Forrest Gump, 30 years later

Thirty years ago, in 1994, one of the most iconic and most quoted films of all time was released in theaters across the country.  Forrest Gump, the story of an intellectually disabled man who lives through some of the most pivotal moments in the mid-20th Century was a smash hit with audiences and movie critics.  Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film details the life of Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), as he lives through a thirty-year period from the 1950s to the early 1980s.  Along the way, he bears witness to some of the most significant moments in American history, including the Civil Rights Movement, the Hippie era of the 1960s, and the Vietnam War. 

During this time, Forrest meets several friends along the way, including his childhood friend Jenny (Robin Wright), who he eventually marries.  In Vietnam, he meets his commanding officer Lieutenant Dan Taylor (Gary Sinise), and befriends a fellow soldier who is assigned to the same platoon as him named Bubba Blue (Mykelti Willamson), who encourages Forrest to start a shrimping boat business with him after they serve their time in the army.  After a battle in Vietnam in which Bubba is killed and Lieutenant Dan loses both of his legs, Forrest is awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery.  

He later heads to Alabama to keep his promise to Bubba and becomes a shrimping boat captain.  Lieutenant Dan then joins Forrest and the two of them founded the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.  Unfortunately, soon after founding Bubba Gump Shrimp, Forrest’s mother (Sally Field) dies of cancer, and Jenny declines Forrest’s marriage proposal.  This inspires him to run across America for the next three and a half years, after which Jenny does accept to marry Forrest and he helps to raise their son, Forrest Junior.  After Jenny’s death in 1982, Forrest raises his son on his own, with the final scene seeing Forrest prepare his son for the first day of school, just like his mother did.

Forrest Gump was nominated for 13 Academy Awards and ended up winning six of them.  It also marked the first time that Tom Hanks won back-to-back Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role, having received his first Oscar for Best Actor for the film Philadelphia.  Forrest Gump also won the Oscar for Best Director, Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Picture.  Thirty years on, Forrest Gump continues to amaze and delight all of those who see it and will continue to do so for many years to come.