Tom Hanks as an actor has done some of the most incredible roles possible. He has no shortage of iconic roles and to work with as much talent as he has, there is no wonder why his fans are always mesmerized by his performances. Having done so many films, the actor has also worked with talented actors, directors, and other crew members.
Out of his massive filmography, one film that stands out astonishingly is Forrest Gump. The movie made the celebrity what he is today and offered him the spotlight that he had been yearning for. Although the movie had an iconic foothold, there were some scenes that Hanks could not understand the depth of. One such scene was even asked to be removed by him.
Tom Hanks Wanted A Significant Scene Changed From Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks was confused while filming Forrest Gump. There were various scenes that did not resonate with him. He even asked the director to have many of those scenes changed or removed, questioning their existence in the process. One scene in particular had Hanks’ character in the midst of Vietnam.
“There’s the scene with the ambush in Vietnam.” He added, “and Bob Zemeckis originally wanted Forrest to be confused and run away. I said, ‘Bob, why am I playing a soldier who is really good at his basic training without then showing me slapping in my clip and firing a set of rounds?'”
The original sequence would have shown Gump cowering away in fear of war and contradicting his entire personality as well as all he went through in basic training. Hanks demanded that the scene be changed, adding to his iconic role’s personality in the best way possible since cowardice was not something many associated Forrest Gump with. Although his character goes through a lot throughout his journey, running away in the heat of battle was not something he found himself liking.
Tom Hanks Did Not Understand The Bench
Forrest Gump has one thing that makes it stand out significantly; the bench. However, that was not something Tom Hanks understood while making the film. He saw it to be a pointless inclusion and found it rather peculiar as to why the scenes with the bench were even being filmed. He did not know why the scenes were being filmed or if anyone would even watch them, but it was Zemeckis’s reply to him that changed his perception.
“I said to Bob [Zemeckis], ‘Is anyone going to care about this nut sitting on a [bench]? What is this? No one knows what’s in this thing I mean.'”
According to the director, these scenes were being filmed with an unsure sense of whether or not they would be as successful as he hoped. He was ready to take the risk and try to understand just what the audiences were looking for. Luckily, his idea worked flawlessly and Forrest Gump became an iconic movie.
Source: New York Times
