Tough choice, but it came down to 1) Hanks’ comedy past, showing his diversity and 2) those silly, silly “action jumps” Ford does (elbows bent, hands held together slightly in front of his face, semi-fetal position in the air, harsh landing).
That said, I can quickly remember about a dozen Ford lines, but nothing Hanks is coming to me….
Is there really any competition? Tom Hanks is nowhere near being in the same league as Harrison Ford. I think you should have gone with Sean Connery vs. Harrison Ford. And in my book, the sexy Scottish accent always wins.
While Ford has had an embarrassing run the last decade I have to give to him. First off most of that is just bad choices of roles – something Hanks did as well albeit through desperation in his earlier days.
I got to give props to Hanks though for having an amazing run there for a while killed only by the inexplicably bad Coen bro. film The Ladykillers.
Brian, how can you not remember any Hanks lines. There’s tons of them in Forest Gump alone!
Speaking of which this is the perfect place for one of the best remixes of Hanks ever. Tom Hanks is…007!
Clark: inexplicable, I know. I probably (thankfully) have some sort of Forrest Gump censor in my head that prevents me from hearing his lines. Now that I’ve been thinking about it I came up with some Hanks lines—until I remembered “The Money Pit” and now banana-fana-fo-fana is stuck in my head!
The Ford lines were just more memorable. “Get off my plane!” “Sorry, Mr. President: I don’t dance.” And then the long list of one-liners from Indiana Jones.
harrison ford lost all street cred when he got the earring. he lost all ground with the ladies when he started dating flockhart. i might swoon over sean, but he’d be off all lists the second he was seen with hillary duff.
Interestingly it’s usually people Hanks is interacting with who get the best lines. (I just went through the IMDB and there are great lines in shows like Joe vs. the Volcano but not for Hanks)
BTW – after Ladykillers Hanks really stopped acting that much. He’s basically done 2 since 2004 with a 3rd coming out this fall.
That’s 3 movies in 4 years. Granted, it’s no Mickey Rooney schedule, but it’s no retirement either. I agree about Hanks’ lines: he’s good for the setup.
I have a friend with a rich semi-ex-girlfriend/wife (it’s complicated) and he spends a lot of time in Jackon Hole, where Ford lives. He once mentioned to me seeing Ford at a party, sitting in chair in the corner, stoned. It’s all I can think about now when I see him. Old guy pot-dozing in the corner.
Susan, are you applying a double standard? How many bands have their lead singers stoned on a chair during some party?
Don’t get me wrong, Ford went nutso with mid-life crisis. The last Indy movie was the best thing he did. But then as you hint (although don’t state) Hanks is hardly an angel either. But then how many Hollywood actors are? Let’s be serious.
I’m really surprised Hank is doing that well given the amazingly solid run by Ford from the mid 70’s all the way through the mid 90’s. That’s an amazing run. And while Hanks has been in some of the best movies of the last 30 years Ford has been in far many more. Plus he’s been three of the top iconic characters of that era: Indiana Jones, Han Solo, and Jack Ryan. He also was the main character in the film that ushered in Cyberpunk. What’s the most memorable Hanks character? Forrest Gump. And then… Woody who is a cartoon character that probably doesn’t count.
I’m with Susan and Makakona on this one. Harrison lost all screen appeal when he flipped out. Earring, Flockhart, crappy movies, and now stoned. Really, all that money and he couldn’t figure out a better way to have a mid-life crises?! Not that Hanks is great. I’ll take Sir Connery please.
I don’t really get the comparison. I like them both in some things, don’t like them in other things.
Comment by D. Fletcher — August 18, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
While neither actor is much of a draw for me–I still haven’t seen Indiana Jones and the Power of Greyskull, for example–I voted for Ford just because I can’t see myself voting for the guy from Bosom Buddies over Han Solo (who shot first, by the way).
Clark, I see what you mean about Ford’s incredible run—for over 20 years (‘73-’97) he was in truly solid movies and only a few stinkers. But Hanks still wins for me because of his comedies. And no, the most memorable Hanks character is not Forrest Gump (for me). I think of his character in Private Ryan, Perdition, Man with One Red Shoe, Joe v Volcano, Big, and yes (looking at you BTD Greg) Bosom Buddies before I think of Gump. (I really didn’t like Gump.)
Abby, Connery was, I believe, arrested a few years back for beating his wife while in a drunken rage. So if we’re going by their offscreen antics he’s the worst of the bunch. At least Hanks seems to have a stable and solid family life. Although everyone said that about Ford until he flipped out.
Brain, none of those characters are remotely as memorable as Han Solo, Indiana Jones, or many of the others Ford portrayed. Heck, if you have to lookup the name while the Ford names immediately come to mind, what does that tell you? Ford was two of the most iconographic and influential characters of the 20th century.
Don’t get me wrong. I really like Hanks. I think he went from doing slightly risque comedies and an overly repeated whining shout to becoming the Jimmy Stewart of our time. But Ford will always be that great actions star. You raise me Hanks’ comedies but which action films has he been in? (No, Road to Perdition doesn’t really count)
BTW – Ford actually has been in some great comedies. Arguably American Graffiti was a “dramady” (sort of like Forest Gump). But Frisco Kid was a nice little underrated gem of Ford from the 70’s. It had Ford as a tough cowboy bringing Gene Wilder as an orthodox rabbi across the west. Those are, admittedly, the only real comedies he did. It’s too bad as I think he could do better. On the other hand look at most of Clint Eastwood’s attempts at comedy…
Harrison Ford wins, IMO. Han Solo & Indiana Jones are far more classic than any of Hanks’ roles — though I do enjoy a lot of his work — especially “Woody” from “Toy Story.”
Clark, so I guess Sir Connery isn’t any better than Ford – in terms of their personal life. So, going strictly off of their films, I’ll change my vote to Ford. (Based off his early roles.)
I don’t really like either, but I have to go with Hanks because of Bachelor Party and The Money Pit. Ford’s unquestionably got a better filmography (American Graffiti, The Conversation, Indiana Jones, Blade Runner), but I don’t really think he’s all that great of an actor. With the exception of Indiana Jones, I wouldn’t really say any of the great items in his filmography are great because of him.
(No, I didn’t forget Star Wars – I don’t like those movies, sorry).
Hanks really improved as an actor. I think he was quite good and certainly deserved all those academy awards and nominations. Ford did, I think, deserve the nomination for Witness. I thought his acting was pretty good in Mosquito Coast and Frantic as well. I do agree that by the 90’s he was calling it in more even in action films I otherwise enjoyed. He had a standard repertoire he kept going to. On the other hand that’s true of Jack Nicolson as well. Although Nicolson obviously had way more range than Ford.
I don’t understand why, after that period in the late 80’s, Ford stopped pushing himself as an actor.
Hanks was kind of a one note actor until Philadelphia although there were hints of his abilities in Sleepless in Seattle (of all films). Gump was, I feel, a very underappreciated performance. Even if you don’t like the film one hopes you can appreciate the skill Hank brought to the roll which really demanded a lot of subtlty.
BTW – greatest Hank quote is from A League of Our Own. (A film I didn’t really like). “There’s No Crying in Baseball!” Admittedly done in that overused style he used until the mid-90’s of shouting in this whiney voice.
I just can’t get over Hanks’ immensely creepy long hair in The Davinci Code. What a miserable train wreck of a movie.
Comment by Supergenius — August 18, 2008 @ 5:42 pm
The prequel is his next film up on the queue for next year. I read a few pages at the bookstore and it was even worse written. We’re talking Robin Cook level of badness.
But yeah, he looked pretty creepy with that mullet.
Clark, you can’t really compare the memorability of characters in Ford’s trilogies versus Hanks’ one-shot movies. Who could watch a trilogy and not come away knowing the main characters’ names?
I will concede that Ford has a definite edge when it comes to action. I’m just giving comedy more weight than action, and Hanks clearly wins there. That’s surely just a difference of opinion between us.
And there were parts of Gump I really liked, including the whole concept. But after an hour I just needed that movie to stop (see “Titanic”).
Summer, Abby: As for Connery: it’s not even fair. The guy could say “I have bunions on my feet” and women would find it sexy and guys would think it sounded cool. Connery is voice—compare him with James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman.
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I’ll take “Actors Who Are Way Past Their Prime” for $500, Alex.
Comment by BTD Greg — August 18, 2008 @ 11:47 am
Tough choice, but it came down to 1) Hanks’ comedy past, showing his diversity and 2) those silly, silly “action jumps” Ford does (elbows bent, hands held together slightly in front of his face, semi-fetal position in the air, harsh landing).
That said, I can quickly remember about a dozen Ford lines, but nothing Hanks is coming to me….
Comment by BrianJ — August 18, 2008 @ 12:00 pm
Is there really any competition? Tom Hanks is nowhere near being in the same league as Harrison Ford. I think you should have gone with Sean Connery vs. Harrison Ford. And in my book, the sexy Scottish accent always wins.
Comment by Summer — August 18, 2008 @ 12:01 pm
While Ford has had an embarrassing run the last decade I have to give to him. First off most of that is just bad choices of roles – something Hanks did as well albeit through desperation in his earlier days.
I got to give props to Hanks though for having an amazing run there for a while killed only by the inexplicably bad Coen bro. film The Ladykillers.
Brian, how can you not remember any Hanks lines. There’s tons of them in Forest Gump alone!
Speaking of which this is the perfect place for one of the best remixes of Hanks ever. Tom Hanks is…007!
Comment by Clark — August 18, 2008 @ 12:05 pm
Clark: inexplicable, I know. I probably (thankfully) have some sort of Forrest Gump censor in my head that prevents me from hearing his lines. Now that I’ve been thinking about it I came up with some Hanks lines—until I remembered “The Money Pit” and now banana-fana-fo-fana is stuck in my head!
The Ford lines were just more memorable. “Get off my plane!” “Sorry, Mr. President: I don’t dance.” And then the long list of one-liners from Indiana Jones.
Comment by BrianJ — August 18, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
harrison ford lost all street cred when he got the earring. he lost all ground with the ladies when he started dating flockhart. i might swoon over sean, but he’d be off all lists the second he was seen with hillary duff.
“don’t cry, shopgirl.” worst. hanks. line. EVER!!!
Comment by makakona — August 18, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
Interestingly it’s usually people Hanks is interacting with who get the best lines. (I just went through the IMDB and there are great lines in shows like Joe vs. the Volcano but not for Hanks)
BTW – after Ladykillers Hanks really stopped acting that much. He’s basically done 2 since 2004 with a 3rd coming out this fall.
Comment by Clark — August 18, 2008 @ 1:20 pm
That’s 3 movies in 4 years. Granted, it’s no Mickey Rooney schedule, but it’s no retirement either. I agree about Hanks’ lines: he’s good for the setup.
Comment by BrianJ — August 18, 2008 @ 1:38 pm
Where’s the neither option?
I have a friend with a rich semi-ex-girlfriend/wife (it’s complicated) and he spends a lot of time in Jackon Hole, where Ford lives. He once mentioned to me seeing Ford at a party, sitting in chair in the corner, stoned. It’s all I can think about now when I see him. Old guy pot-dozing in the corner.
Comment by Susan M — August 18, 2008 @ 1:54 pm
“I’ve never been in love before either! It’s great! I’m glad! But your timing stinks.”
–Joe vs. the Volcano (it’s true, there are a lot of quotable lines, but they’re uttered by other people)
There’s a quote I can only remember the last part of from Splash “on top of the refrigerator…”
Comment by FHL — August 18, 2008 @ 2:11 pm
Susan, are you applying a double standard? How many bands have their lead singers stoned on a chair during some party?
Don’t get me wrong, Ford went nutso with mid-life crisis. The last Indy movie was the best thing he did. But then as you hint (although don’t state) Hanks is hardly an angel either. But then how many Hollywood actors are? Let’s be serious.
I’m really surprised Hank is doing that well given the amazingly solid run by Ford from the mid 70’s all the way through the mid 90’s. That’s an amazing run. And while Hanks has been in some of the best movies of the last 30 years Ford has been in far many more. Plus he’s been three of the top iconic characters of that era: Indiana Jones, Han Solo, and Jack Ryan. He also was the main character in the film that ushered in Cyberpunk. What’s the most memorable Hanks character? Forrest Gump. And then… Woody who is a cartoon character that probably doesn’t count.
Comment by Clark — August 18, 2008 @ 2:17 pm
I’m with Susan and Makakona on this one. Harrison lost all screen appeal when he flipped out. Earring, Flockhart, crappy movies, and now stoned. Really, all that money and he couldn’t figure out a better way to have a mid-life crises?! Not that Hanks is great. I’ll take Sir Connery please.
Comment by Abby — August 18, 2008 @ 2:30 pm
I don’t really get the comparison. I like them both in some things, don’t like them in other things.
Comment by D. Fletcher — August 18, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
While neither actor is much of a draw for me–I still haven’t seen Indiana Jones and the Power of Greyskull, for example–I voted for Ford just because I can’t see myself voting for the guy from Bosom Buddies over Han Solo (who shot first, by the way).
Comment by BTD Greg — August 18, 2008 @ 2:43 pm
Clark, I see what you mean about Ford’s incredible run—for over 20 years (‘73-’97) he was in truly solid movies and only a few stinkers. But Hanks still wins for me because of his comedies. And no, the most memorable Hanks character is not Forrest Gump (for me). I think of his character in Private Ryan, Perdition, Man with One Red Shoe, Joe v Volcano, Big, and yes (looking at you BTD Greg) Bosom Buddies before I think of Gump. (I really didn’t like Gump.)
Comment by BrianJ — August 18, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
Abby, Connery was, I believe, arrested a few years back for beating his wife while in a drunken rage. So if we’re going by their offscreen antics he’s the worst of the bunch. At least Hanks seems to have a stable and solid family life. Although everyone said that about Ford until he flipped out.
Brain, none of those characters are remotely as memorable as Han Solo, Indiana Jones, or many of the others Ford portrayed. Heck, if you have to lookup the name while the Ford names immediately come to mind, what does that tell you? Ford was two of the most iconographic and influential characters of the 20th century.
Don’t get me wrong. I really like Hanks. I think he went from doing slightly risque comedies and an overly repeated whining shout to becoming the Jimmy Stewart of our time. But Ford will always be that great actions star. You raise me Hanks’ comedies but which action films has he been in? (No, Road to Perdition doesn’t really count)
BTW – Ford actually has been in some great comedies. Arguably American Graffiti was a “dramady” (sort of like Forest Gump). But Frisco Kid was a nice little underrated gem of Ford from the 70’s. It had Ford as a tough cowboy bringing Gene Wilder as an orthodox rabbi across the west. Those are, admittedly, the only real comedies he did. It’s too bad as I think he could do better. On the other hand look at most of Clint Eastwood’s attempts at comedy…
Comment by Clark — August 18, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
Harrison Ford wins, IMO. Han Solo & Indiana Jones are far more classic than any of Hanks’ roles — though I do enjoy a lot of his work — especially “Woody” from “Toy Story.”
Comment by Jack — August 18, 2008 @ 5:07 pm
Clark, so I guess Sir Connery isn’t any better than Ford – in terms of their personal life. So, going strictly off of their films, I’ll change my vote to Ford. (Based off his early roles.)
Comment by Abby — August 18, 2008 @ 5:15 pm
I don’t really like either, but I have to go with Hanks because of Bachelor Party and The Money Pit. Ford’s unquestionably got a better filmography (American Graffiti, The Conversation, Indiana Jones, Blade Runner), but I don’t really think he’s all that great of an actor. With the exception of Indiana Jones, I wouldn’t really say any of the great items in his filmography are great because of him.
(No, I didn’t forget Star Wars – I don’t like those movies, sorry).
Comment by Brian V — August 18, 2008 @ 5:22 pm
Hanks really improved as an actor. I think he was quite good and certainly deserved all those academy awards and nominations. Ford did, I think, deserve the nomination for Witness. I thought his acting was pretty good in Mosquito Coast and Frantic as well. I do agree that by the 90’s he was calling it in more even in action films I otherwise enjoyed. He had a standard repertoire he kept going to. On the other hand that’s true of Jack Nicolson as well. Although Nicolson obviously had way more range than Ford.
I don’t understand why, after that period in the late 80’s, Ford stopped pushing himself as an actor.
Hanks was kind of a one note actor until Philadelphia although there were hints of his abilities in Sleepless in Seattle (of all films). Gump was, I feel, a very underappreciated performance. Even if you don’t like the film one hopes you can appreciate the skill Hank brought to the roll which really demanded a lot of subtlty.
BTW – greatest Hank quote is from A League of Our Own. (A film I didn’t really like). “There’s No Crying in Baseball!” Admittedly done in that overused style he used until the mid-90’s of shouting in this whiney voice.
Comment by Clark — August 18, 2008 @ 5:34 pm
I just can’t get over Hanks’ immensely creepy long hair in The Davinci Code. What a miserable train wreck of a movie.
Comment by Supergenius — August 18, 2008 @ 5:42 pm
The prequel is his next film up on the queue for next year. I read a few pages at the bookstore and it was even worse written. We’re talking Robin Cook level of badness.
But yeah, he looked pretty creepy with that mullet.
Comment by Clark — August 18, 2008 @ 6:08 pm
Clark, you can’t really compare the memorability of characters in Ford’s trilogies versus Hanks’ one-shot movies. Who could watch a trilogy and not come away knowing the main characters’ names?
I will concede that Ford has a definite edge when it comes to action. I’m just giving comedy more weight than action, and Hanks clearly wins there. That’s surely just a difference of opinion between us.
And there were parts of Gump I really liked, including the whole concept. But after an hour I just needed that movie to stop (see “Titanic”).
Summer, Abby: As for Connery: it’s not even fair. The guy could say “I have bunions on my feet” and women would find it sexy and guys would think it sounded cool. Connery is voice—compare him with James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman.
Comment by BrianJ — August 18, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
Brian. Sure it’s fair. Ford was in them. Hanks wasn’t.
Comment by Clark — August 18, 2008 @ 7:37 pm
C’mon: “I really liked Ford’s character in the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I can’t seem to remember the character’s name though.”
Comment by BrianJ — August 18, 2008 @ 8:48 pm
I bet the person who said that was blonde! (Just kidding, I was until around 30 fairly blonde although my hair’s been getting darker the older I get)
Comment by Clark — August 19, 2008 @ 9:04 am