Run Forrest, Run!
It’s a line that’s immediately recognizable. Forrest Gump is a lovable, familiar movie character ranking up there with the likes of Rocky and Maria in The Sound of Music.
Winston Groom published the book in 1986. A Mobile, Alabama man with a low IQ leads an extraordinary life of being in an interesting place at an interesting time. Told by his mother "You have to do the best with what God gave you,” he never thinks of himself as disadvantaged.
Forrest Gump falls in love with his first-grade crush – Jenny -- for a lifetime, becomes a college football star, fights in the Vietnam War, plays professional ping-pong in China, and becomes a shrimper.
The book didn’t sell. But the 1994 film based on the novel won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and for Tom Hanks, Best Actor.
Many of Gump’s best lines are etched in our memories. “My mama always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.’ ” And “What’s normal anyways?” But the movie’s signature line wasn’t uttered by Gump. It was Jenny who shouted “Run, Forrest, run!”
Midway through the movie, Gump is sitting outside his Alabama home feeling sad because Jenny has left. Overwhelmed, Gump rises and “for no particular reason” decides to “go for a little run.”
"My Mama always said you've got to put the past behind you before you can move on." After running for “…three years, two months, 14 days, and 16 hours” he finally made sense of all he experienced. It took him across America almost five times.
The iconic cross-country running scene wasn’t in the book, and it almost didn’t make the film. It only exists because Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis agreed with Paramount to personally foot the bill for the filming.
The reward for their perseverance is seven minutes of Gump running through some of the most beautiful locations in America.
The End of the Run
“I’m pretty tired…I think I’ll go home now.” Gump finally stops running at one of the most beautiful stretches of road in America. Utah Route 163 leads to incredible beauty of Monument Valley on the Navajo reservation.
The Shot
I dare you to visit Monument Valley without stopping to photograph this iconic vista. I certainly couldn’t resist. The recently completed Forrest Gump Scenic Overlook always has a few people there taking selfies.
A month ago, our small photography group had the location mostly to ourselves. With a lookout warning us about traffic approaching us from behind, we took turns going to the center line and photographing. When the sky looked its glorious best, I took my turn.
“That’s all I have to say about that.”
Thanks for looking,
Chuck Derus