Forrest Gump, a 1994 American comedy-drama film helmed by director Robert Zemeckis and penned by Eric Roth, traces the journey of a gentle-hearted, simple-minded man as he navigates through various decades of 20th-century life in the United States.
In the movie, you’ll find acting contributions from Tom Hanks (taking on the character of Forrest Gump) as well as performances by Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Haley Joel Osment, and Sally Field.
There’s probably a lot that you don’t know about this film (which was one of the best films of the 1990s), but today my aim is to change that…
Here are 21 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know about Forrest Gump
1. The film is based on the 1986 book of the same name by Winston Groom. The film differs substantially from the novel.
2. The film was made on an estimated budget of $55 million. The film brought in $678 million at the box office. It took only 66 days for the film to pass the $250 million mark at the box office.
3. In response to the studio’s budget reductions, both Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks decided to forgo a significant portion of their salaries in exchange for a share of the film’s profits. This decision eventually resulted in Hanks earning an estimated $40 million.
4. In the film, Forrest Gump embarks on his ping-pong journey in the infirmary. A fellow soldier shares a valuable tip: “Keep your eye on the ball at all times.” Following this enlightening piece of advice, Forrest’s ping-pong prowess becomes evident as he exhibits unwavering concentration during every match, hardly ever blinking.
5. Tom Hanks decided to join the film after a relatively brief hour and a half spent reading the script. However, he had a critical condition for taking on the role: that the film remained historically accurate. At first, he contemplated softening Forrest’s distinctive Southern accent, but it was Robert Zemeckis who convinced him to stay true to the accent emphasized in the novel.
Hanks modeled his speech after Michael Conner Humphreys, the young Forrest, who naturally spoke in that manner. While the crew, particularly studio head Sherry Lansing, had initial reservations about Hanks’ unique accent choice, Zemeckis stood firm in his vision.
6. The necklace adorned by Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise) is a rosary featuring a Saint Christopher medal that bears the inscription “Protect Us In Combat.” This particular necklace, which Sinise wore in the film, was originally worn in Vietnam by his brother-in-law, Jack Treese in 1967 & 1968.
7. During the ping-pong matches, there was no ball; it was entirely CGI, animated to meet the actors’ paddles.
8. The iconic running scene in Forrest Gump drew inspiration from a real-life event. Back in 1982, a 16-year-old named Louis Michael Figueroa embarked on a cross-country run from New Jersey to San Francisco to support the American Cancer Society.
Unbeknownst to him, this extraordinary journey became the muse for Forrest Gump’s memorable run in the movie, encapsulated by the famous line: “I just put one foot in front of the other. When I get tired, I sleep. When I get hungry, I eat. When I have to go to the bathroom, I go.”
9. The park bench that served as Tom Hanks’ iconic spot for much of the movie was situated in the historically significant Chippewa Square in Savannah, Georgia. The fibreglass bench he occupied during filming has since been carefully preserved by relocating it to a museum.
This measure was taken to safeguard it from the harsh elements and potential theft. Interestingly, the church where the feather initially descends is located a mere 100 yards away, down the same street from the bench. Today, you can still admire this famous bench as it resides in the History Museum in Savannah, Georgia.
10. Bill Murray, John Travolta, and Chevy Chase all declined the opportunity to play the character of Forrest Gump. In hindsight, Travolta acknowledged that rejecting the role was an error on his part. Robert Zemeckis initially considered Bill Paxton as a top choice for the lead role, but the studio insisted on casting a more prominent star.
Interestingly, Winston Groom, the author of the novel, had long envisioned John Goodman as his ideal choice for Gump, a character who is depicted as a 300 lbs (136 kg) man in the book.
11. The movie’s line, “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” was voted as the #40 movie quote by the American Film Institute (out of 100).
12. The shrimp business owned by Forrest and Dan, known as “Bubba Gump,” has evolved into a themed restaurant present in 33 different locations across the globe.
13. After the film’s success, Winston Groom penned a sequel novel titled Gump & Co. in 1995. In this book, Groom references the movie as if it were part of Forrest’s world, portraying it as an inaccurate portrayal of his life that brought him unwelcome media attention. Notably, the novel features Forrest meeting the actor Tom Hanks.
14. Alan Silvestri, the composer, crafted the musical scores for both Forrest Gump and the Back to the Future trilogy. Notably, the theme in Forrest Gump is a modified version of the melody heard at the start of Back to the Future Part III, during a scene where Marty and Doc are resting in Doc’s living room.
15. Haley Joel Osment made his film debut in this movie as Forrest, Jr. Five years later, he’d become an international sensation (and be nominated for an Oscar) for his work as the little boy who saw dead people in The Sixth Sense.
16. While a significant portion of the story is set in Alabama, the filming of Forrest Gump predominantly occurred in various Southern locations. Beaufort, South Carolina, served as the central hub for production, with the cast and crew residing in the vicinity for a significant portion of the filming.
Numerous scenes, spanning from the fictitious Greenbow, Alabama, to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, were actually shot in the states of South Carolina and Georgia.
17. Tom Hanks has reportedly said Forrest’s unheard speech included the following: “Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mamas without any legs. Sometimes they don’t go home at all. That’s a bad thing. That’s all I have to say about that.”
18. Throughout each of Forrest’s age transitions, a consistent element persists. In the initial scene of each transition, he is adorned in a blue plaid shirt.
19. The role of Jenny Curran, which was ultimately played by Robin Wright, was declined by Jodie Foster, Demi Moore, and Nicole Kidman.
20. Ice Cube, Dave Chappelle, and David Alan Grier declined the opportunity to portray the character Bubba. Chappelle’s skepticism about the film’s success and Ice Cube’s reluctance to portray a character he perceived as foolish led to their decisions.
As a result, Mykelti Williamson was eventually selected for the role. Chappelle later expressed profound regret for turning down the part and, interestingly, went on to co-star as Tom Hanks’ best friend in 1998’s You’ve Got Mail.
21. The film was nominated for 13. Oscars and won 6 at the 67th Academy Awards. Tom Hanks won the Oscar for Best Actor.
Well, there you have it, 21 Interesting Facts you might not have known about the 1994 film Forrest Gump. If I’ve left out something important, feel free to comment below.
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