CT Do you agree with Harrison Ford's opinion that Han Solo in the OT is "Dumb as a stump"?

I've never regarded Indy as cool . . . just very interesting. As for Han, I used to think he was cool in a roguish way. I guess I don't anymore. Right now, he's just another interesting character.

 

lol for me it's been opposite. indy is cool but not really 'interesting'. he's got the 'cool' scholarly professor thing going on, goes on 'cool' adventures, and just has an air of 'coolness'. but I don't really view him as having 'depth' or anything like that. I think in some ways you really could say that the character is the hat and the whip. that's not to say he isn't 'interesting' period, or that I fully agree with that statement, but I don't get how people can say that han is shallow compared to indy of all people lol (not that han is a very complex character either).

indy is a 'badass' in a way that's perfect for straight up action adventure films. han is more believable as a 'lovable' character who feels more like someone from real life. realistically both could fulfil either role, it's just star wars is more about the characters than indiana jones is, which is driven with a stronger focus on other things.

 

I also want to note that Indy is the main hero while Han Solo is the sidekick character. Han is as deep as he needs to be. A Han Solo movie could build on what we already know and make Han into an even more interesting guy. Like why he doesn't trust in idealistic causes anymore. I would love to see something like the Han Solo trilogy on screen.

Indy in comparison is ... played out? He's always the badass, no matter what gets thrown at him. He's like James Bond.

 

I dont know where Ford got the idea that Han was as dumb as a stump, I personaly think that Han was smart.
Has anyone watched MacGyver? Han reminds me of Mac, very smart, but not the soficticated smart like Luke in TROTJ, more like not making a plan, but just going with e flow, and everything works out.
Thats what I think, smart in his own way.

 

He's highly inventive and is very good at getting to grips with situations and problem-solving. In that respect, yeah, he's a smart guy. He's almost always the first guy to figure out what to do next, especially in Empire. In particular he's smart enough to go against what he stands for and not make a scene when he's being put in carbonite. As I say, he's excellent at assessing situations, you might call it "street smart".

But in terms of deep thought, emotional intelligence, and wisdom, he doesn't do well. In ANH he blindly dismisses the concepts of the Force, the destruction of Alderaan and of the Death Star, despite seeing evidence of all three of them right in front of him at the time, seemingly because he can't wrap his mind around things as huge as that. He is rather tactless and immature in his relationship with Leia, particularly his lack of commitment in Empire to either Leia or the Rebellion and getting very pushy with her over Luke in ROTJ for no good reason. He also acts pretty dreadfully towards the Ewoks and almost gets himself eaten in the process. Even after they've accepted him he's still sarcastic and rude to them ("just what I've always wanted", "not bad for a little furball") despite having clearly seen that they could literally eat him alive if they wanted to.

Then there's also his recklessness. The Battle of Yavin, rescuing Leia aboard the Death Star, the asteroid chase, dangling himself over the Sarlacc by his toes to grab Lando... all occasions where he risks almost certain death on a whim, without thinking it through.

All in all, it makes for a seriously cool and interesting character, and one who has seriously skilled at thinking on his feet, but not particularly clever as a thinker. He's smart, but not intelligent, that's how I'd sum it up.

 

I hardly think Ford is watching the movies on any regular basis. He won't recall many of the scenes or the lines from the OT. He's probably just remembering one or two key moments and allowing that to encapsulate his memory of the character - Han not believing in the force, getting caught on the Deathstar/at Bespin etc. and/or his status in the galaxy as a mere smuggler.

 

If he's 'dumb,' I think it may be in the relationships department and how he deals with people, especially with Leia, in the beginning. He practically acts like a child and does everything but pull her braids to get her attention. The only one in the beginning he gets along with is Chewie--like an "I'd rather be with an animal than with people." So his people skills are lacking as far as seriousness. One of the first things he asks Luke about Obi Wan is, "Where did you dig up that old fossil?" Also, in regards to Leia being in the detention block, he responds, "Better her than me." He can't think outside of himself because the only one he relies on, besides, Chewie, is him. He trusts no one and only does things if he's paid to.

He's street smart but relationship "dumb". Not sure if that makes sense.

 

Exactly. There is wisdom in street smarts that's brushed off irrelevant by most of our culture.