For The Love Of God Give Harrison Ford An Award

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Today, Harrison Ford was nominated for an Emmy. His second nomination for Shrinking. There was a brief, few months window in late 1986 when Harrison Ford was about to be considered an perennial Oscar nominee. After three Star Wars movies and two Indiana Jones movies, Ford was moving into the next phase of his career. The previous year he had been nominated for an Academy Award for his work in Peter Weir's Witness (Ford would lose to William Hurt for Kiss of the Spider Woman). In 1986 Ford followed that up with a barn-blazing performance in another Weir film, The Mosquito Coast.

Watch Ford as he does an interview for The Mosquito Coast, he's downright giddy. This is remarkable, especially back then when Ford really didn't like doing interviews. (In recent years Ford has leaned into this reputation, which has made Ford good at interviews and also hilarious.) It's obvious he loves the character of Allie Fox and loves the idea he is playing a role he feels is challenging.

Now, this is fascinating. Ford is asked, "People are already talking, quite rightly I think, about a probable Oscar nomination for you. How do you feel about that?" Ford pauses, gives that quick Harrison Ford half grin, then says, "Well, my stock answer is I'd be flattered by the company. But since I don't know what the company would be, I'd only assume I'd be flattered by the company." As he says this he starts laughing and looks genuinely happy. It was a forgone conclusion Ford would get his second nomination in as many years. And rightfully so, he's genuinely terrific.

The Mosquito Coast was released Thanksgiving weekend 1986 and it bombed. Apparently families did not want to spend their holiday weekend with Harrison Ford playing a ranting lunatic. Critics at the time didn't know what to make of it either. Ford would not be nominated for an Academy Award for The Mosquito Coast. Or ever again.

Here’s why this needs to be corrected…

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