Forrest Gump

EXT. A SAVANNAH STREET - DAY - 1981

A feather floats through the air. The falling feather. A city, Savannah, is revealed in the background. The feather floats down toward the city below. The feather drops down toward the street below, as people walk past and cars drive by, and nearly lands on a man's shoulder. He walks across the street, causing the feather to be whisked back on its journey. The feather floats above a stopped car. The car drives off right as the feather floats down toward the street. The feather floats under a passing car, then is sent flying back up in the air. A MAN sits on a bus bench. The feather floats above the ground and finally lands on the man's mud-soaked shoe. The man reached down and picks up the feather. His name is FORREST GUMP. He looks at the feather oddly, moves aside a box of chocolates from an old suitcase, then opens the case. Inside the old suitcase are an assortment of clothes, a ping-pong paddle, toothpaste and other personal items. Forrest pulls out a book titled "Curious George," then places the feather inside the book. Forrest closes the suitcase. Something in his eyes reveals that Forrest may not be all there. Forrest looks right as the sound of an arriving bus is heard. A bus pulls up. Forrest remains on the bus bench as the bus continues on. A BLACK WOMAN in a nurse's outfit steps up and sits down at the bus bench next to Forrest. The nurse begins to read a magazine as Forrest looks at her.

FORREST

Hello. My name's Forrest Gump.

He opens a box of chocolates and holds it out for the nurse.

FORREST

You want a chocolate?

The nurse shakes her head, a bit apprehensive about this strange man next to her.

FORREST

I could eat about a million and a half of these. My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

Forrest eats a chocolate as he looks down at the nurse's shoes.

FORREST

Those must be comfortable shoes. I'll bet you could walk all day in shoes like that and not feel a thing. I wish I had shoes like that.

Black Woman

My feet hurt.

FORREST

Momma always says there's an awful lot you could tell about a person by their shoes. Where they're going. Where they've been.

The black woman stares at Forrest as he looks down at his own shoes.

FORREST

I've worn lots of shoes. I bet if I think about it
real hard I could remember my first pair of shoes.

Forrest closes his eyes tightly.

FORREST

Momma said they'd take my anywhere.

INT. COUNTRY DOCTOR'S OFFICE - GREENBOW, ALABAMA - DAY - 1951

A little boy closes his eyes tightly. It is young Forrest as he sits in a doctor's office.

FORREST
(voice-over)

She said they was my magic shoes.

Forrest has been fitted with orthopedic shoes and metal leg braces.

DOCTOR

All right, Forrest, you can open your eyes now. Let's
take a little walk around.

The doctor sets Forrest down on its feet. Forrest walks around stiffly. Forrest's mother, MRS. GUMP, watches him as he clanks around the room awkwardly.

DOCTOR

How do those feel? His legs are strong, Mrs. Gump. As
strong as I've ever seen. But his back is as crooked
as a politician.

Forrest walks foreground past the doctor and Mrs. Gump.

DOCTOR

But we're gonna straighten him right up now, won't
we, Forrest?

A loud thud is heard as, outside, Forrest falls.

MRS. GUMP.

Forest!

EXT. GREENBOW, ALABAMA

Mrs. Gump and young Forrest walk across the street. Forrest walks stiffly next to his mother.

FORREST

Now, when I was a baby, Momma named me after the
great Civil War hero, General Nathan Bedford
Forrest...

EXT. RURAL ALABAMA

A black and white photo of General Nathan Bedford Forrest. The photo turns into live action as the General dons a hooded sheet over his head. The General is in full Ku Klux Klan garb, including his horse. The General rides off, followed by a large group of Klan members dressed in full uni????.

FORREST
(voice-over)

She said we was related to him in some way. And, what
he did was, he started up this club called the Ku
Klux Klan. They'd all dress up in their robes and
their bedsheets and act like a bunch of ghosts or
spooks or something. They'd even put bedsheets on
their horses and ride around. And anyway, that's how
I got my name. Forrest Gump.

EXT. GREENBOW

Mrs. Gump and Forrest walk across the street.

FORREST
(voice-over)

Momma said that the Forrest part was to remind me
that sometimes we all do things that, well, just
don't make no sense.

Forrest stops suddenly as his brace gets stuck. Forrest's brace is caught in a gutter grate. Mrs. Gump bends down and tries to free Forrest. Two old cronies sit in front of a barber shop and watch.

MRS. GUMP

Just wait, let me get it.

Mrs. Gump struggles to pull the stuck brace from the grate.

MRS. GUMP

Let me get it. Wait, get it this way. Hold on.

Forrest pulls his foot out of the grate.

MRS. GUMP

All right.

Mrs. Gump helps Forrest up onto the sidewalk. She looks up and notices the two old man.

MRS. GUMP

All right. What are you all staring at? Haven't you
ever seen a little boy with braces on his legs
before?

Mrs. Gump and Forrest walk along the sidwalk past the two old men. Mrs. Gump holds tightly onto Forrest's hand.

MRS. GUMP

Don't ever let anybody tell you they're better than
you, Forrest. If God intended everybody to be the
same, he'd have given us all braces on our legs.

FORREST
(voice-over)

Momma always had a way of explaining things so I
could understand them.

EXT. OAK ALLEY/THE GUMP BOARDING HOUSE

Mrs. Gump and Forrest walk along a dirt road. A row of mailboxes stands left.

FORREST
(voice-over)

We lived about a quarter mile of Route 17, about a
half mile from the town of Greenbow, Alabama. That's
in the county of Greenbow. Our house had been in
Momma's family since her grandpa's grandpa's grandpa
had come across the ocean about a thousand years ago.
Something like that.

Mrs. Gump and Forrest walk along the Gump Boarding House driveway.

FORREST
(voice-over)

Since it was just me and Momma and we had all these
empty rooms, Momma decided to let those rooms out.
Mostly to people passing through. Like from, oh,
Mobile, Montgomery, place like that. That's how me
and Mommy got money. Mommy was a real smart lady.

MRS. GUMP

Remember what I told you, Forrest. You're no different than anybody else is.

Mrs. Gump heads Forrest to the porch. She bends down to look Forrest in the eye.

MRS. GUMP

Did you hear what I said, Forrest? You're the same as
everybody else. You are no different.

INT. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL / PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - DAY - 1954

PRINCIPAL

Your boy's... different, Mrs. Gump. Now, his I.Q. is
seventy-five.

MRS. GUMP

Well, we're all different, Mr. Hancock.

The principal sighs, then stands up.

INT. HALLWAY

Forrest sits outside the principal's office and waits.

FORREST
(voice-over)

She wanted me to have the finest education, so she
took me to the Greenbow County Central School. I met
the principal and all.

The principal stands in front of Mrs. Gump. Forrest, sitting left, listens.

PRINCIPAL

I want to show you something, Mrs. Gump. Now, this is
normal.

The principal holds up a chart with a designations according to I.Q. and points to the center of the graph, labeled "Normal." A red line below the normal area is labeled "State Acceptance." The principal points to the section below the acceptance line labeled "Below."

PRINCIPAL

Forrest is right here. The state requires a minimum
I.Q. of eighty to attend public school, Mrs. Gump.
He's gonna have to go to a special school. Now, he'll
be just fine.

MRS. GUMP

What does normal mean, anyway? He might be a bit on
the slow side, but my boy Forrest is going to get the
same opportunities as everyone else. He's not going
to some special school to learn to how to re-tread
tires. We're talking about five little points here.
There must be something can be done.

INT. HALLWAY

Forrest sits outside the principal's office.

PRINCIPAL

We're a progressive school system. We don't want to
see anybody left behind.

INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE

PRINCIPAL

Is there a Mr. Gump, Mrs. Gump?

MRS. GUMP

He's on vacation.

EXT. GUMP BOARDING HOUSE - NIGHT

Forrest sits on a swing outside the house. Loud organic male grunts are heard coming from inside the house. Forrest sits on the swing as the grunts continue. The principal steps out of the Gump House and wipes the sweat from his face. Forrest is sitting on the porch.

PRINCIPAL

Well, your momma sure does care about your schooling,
son. Mm-mm-mm.

The principal wipes the sweat from his neck, then looks back at Forrest.

PRINCIPAL

You don't say much, do you?

Forrest grunts, imitating him. The principal, embarrassed, turns and walks away.

INT. GUMP BOARDING HOUSE/FORREST'S BEDROOM

Mrs. Gump reads from the book "Curious George" as Forrest sits on the bed and listens.

MRS. GUMP

"Finally, he had to try it. It looked easy, but, oh,
what happened. First there..."

FORREST

Momma, what's vacation mean?

MRS. GUMP

Vacation?

FORREST

Where Daddy went?

MRS. GUMP

Vacation's when you go somewhere, and you don't ever
come back.

Forrest lies down on his bed and looks up.

FORREST
(voice-over)

Anyway, I guess you could say me and Momma was on our
own.

EXT. GUMP BOARDING HOUSE - DAY

A cab driver closes the trunk of the car as two women walk toward the house. A milkman steps down from the porch.

FORREST
(voice-over)

But we didn't mind. Our house was never empty. There
was always folks comin' and goin'.

MRS. GUMP
(voice-over)

Suppa.

INT. GUMP BOARDING HOUSE

Mrs. Gump steps forward and speaks to all the boarders.

MRS. GUMP

It's suppa, everyone. Forrest...

A MAN WITH A CANE steps left across the hall.

MAN With Cane

My, my. That sure looks special.

Mrs. Gump looks into a sitting room and in????s the boarders about dinner.

MRS. GUMP

Gentlemen, would you care to join us for supper?
Hurry up and get it before the flies do. I prefer you
don't smoke that cigar so close to mealtime.

FORREST
(voice-over)

Sometimes we had so many people stayin' with us that
every room was filled with travelers. You know,
livin' out of their suitcases, and hat cases, and
sample cases.

MRS. GUMP

Well, you go ahead and start. I cant find Forrest.

Mrs. Gump walks up the stairs.

MRS. GUMP

Forrest... Forrest...

FORREST
(voice-over)

One time a young man was staying with us, and he had
him a guitar case.

Mrs. Gump looks into Forrest's room. She hears singing coming from another room and walks over to a closed door. Mrs. Gump opens the door, revealing a young man with long sideburns as he plays the guitar and sings. Forrest holds onto a broom and dances oddly. The young man is ELVIS PRESLEY.

ELVIS PRESLEY
(sings)

"Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit, and you ain't
no friend of mine."

Forrest's legs rock back and forth to the guitar.

MRS. GUMP

Forrest! I told you not to bother this nice young
man.

ELVIS

Oh, no, that's all right, ma'am. I was just showin'
him a thing or two on the guitar here.

MRS. GUMP

All right, but your supper's ready if y'all want to
eat.

ELVIS

Yeah, that sounds good. Thank you, ma'am.

Mrs. Gump leaves and closes the door. Elvis sits back down. Forrest stands left, and looks himself in a mirror.

ELVIS

Say, man, show me that crazy little walk you just did there.
Slow it down some.

Forrest begins to dance again as Elvis plays the guitar and sings.

ELVIS
(sings)

"You ain't nothin' but a hound, hound dog..."

FORREST
(voice-over)

I liked that guitar.

Forrest dances as he watches himself in the mirror.

FORREST
(voice-over)

It sounded good.

ELVIS
(sings)

"... cryin' all the time"

Forrest rocks up and down on his braced legs, then begins to step.

ELVIS
(sings)

"You ain't nothin' but a hound dog..."

FORREST
(voice-over)

I started moving around to the music, swinging my hips.
This one night we and Momma...

EXT. GREENBOW - NIGHT

Mrs. Gump and Forrest walk along a sidewalk. A television inside a store window reveals Elvis Presley as he per????s "Houng Dog" on a stage.

FORREST
(voice-over)

...was out shoppin', and we walked right by Benson's
Furniture and Appliance store, and guess what.

The television reveals Elvis as he thrusts his hips and sings.

ELVIS
(sings)

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog...

Mrs. Gump and Forrest watch the television. Elvis dances around in the same manner Forrest did. A woman in the audience screaming and applauding.

ELVIS
(sings)

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog...

MRS. GUMP

This is not children's eyes.

Mrs. Gump walks away, pulling Forrest with her. Forrest stops and takes one last look. Elvis continues to per???? over the television.

ELVIS
(sings)

"Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit and you ain't no friend of mine."

FORREST
(voice-over)

Some years later, that handsome young man who they called "The King," well, he sung too many songs, had himself a heart attack or something.

EXT. SAVANNAH/BUS BENCH - DAY

Forrest is still sitting on the bus bench. The black nurse looks at him.

FORREST

Must be hard being a king. You know, it's funny how you
remember some things, but some things you can't.

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD/ALABAMA - MORNING - 1954

Mrs. Gump and Forrest wait for the school bus. The bus pulls up as Mrs. Gump prepares Forrest for his first day of school.

MRS. GUMP

You do your very best now, Forrest.

FORREST

I sure will, Momma.

FORREST
(voice-over)

I remember the bus ride on the first day of school
very well.

The bus driver opens the door and looks down. Forrest walks to the steps of the bus and looks at the bus driver. She is smoking a cigarette.

BUS DRIVER

Are you comin' along?

FORREST

Momma said not to be taking rides from strangers.

BUS DRIVER

This is the bus to school.

FORREST

I'm Forrest Gump.

BUS DRIVER

I'm Dorothy Harris.

FORREST

Well, now we ain't strangers anymore.

The bus driver smiles as Forrest steps up into the bus.

INT. BUS

Forrest steps up onto the bus. Mrs. Gump waves to Forrest as the bus drives away. Forrest begins to walk down the aisle. TWO YOUNG BOYS look up from the seat.

BOY #1

This seat's taken.

BOY #2

It's taken!

Forrest looks around. A larger girl slides over so Forrest can't sit next to her. She shakes her head. Forrest looks to the other side where a boy sits alone on a larger seat. They boy glares up at Forrest.

BOY #3

You can't sit here.

FORREST
(voice-over)

You know, it's funny what a young man recollects.
'Cause I don't remember being born.

EXT. SAVANNAH/BUS BENCH - DAY

Forrest continues talking as he sits on the bus bench.

FORREST

I, I... don't recall what I got for my first Christmas
and I don't know when I went on my first outdoor picnic.
But, I do remember the first time I heard the sweetiest
voice...

INT. BUS - MORNING (1954)

Young Forrest is still standing in the aisle on the bus.

FORREST
(voice-over)

...in the wide world.

Girl

You can sit here if you want.

Forrest looks back at JENNY CURRAN, a young girl about Forrest's age.

FORREST
(voice-over)

I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life.
She was like an angel.

JENNY

Well, are you gonna sit down, or aren't ya?

Forrest sits down next to Jenny.

JENNY

What's wrong with your legs?

FORREST

Um, nothing at all, thank you. My legs are just
fine and dandy.

FORREST
(voice-over)

I just sat next to her on that bus and had conversation
all the way to school.

JENNY

Then why do you have those shoes on?

FORREST

My momma said my back's crooked like a question mark.
These are going to make me as straight as an arrow.
They're my magic shoes.

FORREST
(voice-over)

And next to Momma, no one ever talked to me or asked me
questions.

JENNY

Are you stupid or something.

FORREST

Mommy says stupid is as stupid does.

Jenny puts her hand out toward Forrest. Forrest reaches over and shakes her hand.

JENNY

I'm Jenny.

FORREST

I'm Forrest Gump. Forrest Gump.

FORREST
(voice-over)

From that day on, we was always together. Jenny
and me was like peas and carrots.

EXT. OAK TREE - DAY

Young Jenny and Forrest run toward a large oak tree.

FORREST
(voice-over)

She taught me how to climb...

Jenny sits on a large branch and calls down to Forrest.

JENNY

Come on, Forrest, you can do it.

Forrest dangles from the branch.

FORREST
(voice-over)

... I showed her how to dangle.

Jenny and Forrest sit on a tree branch and read.

FORREST

".....a good little moneky and..."

FORREST
(voice-over)

She helped me to learn how to read.

Forrest hangs upside down from a branch and swings back and forth. Forrest's braces are wedged in the tree.

FORREST
(voice-over)

And I showed her to swing.

Night. The silhouete of the oak tree, Jenny and Forrest as they sit on a branch.

FORREST
(voice-over)

Sometimes we'd just sit out and wait for the stars.

FORREST

Momma's gonna worry about me.

Jenny puts her hand on Forrest's hand.

JENNY

Just stay a little longer.

FORREST
(voice-over)

For some reason, Jenny didn't never want to go home.

FORREST

Okay, Jenny. I'll stay.

FORREST
(voice-over)

She was my most special friend.

INT. SAVANNAH/BUS STOP - DAY

Forrest nods as he remembers.

FORREST

My only friend.

Forrest continues talking to the black woman. She doesn't seem to be listening as she reads her magazine. She looks up from her magazine.

FORREST

Now, my Momma always told me that miracles happen
every day. Some people don't think so, but they do.