News culture Tom Hanks plays two characters in Forrest Gump, but everyone seems to have forgotten about him
A detail that is often overlooked: Tom Hanks plays two characters in “Forrest Gump” that are completely opposites of each other. One of them is a highly controversial historical figure.
= A cult film =
Tom Hanks gives us a remarkable performance in Forrest Gump, playing two diametrically opposed characters. If Forrest is the embodiment of naivety and goodness, Nathan Bedford Forrest is a controversial figure who embodies a dark part of American history. This duality, absent from Winston Groom’s original novel, is a daring cinematic creation.
From the shadows of doubt to the light of fame, Forrest Gump has come a long way. Driven by the cult interpretation of Tom Hanks, who embodies both the innocence and the darkness of the human soul, the film has become an essential reference. By intertwining the fates of real and fictional characters, Robert Zemeckis creates a work that is both intimate and universal.
The contrast between Forrest Gump, symbol of naive and kind America, and Nathan Bedford Forrest, symbol of racism, is at the center of the plot.This contrast, which becomes clear right from the beginning of the film, underscores the irony of the story and invites reflection on the paradoxes of American identity.
= A VERY controversial character =
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a complex and controversial figure. A Confederate general during the Civil War and a former slave trader, he became the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. However, after a year at the helm of this organization, he distanced himself from the white supremacist movement and unsuccessfully attempted to disband it. Paradoxically, he ends up supporting the black cause.
The Ku Klux Klan scene in “Forrest Gump,” in which Tom Hanks appears in disguise and superimposed on footage from “Birth of a Nation,” is…weird. Furthermore, Forest’s response clearly highlights the discomfort:
Mom said the Forrest part is to remind me that sometimes we all do things that are great but don’t make sense.
Film adaptations often involve difficult narrative decisions. In the case of Forrest Gump, the decision to cut the portion dedicated to Nathan Bedford Forrest is understandable. The director preferred a simpler approach to better highlight Forrest Gump’s journey.
