Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump is the lead character of the eponymous 1985 novel by Winston Groom, and of the 1994 Paramount Pictures film based on the novel. The film was a huge commercial success, although Paramount, in line with Hollywood accounting, claimed it was a commercial failure, and did not pay Groom his share of the profits. As such, Groom has refused to allow the novel's sequel, Gump and Co., to be filmed, stating that he could not in good conscience sell the rights to film the sequel to a failure. The film garnered a total of 13 Academy Award nominations, of which it won 6, including Best Picture and Best Director. The film differs substantially from the book on which it was based.

The film

The film, which was directed by Robert Zemeckis, tells the story of a simple man's epic journey through life, meeting historical figures and experiencing first-hand historic events largely unaware of their significance, due to his low IQ. In the film, Forrest (played by Tom Hanks) calls the police about the Watergate break-in, invents the smiley face without realizing it, inspires John Lennon to write "Imagine", and makes millions on Apple Computer stock thinking he has invested in a fruit company.

Related Topics:
Robert Zemeckis - IQ - Tom Hanks - Watergate break-in - Smiley face - John Lennon - Imagine - Apple Computer - Stock

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The film was praised by many critics as a modern fable. The film's special effects include blending of Gump with footage of various historical figures, a process sometimes referred to as "gumping."

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Plot summary of the movie

Young Forrest Gump was born in fictional Greenbow, Alabama with a crooked spine, forcing to walk with the aid of leg braces from a young age. His odd walk proved paramount to the inception of young musician Elvis Presley's dance routine. Overcoming his physical handicap, Forrest began to run extensively. This running ability brought him great success with the football team of the University of Alabama (playing for the legendary Paul Bryant). During service with the US Army in the Vietnam War, he helped to carry wounded members of his platoon to safety, earning him the Medal of Honor. Afterwards, he becomes an expert in playing Ping-Pong, so that he goes to play to Communist China. He becomes a national hero, and obtains high amounts of money ($25,000) by saying he liked to use a certain Ping-Pong paddle.

Related Topics:
Alabama - Spine - Leg - Brace - Elvis Presley - University of Alabama - Paul Bryant - US Army - Vietnam War - Medal of Honor

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After being discharged from the Army, he returned home and began a shrimp business, drawing on advice given to him by his army buddy, Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue (Mykelti Williamson). His former commander, Lieutenant Dan Taylor (Gary Sinise), joined him in his business venture, the Bubba Gump Shrimp Corporation, which was named after his fallen comrade. One particular instance that arose during Forrest's shrimping career involved Forrest and Lieutenant Dan taking their boat out during Hurricane Carmen. Returning to port after the hurricane, they found that all other fishing boats in the area had been destroyed by the storm, giving them an instant monopoly in the shrimp market and thus making Forrest a very wealthy man. In addition, his financial advisor had him purchase shares of Apple Computer before the company's rise to fame, making Forrest even wealthier once the company took off. Forrest imparts a portion of his fortune to the mother of his late friend Bubba, feeling it only just that his friend receive his share of the profits, even if he is not there to enjoy the 'fruits of his labor'. Moreover, he buys, then subsequently tears down, the house where his childhood sweetheart, Jenny (Robin Wright Penn), had been abused by her alcoholic father. After his mother's death, he remains in his childhood home. Jenny meets Forrest and lives with him for a while, then leaves after Forrest asked her to marry him. After her departure, Forrest begins to run around the country continuously for about three years, inspiring several people, and becoming a national celebrity again.

Related Topics:
Shrimp - Mykelti Williamson - Gary Sinise - Hurricane Carmen - Monopoly - Apple Computer - Robin Wright Penn

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On completion of Forrest's narration to the various people who wait with him at the bus stop, he discovers from a lady with whom he has been speaking that Jenny's house, his destination since the very beginning of the film, was merely "5 or 6 blocks" down Henry street. He is reunited with Jenny and, unbeknowst to Forrest initially, his son. Jenny tells Forrest that the boy is named after his father; the child is Forrest's son. However, the moment was bittersweet, as Jenny later tells Forrest she is suffering from an unknown virus, the symptoms of which sound indicative of AIDS.

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Jenny and Forrest Jr move in with Forrest in Greenbow, and Jenny and Forrest are finally married.

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Jenny finally died "on a Saturday morning", March 22, 1982 (Although the actual March 22, 1982 is a Monday), making Forrest the only parent to little Forrest (Haley Joel Osment), a bright child who attends school. Jenny's death causes Forrest to question the nature of life: "Is it 'destiny,' or merely events 'just floating around accidental-like?' Or perhaps it is a little of both."

Related Topics:
March 22 - 1982 - Haley Joel Osment

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Meetings with presidents

Forrest is shown meeting with three American presidents:

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• He meets John F. Kennedy after the All American Team is invited to the White House. While there Forrest drinks too many Dr. Peppers, and when it is his turn to shake hands with the president, the president asks him "How do you feel?" and he replies "I got to go pee." He then goes to Kennedy's bathroom where the "red phone" direct line to the Soviet Union and a photo signed from Marilyn Monroe are seen off to the side.
• President Lyndon B. Johnson is shown awarding the Congressional Medal of Honor to four American soldiers including Forrest, after he is wounded saving the remainder of his platoon in Vietnam. The president asks Forrest about his wound, which was in the 'buttocks', and says metaphorically that he'd like to see it. Forrest obliges, turns around and shows the president where he had been hit.
• Forrest meets President Richard Nixon, who asks him where he is staying, and then offers to put Forrest up in a much nicer hotel. Forrest is shown making a phone call at the hotel to send a maintenance man to the suite, which is being burgled. It turns out to be the Watergate Hotel and implies that the phonecall he made began the infamous Watergate scandal.

Criticism of the film

Though popular among many, Forrest Gump's warm reception was not universal. Particularly outside the United States, the film was viewed as extended and undeserved praise of ignorant naïveté, a stereotypical trait widely associated with Americans in some quarters.

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Others, including Lloyd Kaufman note that Gump's successes result from doing what he is told by others, and never showing any of initiative of his own, in contrast to Jenny's more forthright and independent character who is shown descending into drugs, prostitution and death.

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Still others point out that much like Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," it was a premature overly generous homage to the Baby Boomer generation. Like Joel's 1989 single, the film celebrates what that generation witnessed (but to which it did not contribute), criticizes what that generation condemned (but to which it does not offer corrections), yet absolves it of any responsibility for its shortcomings and failures.

Related Topics:
Billy Joel - We Didn't Start the Fire

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