Notes Along the Journey 06: Harrison Ford

“𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑑, 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙-𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒-𝑠𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝘩 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡-𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟.” ~ author Garry Jenkins, describing the immediate aftermath of one of Harrison’s early and more promising acting gigs as Bob Falfa in American Graffiti (1973)

I read and reread the section today about Harrison’s role and his personal experiences while filming “American Graffiti.” So much to reflect on in those pages for me personally. It is clear that in hindsight it was one of those “watershed moments” in which the path takes a change in direction. Granted, real lasting success wouldn’t come for a few more years when he would be cast as Han Solo in “Star Wars,” but, even at the time, Harrison recognized it as a potential turning point. As Jenkins describes in the book, Harrison had begun to make “some sort of progress toward achieving” his ambitions. For the first time in a long time, he felt like his potential and contributions were being appreciated. In fact, reflecting on the period some years later, Harrison would describe it in his own words, “as if the whole world had changed.”

Of importance to me, though, is the author’s statement of the immediate aftermath for Ford. The filming ended, and the movie went on to both critical and financial success. But for Harrison, despite his feelings in that moment, life seemed unchanged. In fact, it went back to exactly what it had been before: a daily struggle filled with relentless hard work, desperate financial need, and the “confidence-sapping cycle of rejection” that had defined his life before. In the cover of the book, I scribbled the following note: PROGRESS FOLLOWED BY a RETURN to the ROUTINE. Despite what popular movies tell us, few things change instantaneously. Very few. Many times, the “watershed moment” assumes the posture and appearance of a mirage. It promises much but then doesn’t deliver. At least not in the moment. But change and the fulfillment of the dream can come in the aftermath if we are willing to persevere and not give up. Keep working hard. Keep trying. Keep believing. Even when progress has been followed by a return to the routine. Real opportunity may be just around the corner. Just ask Harrison.