Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
1994 was a great year for American cinema and one of the standout movies of the year was the Tom Hanks starrerForrest Gump.Forrest Gumpcame only second to one of the most popular animated films of all time,The Lion King, at the box office grossing $678 million. It also faced heavy competition at the Academy Awards from exceptional films likeThe Shawshank RedemptionandPulp Fiction.
The film won six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor for Tom Hanks, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Eric Roth.Forrest Gumpwas based on Winston Groom’s novel of the same name, however, writer Eric Roth changed a lot of the original story. Further, Roth’s script had to undergo several changes according to director Robert Zemeckis’ vision.
Also Read:“It was a blessing”: Before His ‘Mindless’ $7.3B Franchise, Vin Diesel Helped Legendary Steven Spielberg in Directing $482M Tom Hanks Movie That Was Snubbed at the Oscars
The Biggest Change In Script In The Tom Hanks Movie
Robert Zemeckis changed the focus of Eric Roth’s script away from the elements of fantasy and fictional history, instead usingTom Hanks’ character to take the audience through real American history. However, one of the biggest changes, which could have changed the audience’s perception for the worse, involvedRobin Wright’s character Jenny Curran.
Several fans of the movie viewed Jenny, who was Forrest Gump’s love interest, as a villain. Jenny was the only lifelong friend Forrest had, who accepted him for who he was. But Jenny had a terrible childhood with a s*xually abusive father which made her abandon Forrest and run away. In a discussion at a USC panel aboutForrest Gump, Zemeckis revealed Jenny’s deleted scene from the movie.
The scene implied that as a young girl, Jenny was responsible for her father’s death, although the actual killing was not shown on screen. Zemeckis had filmed the scene but ultimately chose to delete it from the final cut. The producer of the film, Steve Starkey, agreed with the decision, considering it too dark and graphic for a film likeForrest Gump.
Also Read:“Look, you guys, we can’t do this”: Tom Hanks Saved Steven Spielberg’s $482M Movie With Past Experience After Cast Mutinied Against Matt Damon
Why Was Jenny Hated So Much InForrest Gump?
While Tom Hanks was loved for his portrayal of Forrest Gump, people hated Robin Wright’s Jenny. Calling Jenny’s actions “selfish”, a section of the Internet described her as one of the worst villains in cinema. According to them, Jenny always abandoned Forrest when he needed her the most, but only appeared in his life when she needed him.
With the hate surrounding Wright’s character, the director’s decision proved right as the deleted scene would have attached the tag “murderer” to the unfairly villainized character. Eric Roth agreed with Zemeckis’s decision:
“Bob always said, I think he was probably right in the long run, if she kills that man, as bad as that guy is, the audience will never recover from it. They won’t ever let her off the hook.”
Although Jenny’s intentions were in the right place, her trauma and low self-esteem made her think that she was unworthy of Forrest’s love. Further, only Forrest Gump’s perspective was explored in the film which had less screen space for Jenny. The limited version we see of Jenny over the years could not explore the entire struggles that the character underwent.
Also Read:“It’s not sort of trying to just give you a b-ner”: Paul Thomas Anderson Claimed Tom Hanks Should’ve Had S-x With Co-Star In $678M Movie That He Felt As Missed Opportunity
Forrest Gumpis available for streaming on Paramount Plus.
Source:Twitter
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
