Indiana Jones and the Lost Bus Pass

Harrison vows to crack the bullwhip

IT'S the day everyone has been waiting for: wedding bells for Harrison Ford and the end of Calista Flockhart's status as the longest serving bride-to-be in Hollywood.

But before Tinseltown starts to send congratulations cards, it seems this Wedding March may be confined to the movies - for now.

With more than 30 years on the Hollywood A-list, Ford is a master of keeping his private life exactly that. This means his sexy 41-year-old partner and their wedding plans (if indeed there are any) are strictly off limits.

But put the relationship into the context of film and even Ford can't help but grunt a response before the shutters on his real world are slammed down again.

"Um, maybe," winces the veteran actor at the chances of sharing a few romantic scenes with his Ally McBeal star girlfriend. "I don't know."

Pushed on the possibility of their coming together for a romantic comedy with obligatory happy ending wedding, Ford immediately smells a rat.

"C'mon I can't do that," he snaps. "I never have been comfortable talking about my personal life, and it's a little too late to start now.

"Yes, I'm happy," he adds, quickly anticipating the next question. "And I think we'll let it go at that!"

There's no room for argument with someone like Ford, who over the years has gained a reputation as one of the hardest acts in Hollywood, on and off screen.

Today he looks like he means business again as he takes his seat at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel dressed in black blazer and grey shirt.

The face so readily recognisable as the roguish Han Solo from Star Wars or whip-cracking Indiana Jones, shows remarkably few signs of ageing, although he's sporting a neatly-trimmed goatee for his role in Civil War drama Manhunt.

For now Ford has his mind in the present for new movie Firewall, in which he plays executive computer whiz Jack Stansfield.

Ford is a tortured father whose family has been kidnapped by a gang hell-bent on breaking into a bank computer security system designed by Stansfield.

Apart from his time as a spaceship pilot in Star Wars, it's hard to imagine Ford - a man who loves nature and carpentry more than modems and hard drives - as a computer geek.

But the actor bristles at the notion he has been left behind by technology and has to get his kids to programme the VCR.

"I've been using computers for years for a variety of tasks, just like all the rest of us," he scolds. "Calendar, phone book, writing letters, printing letters, flight training and flight planning software. I'm fairly comfortable with computers. What was important in this movie was to test the theory of our technology on people in the banking community and people in the computer world. We found something they all agreed was a loophole was their family being held with a gun to their head."

While he may be up to speed on new technologies, Ford has distanced himself from the glitz and hype of Hollywood in recent years.

"I still love carpentry, although I don't do it as much as I did," he says.

"I've sort of lost the skills I had when I was working every day."

He manages to draw parallels between his work with wood and his other main hobby, flying planes. Not only does the actor have a pilot's licence but he rivals John Travolta with his prowess in the air.

"Flying is similar to carpentry because you have to really focus on the task at hand or you're liable to get yourself in trouble," he says. "You know, forget something important, and you crash and burn!

"The incredible thing about flying is that, if you're flying by yourself, you're totally alone with your thoughts and it's an exhilarating feeling. I love the feeling of freedom that comes with being up in the sky."

One of the benefits of having high speed air transport on tap is he can stay close to the industry in which he is the most successful leading man of all time, even though he prefers to divide his time between his New York apartment and his ranch.

After countless blockbusters, awards and accolades, he could justifiably give up the fame game and live the quite life in Wyoming with Calista and the kids.

But Ford can't help himself. At 63, he is as eager as ever to act and push himself to the limits to flesh out his characters. The star hasn't even cut back on doing his own stunts - but looking at his muscular frame there seems no reason why he should.

"I don't do a lot of physical training," he says, on his refusal to grow old gracefully. "I've suffered a lucky genetic accident and I play a little bit of tennis four or five times a week when I'm off and three times a week when I'm working. That's about it. When I'm going to do a fight scene I stretch a little bit

"I do the action as much as possible. I always have, from the very beginning. It's more important to me to look into the face of a character and feel his fear or his triumph or his pain or his exhaustion.

"I know how to do it. I've been doing it for 30 years. It's no big deal. I know how to do it without hurting other people or hurting myself."

With that in mind, it's no wonder Ford is open to going back to Indiana Jones for a fourth movie - even though he will be of pensionable age by the time it is released.

"I think you can see in this film, in which I perform physically to an extent, that it will be sufficient for Indiana Jones," says Ford, when questioned on his ability to don Indy's fedora and bullwhip for one more adventure.

"I think we'll have to show that he's suffered some wear and tear over the years. That's going to make his character that much more interesting. We can address issues like whether his character's virtues are based on his youth or on other aspects of human nature like his wisdom, his toughness, his resourcefulness, his integrity.

"The audience is there and I think they would enjoy seeing that. Everybody involved is anxious to make another Indiana Jones. I'm ready - I'm just waiting for the script to be ready."

It's unlikely Ford will ever make another movie to rival Star Wars or Indy at the box office but the actor seems OK with that, if only because he gets as much enjoyment out of life at home these days.

"I'm not working on my legacy as an actor," he says. "I'm just out there working on movies.

"Most of all I want to have an effective life and leave happy children on this planet. That's it. That's a lot."

The family element of Firewall is close to home for the father of four, who now finds himself also playing father to Calista's five-year-old adopted son, Liam, whom Ford describes as "a joy".

Clearly Ford has found comfort in being able to provide security for his own family and maybe Calista is happy enough with the commitment he has shown not to rush him into making her his third wife.

If and when Ford does take his vows again you can bet he'll manage to do it without the world watching. We will have to make do with the couple's possible on-screen nuptials - should they ever happen.

"Yeah, if the audience is interested in seeing a romance with a 63-year-old leading man," laughs Ford.

"I don't do a lot of physical training. I've suffered a lucky genetic accident and I play a little tennis. But I do the movie action as much as possible."

- By Pippa Smith