We Thought The Movie Would Flop: Day 5

Forrest Gump bench

Restaurant where Jenny worked

We Thought The Movie Would Flop

Description: While in Savannah, GA on May 23^rd, 2014, the group walked around Savannah on his or her own looking for a site or topic to write about. While I walked around on my own, I visited the St. John the Baptist Cathedral as well as sites present in the Forrest Gump film. I decided to look and research how the movie Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks, effected the city with the increase of tourists wanting to see the various movie sites in the film as well as economic growth. I visited places such as the park bench where Forrest told his life story to anyone who would listen, the museum where the bench is at now, and Debbie’s Restaurant where Jenny worked. While at the three various sites, I took multiple pictures and just enjoyed the moment of being in the presence of Hollywood history.

Reflection: Having the ability to see historic Hollywood sites in Savannah, GA was amazing. I love the movie Forrest Gump and being able to see, sit, and take a picture where the movie is based around was fantastic. However, my enthusiasm for the movie as a tourist was completely different than Ms. Maggie, a local who is the owner of Debbie’s Restaurant. Maggie stated that “We here at the restaurant thought the movie would be a flop so we did not keep much memorabilia or keep in contact with Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump) and Robin Wright (Jenny Curran/Gump).” I asked Ms. Maggie why she said that and she said “A lot of movies have been filmed in Savannah and most have flopped; so, we here at the restaurant thought Forrest Gump would flop as well.”  Knowing that a local of Savannah, who happens to be the owner of a restaurant filmed in the movie, thought the movie would fail was shocking because as most people who have seen the film, the viewer’s know that the film succeed quite well.

Analysis: Knowing Ms. Maggie’s original view about the film, Forrest Gump, I asked her what she thought since her original opinion was wrong. Ms. Maggie told me “I don’t really give a [crap] because the movie has brought me so much business because people want to be able to say ‘I ate at the restaurant where Jenny worked.’” The movie is a true American film because the film follows the life of a true American even though the story is fictional. The film has also helped bring tourism to the city of Savannah because tourist want to eat at Jenny’s restaurant and go to the museum and pay to see the bench used in the film. Forrest Gump helped grow the already growing tourism of Savannah because of the movies link to Hollywood and famous actor, Tom Hanks. The film succeed just like Savannah’s historical district is succeeding in bringing revenue and tourism to the gorgeous city of Savannah, GA. Overall, Savannah’s historical district was elevated by the success and popularity of Forrest Gump.