For as long as there have been movies, there have been theories surrounding them. These range from ridiculous theories like Kevin McCalister from Home Alone becoming Jigsaw from the Saw series, to more believable ones like Sean Connery’s character in The Rock being an older James Bond. Fans love to read films in ways that may not have been intended, but add extra layers upon repeat viewings. One theory that has been slowly rising to public consciousness revolves around the classic Tom Hanks vehicle Forrest Gump.
The film follows the titular character as he sits on a bench and tells his life story to anyone who sits next to him. His life is nothing short of extraordinary. He has a hand in several major historical events from the 1950s to the early ’80s. These include teaching Elvis how to dance, meeting several presidents, and of course, being the key witness to the Watergate Scandal. A young boy from Alabama growing up to do these incredible things seem unbelievable, and it very well may be. The theory here is that Forrest did very few of these things if any.
What Was Forrest Gump’s True Story?
Several events in Forrest’s life led to national coverage. These few things Forrest likely did do, as there is proof of him doing it. The first thing he undeniably did was found the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. This shrimping business became famous and well-known with Forrest being the face of the company. He proves as much when he pulls a magazine with his face on it out of the suitcase he is carrying with him. Even one of the men he is telling his tale to recognizes the name Bubba Gump, even if he doesn’t recognize Forrest himself.
Most casual people may not know what the owner of a popular business looks like, especially in the days before social media. Even today, odds are most people will recognize the name Walmart, but wouldn’t be able to point out the founder from a crowd. The people on the bench may not have recognized Forrest as the owner of Bubba Gump, but this doesn’t add to the argument he is lying.
The other thing Forrest likely really did was go on his country-wide run. One day, in his own words, Forrest felt like running. His run led him over the United States nearly five times over and lasted over three years. This run made news in practically every state and led Forrest into becoming something of a legend. He had newspapers, magazines, and television spots dedicated to him. Like his involvement with Bubba Gump, this lengthy jog has proof backing up Forrest’s claims.
Did He or Didn’t He?
While being the brainchild behind a successful business and running for three years straight is certainly fantastic, these are but footnotes in the incredible life of Forrest Gump. That is, of course, if he is to be believed. From a young age, Forrest had a hand in influencing history. His mother owned a popular boarding house and one day a young Elvis Presley states there. The future King of Rock saw the funny way Forrest danced and incorporated it into his own act, helping him reach superstardom. Like the famous “My dad works for Microsoft” arguments so many gamers heard in Halo lobbies in the 2010s, there is no evidence proving this happened. There were some things that should have proof backing them up, however, although this doesn’t seem to be the case.
Forrest met several US Presidents on national television. Each time, he does something to embarrass himself. From blatantly telling JFK he has to pee to exposing himself to LBJ, Forrest should have become infamous. The people he tells his story to have no idea who he is, yet someone who acts this way not once, but twice to sitting US Presidents on live television would likely be remembered in the public consciousness.
Forrest is also an athletic all-star. High school football, college football, and an American ping-pong league were all homes to Forrest at some point. If there is one thing many Americans know, it is sports. They can tell you practically the entire life story of famous athletes, yet seemingly nobody recognizes Forrest. Granted right after his illustrious football career, the Vietnam War broke out. This could mean people’s attention was elsewhere, but still, surely somebody would remember the All-American football champ, Forrest Gump.
Why Would Forrest Lie?
If this theory is to be believed, why would Forrest lie? Why would he spend his time placing himself into history for the amusement of strangers? Perhaps he is trying to impress people, maybe trying to make a new friend. Or perhaps, he isn’t lying at all. At least not intentionally. Perhaps his experiences in Vietnam created PTSD to the extent that it completely collapsed his ability to distinguish truth from fiction (think a more heartwarming Jacob’s Ladder).
Maybe he’s simply intellectually different. He surely isn’t the first person to tell a stranger on a park bench bizarre stories about JFK or Vietnam. After all, the two most important people in his life, his mother and Jenny, are constantly telling him how special he is. It isn’t outside the realm of possibility that his mother raised him while telling him he is destined for great things. He is shown to take nearly everything his mother tells him to heart and lives by her teachings throughout his life.
He could have seen Elvis dancing and convinced himself he was the reason behind it. Tons of people come through his mother’s boarding house, so why not an Elvis fan, impersonator, or the man himself? He went all through Vietnam hearing the cries of peace from John Lennon, surely he would love to meet someone like Forrest Gump. Forrest could have convinced himself all these things happening around him were because of him. He very well could have been at the Watergate Hotel that fateful night, or just saw it on TV, and in his mind, the scandal went into motion because of him. The film makes it clear that Forrest has a very unique view of the world, so his placing himself in various historical events isn’t all that crazy.
Like most film theories, this one likely doesn’t hold much water to most. People want Forrest Gump to be a true story, because that’s inspirational. But if this theory is taken seriously, the film because a rather sad and pathetic story about a mentally unhealthy man who has dissociated from reality. That being said, it is an interesting concept to keep in the back of one’s mind the next time they put on the movie. After all, if Sandy from Grease could be dead the entire time, why can’t Forrest Gump be telling some tall tales?
