Forrest Gump quickly earned its title in every movie lover’s Hall of Fame after its 1994 release. Tom Hanks was praised for his iconic performance of the title character who could do it all, but how much do you really know about the film that had everyone comparing life to a box of chocolates? Read on to find out the secrets of the cinematic masterpiece…
Historically Correct
Tom Hanks is a very esteemed and celebrated actor, and it’s because he takes such pride in his work. He said he wouldn’t sign onto the script unless it was historically accurate. Attention to detail matters!
Accent Accuracy
Tom Hanks was a little uncomfortable with Gump’s strong southern accent. He was worried he wouldn’t be able to do it convincingly, but he was persuaded by director Robert Zemeckis to dive into the drawl written for the character.
An Iconic Year
When Forrest Gump was in theaters, it did pretty well. However, also in theaters at the time were classics like Pulp Fiction, Shawshank Redemption, and Jurassic Park leading the box office sales.
Money Maker
The original budget for the movie was 55 million dollars. A high price, but luckily the film earned over 279 million dollars in the opening month.
Stars in the Stars
In the movie, Gary Sinise’s character makes a reference to the Forrest Gump book. He says that the day Forrest works on the shrimp boat is the day he becomes an astronaut, both of which are jobs he held in the book.
Casting Conundrum
Though Tom Hanks’ performance was hailed as some of his best work, he almost didn’t have the part. The first choice was John Travolta. Bill Murray and Chevy Chase were also considered. Bet they’re upset they passed it up!
Child’s Play
Tom’s accent matches perfectly to the child who plays young Forrest. The reason is that Hanks modeled it after the boy’s voice, and it worked perfectly.
Paying His Way
You might think actors make big bucks, but Tom Hanks was not paid his actors fee for the famous film. Instead, he took percentage points that earned him 40 million dollars.
Could You Imagine?
Beatles legend John Lennon appears briefly in the film. Almost all of his lines are from the hit song “Imagine”. Lennon says lines like “no possessions”, “no religion, too”, and “it’s easy if you try.”
Haley Joel Osment
The spooky kid from The Sixth Sense had a much more wholesome role early on in his career. His first on-screen appearance was in Forrest Gump as Forrest’s son!
Improv Acting
The line “My name is Forrest Gump. People call me Forrest Gump,” was not found anywhere in the script. Hanks improvised the line when filming, and it made the final cut!
Monetary Loss
Despite the massive success of the movie, Paramount claimed to be $62 million short at the time of release due to costs of promotion and distribution.
Oh Bubba
Who saw this casting? Originally, Tupac Shakur auditioned for the role of Forrest’s friend Bubba.
Keep On Running
Forrest Gump ran across the country, but Tom Hanks certainly didn’t. In fact, most of his distantly shot running scenes were done by his younger brother, Jim Hanks!
Mic Drop
When in Washington DC, Forrest gives a moving speech. However, the mic is pulled at the very start. Though unheard, the dialogue from the speech is “Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas 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.”
Hometown Homage
The look of Forrest’s hometown came from the paintings of Norman Rockwell. The paintings had a largely American focus, and he illustrated the Saturday Evening Post for 50 years!
Director Decisions
Though the coveted spot went to Robert Zemeckis, two other directors were considered for the movie. Both Terry Gilliam and Barry Sonnenfeld turned down the opportunity.
Age Change
The audience sees Forrest Gump grow up through the years, and each change in age is signaled with a visual. He’s wearing a blue plaid shirt every time the scene switches age!
Sitting Pretty
Forrest tells his story from the comfort of a bus stop bench. That same bench was sold at auction for $25,000 and now sits in a museum.
Spotting Jenny
When at the Lincoln Memorial peace rally, Forrest spots Jenny in the crowd. The huge crowd was created with 1500 extras and visual effects. The extras were continuously moved, then multiplied with computers in post-production.
Sweet Home Alabama
Most of the film is set in Alabama, but it wasn’t shot there. In fact, the state shots came mostly from South Carolina and Virginia, as well as some parts of North Carolina.
Reel to Real
Bubba opens his own shrimp emporium in the movie, but the fictional restaurant became a reality and now exists in countries like USA, Japan, China, Mexico, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, and the UK.
Odd Jobs
Though Forrest holds many jobs in the movie, he holds even more in the book! In the novel, he also has jobs as an astronaut, wrestler, and chess player. He really can do it all!
Eye on the Ball
When learning to play ping-pong, a passerby tells Gump to keep his eye on the ball. He does this perfectly– he doesn’t blink whenever he’s shown playing ping-pong!
On the Scene
The reporter who is seen when Gump visits Washington DC isn’t an actor at all. He was a tourist visiting with his family and was passing by the set when he was asked to appear quickly in the scene.
National Recognition
The Library of Congress selected Forrest Gump for preservation in the US National Film Registry in 2011. The film is described as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”
Extra Extras
All the hippies in the peace rally scene came directly from the Maryland Renaissance Festival. The reason? Long hair is a staple for both hippies and renaissance actors!
Winning It All
The film won a lot of awards in 1995. It won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Tom Hanks), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, and Best Film Editing. Whew!
Creating a Cripple
Using a blue fabric to cover his calves, Gary Sinise’s leg were digitally removed in post-production.
Ping Pong Production
Though it’s nice to believe Tom Hanks learned how to dominate a ping-pong table for the movie, the reality is that all the games are CGI’d to matches Hanks’ moves.
Big Win
The movie was the first success for Paramount since being acquired by Viacom.
Sounds Good!
The soundtrack for the film was wildly popular and sold about 12 million copies across the globe.
Bubba’s Prosthetic
Bubba and Forrest were an iconic duo, but they weren’t exact replicas of their characters. Mykelti Williamson wore a prosthetic in his lip to accentuate the role.
Life Isn’t Like A Box of Chocolates
Though it’s maybe the most iconic line from the film, the line from the book is a little darker. The quote is “Let me say this: bei’n a idiot is no box of chocolates. People laugh, lose patience, treat you shabby. Now they says folks s’posed to be kind to the afflicted, but let me tell you – it ain’t always that way. Even so, I got no complaints, cause I reckon I done live a pretty interestin’ life, so to speak.”
A Real Runner
Forrest’s cross country run was inspired by 16-year-old Louis Michael Figueroa who ran from New Jersey to San Francisco to show support for the American Cancer Society.
Lie of Lyndon
The clip of Lyndon B. Johnson awarding Forrest with a Medal of Honor was actually real footage. The award was being given to Sammy L. Davis, and Tom Hanks’ face and body were superimposed later on.
FNGs
When Lieutenant Dan refers to Bubba and Forrest as his “FNGs”, this is an acronym that stands for “f*cking new guys”.
Blind Sided
There are many photos shown in the movie. Forrest’s eyes are closed in all of them!
Series Irregular
Though it was so popular, Tom Hanks refused to do a sequel. He felt there was nothing more to the story, and an alternate actor was never considered for a sequel.
Old Aged
Though she plays his dying mother, Sally Fields is only ten years older than her on-screen son!
Sick Sports
When filming the football scenes, you would never guess it, but Tom Hanks was suffering from influenza. Yikes!
Chocolate Chops
“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get,” is regarded as one of the most famous quotes from the movie and all time. It was ranked number 40 by the American Film Institutes’s 100 Years of Movie Quotes list.
Sickly Sweet
When performing the nightclub singing scene, Robin Wright (who plays Jenny) was suffering a cold. Despite this, she still performed for 24 hours straight.
A Bubba by Another Name
Other actors were considered for the role of Bubba. Some of the names in the ring were Ice Cube, Dave Chappelle, and David Alan Grier were all considered. Chappelle later said he regretted passing it up.
Secret Elvis
Though he is uncredited, Kurt Russell claims he was the voice of Elvis in the movie. This is very possible, as he played Presley in the 1979 movie Elvis.
Where Is the Shrimp Boat?
Today, the shrimp boat used in the film sits outside a Planet Hollywood Restaurant in Disney. A ping pong paddle signed by Hanks himself hangs on the wall of the restaurant!
Just Jenny
Robin Wright was perfect for the role, but other options considered were Jodie Foster, Nicole Kidman, and Demi Moore. All of them said no!
Patriot Act
The house used in Forrest Gump might look familiar. That’s because it was also used in The Patriot, though some of the interior decoration was changed.
Crapshoot!
Tom Hanks said that the film could have gone either way, calling it a “Crapshoot” in one interview. He was really unsure about how people would view it.
American Idols
All of the songs and artists featured in the movie are American performances, keeping with the small-town-America theme.
Back 2 Back
Hanks won Best Actor for Philadelphia in 1994, and for Forrest Gump in 1995. No other actor has won this award two years in a row!
Out of Work
After being Bubba, Mykelti Williamson couldn’t get an acting gig. His lip prosthetic made casting directors think he was too unattractive to be in any other roles. Eventually, though, he got back into the business.
What’s Next?
The writers addressed an unreleased sequel in which Forrest meets O.J Simpson and Princess Diana. He’d also meet Mark Zuckerberg and the Winklevoss twins and would help out with Hurricane Katrina.
Apple Investments
In the movie, Forrest invests in “some kind of fruit company” which is a nod to Apple. Today, assuming his investment is $10,000, it would be around $2.5 million.
Young Forrest’s Fate
Michael Conner Humphreys played Forrest as a young boy, but just like real Forrest, he joined the army. He did an 18-month tour in Iraq.
Pratt Attack
Actor Chris Pratt has a loose connection to this film. He was working at a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant when he was discovered. A casting director eating there liked his look, and got him his first role!
Leg Lift
At one point in the movie, Lieutenant Dan is seen getting into his wheelchair. Though you can’t see the CGI legs, he used his legs for support instead of just hoisting himself.
Carried Away
When Gump carries Bubba away from an attack in the Vietnam War, Williamson is actually being dragged by a cable to make Gump look stronger and make him easier to carry.
Grandfather Mountain
While Forrest is running through America, he runs through some curved roads. A portion of the road in North Carolina where Forrest runs was later named “Forrest Gump Curve.”
Cool Cameo
Dick Cavett is the only figure in the film to play himself. Though many characters are famous people of the era, only Cavett was available to play himself.