Want to know the real story of the scar on Harrison Ford’s chin? Here you go:
Tess McGill: “How did you get the scar?”
Jack Trainer: “Some guy pulled a knife in Detroit.”
Time To Talk All Things Harrison Ford!
It’s the “2020 Harrison Ford Blogathon!”
I love taking part in opportunities like this one, which look at the various films of a singular Artist. With Ford’s latest film “The Call Of The Wild” opening big this week, he has shown once again that he is a star for the ages.
My contribution to this blogathon could have been the brilliant “Blade Runner”, “Raiders Of The Lost Ark”, “Star Wars” or any of his many action adventures, but instead I chose to celebrate his perfect comic turn in the terrific romantic comedy “Working Girl!”
“Working Girl”
This excellent 1988 film, directed by the legendary Mike Nichols, is as fresh today as it was 30+ years ago. It’s filled with female empowerment, great one-liners, terrific acting and Harrison Ford in a terrific comedy role!
Melanie Griffith was Oscar nominated for Best Actress – and held her own against a great cast including Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Alec Baldwin and Joan Cusack.
Here is the trailer:
Melanie plays Tess McGill – a frustrated secretary, struggling to forge ahead in the world of big business in New York. Her latest boss is a first for her – a woman – Katherine Parker, played by Sigourney Weaver, who shares a bit of business advice for her young protege:
Katherine Parker: “Ugh! What a slob.”
Tess McGill: “You were so smooth with him.”
Katherine Parker: “Never burn bridges. Today’s junior *prick*, tomorrow’s senior partner.”
Tess gets her chance to show her deal-making ability when her boss breaks her leg on a skiing holiday, taking advantage of her absence to push ahead an idea she had. She teams up with investment broker Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford), but even before she knows who he is, she’s been accidentally “over-medicated” by friend Joan Cusack, leading to her candid revelation to Trainer in the bar:
Tess McGill: I have a head for business and a bod for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?
Jack Trainer: Uh, no. No.
Griffith does a great job in the role, as does Ford. Here is the entire scene, showcasing his deft touch with comedy:
The film is full of great moments like these, along with some terrific one-liners, like when Joan Cusack utters this classic line when seeing the price of a ballgown:
“Six thousand dollars? It’s not even leather!”
Since this is a Harrison Ford Blogathon, let’s look at just how much fun he is having in the film. As he says to the head of a company about Melanie Griffith at one point:
“She’s Your Man!”
Ford seems to be having a blast doing light comedy, never winking at the audience or overdoing it – even this moment when he grabs a couple of exotic drinks when they crash an “island themed” wedding…it’s really funny!
Ford doesn’t do a lot of comedy, but he really nails it in “Working Girl”.
Here is a terrific scene between Griffith and Ford, everyone including him having some fun with his real-life chin scar…
Tess McGill: “How did you get the scar?”
Jack Trainer: “Some guy pulled a knife in Detroit.”
Tess McGill: “Really?”
Jack Trainer: (Pregnant pause, then…) “No. No. I was nineteen and I thought it’d be cool to have a pierced ear. My girlfriend stuck the needle through and I heard this pop and fainted and hit my chin on the toilet.”
His comic timing is perfect.
Joan Cusack also gets to showcase her innner Jersey girl, as Tess’s friend, who doesn’t share her big dreams…and this line sums it all up:
“Sometimes I sing and dance around the house in my underwear. Doesn’t make me Madonna. Never will.”
The film was directed by Mike Nichols, who made such GREAT films as “The Graduate”, “Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Wolff?”, “The Birdcage” and “Catch-22” among many others. He got terrific performances from the entire cast, all at the top of their game.
Siguorney Weaver also has great comedic chops, not afraid to make fun of herself, and their rapport is clear.
For Griffith, her performance garnered her an Oscar nomination as Best Actress – her career has been an unusual one, including starring in the most dangerous Hollywood film of all time – with her Mom!
Yes, that’s Melanie cuddling with a real Lion as you Mom, Tippi Hedren watches! The madness of this picture is one reason that “ROAR” was the most dangerous film of all time! Read about it here:
Make sure to go here to read more of the “Harrison Ford Blogathon” – lots of great Harrison Ford films being discussed!
https://satinyourlap.com/2019/11/29/announcing-the-harrison-ford-blogathon/
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Categories: 70's Cinema, Action Films, Art, Books / Media, Comedy Movies, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Hollywood, Movies, New York, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities
johnrieber 
I feel like I need to see this again because I think I failed to appreciate its humor when I saw it in college. Nice review!
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You should give it another try. It holds up well! Thanks for commenting!
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I want to be Jack.
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Great post, great movie (with lots of great quotable quotes!), great observation about how Harrison Ford carries off his roles with a humorous facet that adds so much to them, here, as Indy, as Han Solo, etc.! I once read he got his scar in a car accident, the Working Girl explanations … funnier! 🙂
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Thanks for reading and commenting, I love hearing from you! Yes, I knew most others were going with his action films so I went comedy, although you are right he had a darkly comic role in Star Wars….which I loved!
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Can you imagine any other actor being able to carry off that role?
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Great post, and good choice, John. I love that film. Everyone in it is perfectly cast. And how unusual is that?
Best wishes, Pete.
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Indeed Pete…the other bloggers are going to cover all of his action films, so I wanted something different…he doesn’t do much comedy!
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Great work! Thanks for taking part!
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What a fun post. Do you do blogathons often?
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It’s a great movie! Thanks for the reminder.
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