tragicomedy
Tom Hanks initially had doubts about the success of his Oscar film “Forrest Gump”
It was on this bench that Forrest Gump said his famous words: “Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.”
© United Archives / Picture Alliance
Tom Hanks initially had doubts about the success of his mega hit “Forrest Gump”. As is well known, things turned out differently and the film won six Oscars.
Tom Hanks initially had doubts about the success of his Oscar film “Forrest Gump” from 1994. He revealed that according to media reports at a promotional event for his first novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, in New York.
“Hey Bob, I have a question for you. Will anyone be interested in this film?” he asked director Robert Zemeckis at the time. “This guy sitting on a thing with these silly shoes and this ridiculous suit with a suitcase full of Coco books and stuff,” the actor said. “Are we doing anything here that makes sense to anyone?”
Director warned Tom Hanks of ‘minefield’
Zemeckis wasn’t sure either. “It’s a minefield,” the director replied. “We could sow the seeds of our own destruction. Every step we take could be a mine that will blow our balls off.”
As you know, things turned out differently. The film about the naïve but thoroughly lovable Forrest, which also takes up a number of real events in American history, became a mega hit. “Forrest Gump” grossed 678 million US dollars worldwide and was the most successful film of 1994 in both the USA and Germany. The tragic comedy won six Oscars – including one for leading actor Hanks. Today the film is seen more critically than naively and politically unreflective.
After the “minefield” “ForrestGump”, Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis worked together several times. They shot “Cast Away”, “The Polar Express” and most recently the critically panned Disney remake “Pinocchio”.
30 years after “Forrest Gump” the next collaboration between Hanks and Zemeckis is about to start. The shooting of “Here” is imminent. In it, Hanks stars alongside Forrest Gump co-star Robin Wright. The couple should also be digitally rejuvenated.