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It’s one of the most celebrated movies in film history, remains one of Tom Hank’s most prized roles, and this year it turns 20 years old. But even two decades later, dedicated fans are still learning new information about their favourite film.
Take a look at some of these little-known interesting facts that make the film so special.
5. Haley Joel Osment Thought He Was Going to be the Lead
In 2009 Tom Hanks became the 30th actor to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. Throughout the night of the ceremony, several of Hanks’ colleagues, peers, and friends made speeches in his honour, one of whom was Haley Joel Osment. Osment played Hanks’ son in the film, who was also named Forrest.
During his speech, which you can watch on YouTube, Osment told an anecdote about how excited he was to hear the initial news that he had gotten the role, especially since it would be his acting debut at just 4 years old. However, it had to be explained to him later that he was not the lead character, as the title led him to believe.
4. Some of the Most Iconic Scenes Took Place When the Actors Were Sick
During the scene when Jenny is dancing at a strip club, actress Robin Wright was actually sick with a bad cold. According to IMDb, “In spite of this, she was still able to perform her own singing during a non-stop twenty-four hour shoot in which she was nearly nude except for her guitar.”
And Wright wasn’t the only one who got ill during filming only to pull off an equally impressive performance. During the scene of Forrest playing football, Tom Hanks had come down with a bad case of the flu.
3. There is a Forrest Gump Game
Sure, the lack of action in the movie makes it slightly difficult to facilitate an adventure game, not to mention the difficulties the flashbacks cause with the constantly changing settings and landscapes. But one gaming company has found a way to make the ever changing scenery work for them, instead of against them.
The Forrest Gump game, which can be played at InterCasino, was one of the first available in the film’s image. There are scenes from the movie included the opening sequence (which include the aforementioned football scene) and users can even play as Forrest when different combinations are achieved as a way to win bonuses.
2. It’s Not Perfect
Okay, so it’s probably as close to perfect as a movie can get. However, when any movie is as loved as this one, people tend to watch it over, and over, and over again. Not surprisingly, the repetitive views have led some keen eyes to notice a few mistakes. Fifty-one instances of inaccuracies, continuity mishaps, and editing and productions goofs have been reported in the film by submissions on Movie Mistakes.
1. It Wasn’t Universally Loved By Critics
Despite the film achieving a 95/100 rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, it only earned a 71/100 from critics. The relatively mediocre rating is surprising given the slew of awards the film received. The film won six Academy Awards in 1995, including “Best Picture,” “Best Actor,” and “Best Director”—arguably three of the most prominent categories to win awards in.
But it’s clear not everyone listens to critics. If the film didn’t have such a strong fanbase, these little facts probably never would have come to light in the first place.