Forrest Gump turns 25, and its appeal lives on

It was 25 years ago yesterday that Robert Zemeckis’s film Forrest Gump opened to wild acclaim and became one of the world’s best-loved running films. Based on a novel by Winston Groom and adapted for the screen by Eric Roth, the movie concerns a simple-minded but wise man (played by Tom Hanks) who overcame childhood polio to become an endurance runner, on a whim, and went on to participate in some of the most significant events of the 20th century.

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One day Forrest just starts running, and ends up running from his home in Alabama to the California coast, then back across America to the Atlantic. He runs back and forth across America for three years, two months, 14 days and 16 hours. And he inspires others to run, as well.

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The movie most likely appeals to endurance runners in particular because of Forrest’s stripped-down approach. When asked by reporters if he was running for world peace, or the homeless, or women’s rights, or the environment, or for animals, Forrest replies, “I just felt like running.”

“They just couldn’t believe that somebody would do all that running for no particular reason,” he narrates.

Of course, Forrest eventually gets tired of running, and quits as suddenly as he started, possibly having fulfilled his purpose of outrunning the past.

Forrest Gump won Academy Awards for directing, best picture, best actor, best adapted screenplay, best film editing and best visual effects.