Did you know Forrest Gump was supposed to go to space with an ape? Yep, the beloved character was an astronaut in the novel, released in 1986, but not in the popular 1994 film version. Gump, one of the most iconic figures in literary history, came to life 40 years ago on the pages of the novel written by Alabama author Winston Groom.
Groom was born in Washington, D.C., in 1943 and grew up in the Mobile area. As an adult, he moved to New York and began his career as an author but soon returned to Point Clear, Ala., where he died in 2020 at the age of 77.
“Forrest Gump,” Groom’s most famous novel, is set in Alabama, in the fictional town of Greenbow, and includes references to the University of Alabama, Groom’s alma mater.
The movie rights were quickly optioned and the film went on to earn 13 Oscar nominations, winning six, including the best actor award for Tom Hanks and the best director award for Robert Zemeckis.
The original cover of the novel “Forrest Gump,” by Alabama author Winston Groom.Huntsville Times File Photo
Groom didn’t initially like the film, which differed considerably from its source material and made Forrest more innocent and more likable. But Groom came to embrace the softer, gentler Gump, telling Garden & Gun in 2019, “In the end, I’m just really damn grateful for the whole thing.”
Novel vs. Film
The novel and film differ significantly. In Groom’s novel, Forrest Gump was described as a physically large man while on screen he was portrayed by Tom Hanks, who is average in build.
As in the film, Novel Forrest had an unnamed developmental disorder that gave him a childlike innocence. In the book, however, Forrest had moments of intellectual brilliance in physics and math that were not portrayed in the film.
In addition, Novel Forrest used curse words and had a more aggressive personality. Film Forrest was a more lovable character.
A 2005 photo shows author Winston Groom in his home in Point Clear, Ala.Mobile Press-Register File
Melissa Lemieux describes Novel Gump in an article for Looper: “He’s got a bit of a potty mouth in the book, and he’s no stranger to the temptation of wine, women, and song — in fact, he’s often pulled off the straight and narrow by all three, plus the lure of money.”
Gump’s relationship with Jenny, while still an important plot point, was much more sentimental in the film than in the book. Novel Gump does not end up with Jenny and does not raise their son.
One of the most visible differences comes in that famous quote: “Life is like a box of chocolates.” In the novel, the line was “Bein’ an idiot is no box of chocolates.”
Still, Groom approved of the film character’s essence. “They kept the character pretty much as I intended,” Groom told The New York Times in 1994. “As I see it, it’s a story about human dignity, and the fact that you don’t have to be smart or rich to maintain your dignity even when some pretty undignified things are happening all around you.”