Harrison Ford's top five performances

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With unrivalled charisma and a distinctive toughness, Harrison Ford has brought to life a long line of iconic characters during his long career in Hollywood. From the early days of his eventual breakthrough in American Graffiti to stardom in the 80s and 90s with Han Solo, Indiana Jones and two Jack Ryan films, he has always excelled in his ability to maintain a relatable and natural demeanour. It's a career peppered with immortal performances and characters that have cemented Ford in the history books as one of the industry's most timeless stars, and below we now rank what we consider to be his top five acting achievements.

(5) What Lies Beneath (2000)

Clearly one of Ford's most overlooked but also most complex and frightening characters. Because as Dr Norman Spencer, he really shows his versatility and goes against the grain of the kind of heroic roles we've become so used to seeing him in. Through clever and subtle acting, Ford shifts seamlessly between being charmingly endearing and menacingly dark. Razor sharp and memorable with a strange intensity that creeps under your skin.

(4) The Fugitive (1993)

In The Fugitive, Ford offers one of his most believable portrayals as the wrongly accused Richard Kimble, conveying a strong sense of desperation and determination in his quest to find the real perpetrator. Raw and stripped down with an authenticity and presence that makes every scene in the film a delight, which, combined with Ford's natural charisma, helps make his performance in The Fugitive one of his most intense and memorable.

(3) Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

Of course, it's impossible to make a list of Harrison Ford's best performances without including Han Solo, the most lovable of anti-heroes and probably the role with which most people associate the actor. With a distinctive combination of humour, courage and vulnerability, Ford brings exquisite complexity to the superficially cold bounty hunter, not least through his directness and charm. While perfectly balancing Solo's cynical streak with his more emotional side, he proves time and again that the character has a heart of gold.

(2) Blade Runner(1982)

Complex emotions and moral dilemmas are on the menu in Harrison Ford's utterly exquisite portrayal of Deckard, the weary and disillusioned hunter whose tough exterior hides a far more vulnerable, emotionally and existentially questioning side. It is a multifaceted character, probably Ford's most complex by far during his long career, but which he manages to convey with incredible balance and accuracy with incomparable perfection.

HARRISON FORDS BEST ACTING PERFORMANCE:

(1) Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

With a long, illustrious career behind him, there is still one role that stands out from the crowd and which, in my opinion, plays to all of Ford's greatest strengths. I'm talking, of course, about Indiana Jones, the charismatic, adventurous charmer who, despite his incredible adventures, always manages to be both believable and relatable in the hands of Ford. Witty, perfectly timed lines, straight shooting, rock-hard fists mixed with an unexpected vulnerability and inner moral compass make Jones one of the more dynamic yet complex heroes on the big screen. And in our opinion, the most timeless, best performance from our beloved Harrison Ford.