The Fugitive, but John Book is the typification of Ford's potential. it is a subtly brilliant portrayal in further need of acclaim, because one Oscar nomination isn't enough to compete for space with the iconic legacies of his other credits.

None of that takes away from the brilliance of Witness, though. Weir's film remains a gripping meditation on violence, the shifting worlds of America, the cultishness of law enforcement and the sometimes tragic beauty of a love reciprocated, all anchored excellently by McGillis and Ford.

It is, in my view, Ford's greatest role - a performance that simply is Harrison Ford: restrained but explosive; forceful but kind; rugged but eloquent. John Book might not boast the enduring silhouette of Dr. Jones, but he encompasses everything that is great about one of our greatest living actors.