I spent 30 years ignoring this line from Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump, even though it’s one of the best winks in the film

Forrest Gump trailer / I spent 30 years ignoring this line from Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump, even though it’s one of the best winks in the film © Paramount Pictures

When we read Forrest Gumpthe novel published by Winston Groom in 1986, we realize that the famous film which was adapted from it in 1994 was in reality only interested in its first eleven chapters, then its end. Because as surprising as it may seem, Forrest had achieved much more throughout his life than was shown in the work of Robert Zemeckis, starting with a career as a wrestler and chess player.

However, all these additional elements ultimately did not prove necessary for the film to be an absolute success. Average rating of 95% on RT, $679,838,260 in box office revenue, 6 Oscars won… Forrest Gump took everything away when it was released in theaters. An impressive plebiscite that could never have existed. In question? Following the box of Rain Man in 1988, Warner rejected the project, convinced that no one would want to see a new story around a genius.

An important role in the career of Gary Sinise

Another small miracle: if the casting vision that Zemeckis initially had in mind had come to fruition, this film could have been very different. Thus, Tom Hanks should have been replaced by John Travolta, while Gary Sinise could have made way for Joe Pesci or Kevin Bacon. And it’s an understatement to say that it would have changed everything. Particularly for Sinise’s career.

Because even if the actor was not the first choice for the role of Lieutenant Dan, it literally changed his life. First, he became so attached to it, its history and the values ​​it represents, that he founded the Lt Dan Band, a music group that plays at military bases around the world to raise money to support veterans’ associations. Likewise, the actor has stated several times, he is now better known as “Lieutenant Dan” than “Gary Sinise” on the street.

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The perfection of a replica

A situation which may surprise, but which is not illogical. After all, the character is at the heart of some of the film’s strongest sequences. Above all, he is even at the origin of a very special little wink, which takes one of his lines to a whole new level.

Remember, during a discussion with Forrest during which the latter explained his ambitions for the future, Lieutenant Dan declared: “If you ever truly become the captain of a shrimp boat, then that day I will be an astronaut“. An amusing line, which took on another dimension further on in the plot. On the occasion of their reunion, Lieutenant Dan presented his new legs to Forrest. However, during this presentation, Dan proudly declared: “They are made of titanium alloy, custom-made. This is what they use for space shuttles“.

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In other words, through this response, we realize that in a metaphorical way, Lieutenant Dan has also achieved a goal by setting foot in the world of astronomy. A wink as clever as it is crazy, which reminds us that this film is full of details to discover with each new viewing.

And for the record, it was in 1995 – a year later Forrest Gumpthat Gary Sinise became an astronaut in the film… Apollo 13. And alongside him in the cast, we found a certain… Tom Hanks.

Article written in collaboration with our colleagues from Sensaciné.