King of Hollywood
Chapter 317 - Chapter 317 Chapter 44 Masterpiece

Chapter 317: Chapter 44 Masterpiece Chapter 317: Chapter 44 Masterpiece I must admit the opening of the movie is indeed exquisite. Amidst the light and airy music, a white feather drifts with the wind, from the sky to the city, from the city to the trees, from the trees to the streets, and finally landing on the shoes of the main character. A simple shot, yet just as simple in piquing the curiosity of the audience.

Then naturally comes the introduction of Forrest Gump through the lens. Just a few short lines, and an ingenuous, sincere man suddenly comes alive on the screen. Tom Hanks’s acting is truly exceptional. Then, the reminiscing begins. The early plot doesn’t have too many highlights, just a small sigh for the scene where Forrest’s mother has to sleep with the principal to get her son into a regular school.

However, very soon, the first jaw-dropping Easter egg appears: Elvis developed his swinging dance moves because of little Forrest Gump! Although the tenant’s face was blurred and there were no frontal shots, little Forrest’s dance moves and the subsequent scenes seen in the TV sets in the shop windows all pointed to this fact.

“This is too exaggerated!” Adrian clearly heard someone muttering in front of him.

“How did you think to include a scene like this?” Gwyneth couldn’t help but ask him in a curious voice, whispering into his ear–the warmth of her breath tickled, enticingly so.

“Don’t worry, there are even more interesting plots coming up,” Adrian said with a chuckle, patting her thigh.

Indeed, what follows is a series of amusing scenes inserting Forrest into historical events: like the refusal to integrate schools in Alabama, or Kennedy borrowing ideas from the All-American college star team, and photos of Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe etc., in the White House bathroom. Each time these scenes occurred, whether Forrest was waving at the camera at the entrance of the university or telling Kennedy, “I gotta pee,” they would elicit uncontrollable laughter.

Of course, these are just a small part of Forrest’s experiences. While recounting these stories, the characters also began to fill out more fully–the two most important women in his life, his mother and Jenny, were becoming more prominent.

If at the beginning, the audience saw the movie as a story with a simplistic theme, once Forrest’s unique traits were revealed, they gradually changed their perspective.

Especially after Forrest enlisted and responded to the sergeant who was in charge, “Being a soldier means following your orders,” and then received the response, “You’re a goddamn genius, Gump! Your IQ must be at least 150, I’m going to recommend you for military school.” Laughter erupted once again in the auditorium, followed by a faint voice not far behind Adrian, “Sort of reminds me of ‘Rain Man,’ simple-minded but exceptional in certain aspects, though this is funnier and more appealing…”

The person didn’t finish his sentence and closed his mouth because everyone around was glaring angrily at him–not because he said anything wrong, but because they thought he was disturbing their enjoyment of the movie, which showed just how immersed the audience had become.

Next, of course, was the Vietnam War, the heartache of all Americans, and Lieutenant Dan, one of the three most important people in Forrest’s life, was introduced–although Bubba was his good friend who founded his shrimp dynasty, his voice was still not as significant compared to the other three. Lieutenant Dan’s entrance was interesting. As Forrest described how his family had someone die in every American war, there were continuous montages of the same actor playing Dan’s ancestors falling to the ground playing dead, from the Revolutionary War to World War II, prompting laughter in the theater once more.

But it was this introduction that made the audience understand why Lieutenant Dan felt such anger toward Forrest after being saved, why he screamed “I was supposed to die out there” when Forrest was carrying him, and gave a reasonable explanation for the subsequent perverse and crazy behaviors. While the audience sighed, they also began to think.

The story continued to unfold, Forrest was wounded and sent home, met by Nixon, unwittingly took part in the anti-war demonstrations, and then reunited with Jenny. Forrest became increasingly involved in historical events, such as becoming the informant for the Watergate scandal, or participating in ping pong diplomacy on a trip to China–the distinctly Soviet-style competition venue and cut-out discussions with John Lennon about China elicited approving murmurs from the audience.

Although many years have passed and so much has happened, Forrest Gump’s love for his mother, his love for Jenny, and his friendship with Lieutenant Dan never changed; he even took on the burden of supporting Bubba’s family. Even after encountering countless failures in shrimping, he persisted without flinching.

“Stupid is as stupid does.” Whenever someone called him stupid, he always replied like this, as memorable as the phrase, “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.”

Finally, Forrest Gump’s efforts were rewarded. Amidst the assault of the storm, every shrimping boat was destroyed except for the Jenny. He and Lieutenant Dan became wealthy because of it.

When the third listener realized that the owner of Bubba Gump Shrimp Company was sitting right next to him and laughed in disbelief as he walked away, the audience in the theater let out a chuckle tinged with mockery, but only a few people realized who the character was.

“You’re not bad at acting yourself, Ed,” Gwyneth said with a little surprise in his ear.

“It’s okay, after all, it was only a few minutes,” Adrian responded with a smile, never removing his hand from her thigh.

Such laughter in the theater grew louder when Forrest received the letter from Lieutenant Dan saying, “We don’t have to worry about money anymore, I’ve invested in a fruit company,” and the Apple Company logo appeared on the stationery; but at the same time, it provoked more reflection and thought.

The film was not only narrating Forrest Gump’s life but had interwoven elements of Jenny’s and Lieutenant Dan’s experiences. Compared to them–Lieutenant Dan, who was obsessed with family honor and thought he should have died on the battlefield, who felt worthless after becoming disabled; and Jenny, who chased freedom and self-expression, mingled with hippies, and indulged in drugs and sexual liberation–it was Forrest, who after setting his goal, focused single-mindedly and persevered that achieved success. It was undeniably thought-provoking.

Eventually, Lieutenant Dan found redemption, and the weary Jenny returned to Forrest’s side, but she still did not fully understand until Forrest finally became irritated.

“I may be a fool, but I know what love is,” Forrest said indignantly.

Sighs filled the theater; many people felt that Forrest was getting a raw deal. Who could love a woman for over a decade as he did? Even Gwyneth sitting next to Adrian was a bit entranced.

Although it was plain to see, Adrian didn’t take it too much to heart. The appeal of movies lies in the portrayal of things that are unlikely to happen in real life, or have a rare chance of happening, on the big screen–the unattainable is always the most appealing. Every woman hopes that a man will wait for her forever, and every woman craves that romance; but reality is reality, and eventually, one has to wake up from the dream. The women in Hollywood wake up even faster.

Jenny left without a word, and the heartbroken Forrest began his runs back and forth across the United States, still participating in the country’s history in his unique way–with cultural T-shirts, the insurance industry, and so on.

Finally, Jenny came back into Forrest’s life, bringing with her a smart child. There was a glaring plot inconsistency here. When Jenny revealed she was infected with a virus, probably AIDS given the context, the scripting implied. Although AIDS is not transmitted through handshakes, it can easily be passed on to offspring. How healthy could Forrest’s child be, then?

However, the audience chose to overlook this issue. Over the course of the two-plus hours of the film, Forrest’s spirit had infected them; a small hiccup like this didn’t matter. Forrest deserved his own slice of happiness.

The story was nearing its end. Forrest and Jenny got married. Although Mom had already gone to Heaven, the black housekeeper took her place and witnessed the scene. Lieutenant Dan was there too, meeting Jenny for the first time. Everything was so peaceful and beautiful, and even though Jenny soon left Forrest for good, he wasn’t alone; he had a child that he could send to school.

The familiar, light music started to play again, and the white feather that had fallen from the book pages onto the shoe began to float once more, climbing higher and higher until it finally flew up into the blue sky.

After the credits had finished rolling, the lights in the theater came back on. The noise that had been present earlier had vanished so suddenly, it was as if it had never been there. A few seconds later, applause broke out. It started with one person, then a few more, followed by more and more, the clapping growing louder and louder until it was nearly deafening, almost bringing the ceiling down.

All sorts of people squeezed forward to congratulate him with smiles on their faces, some sincere and others envious. From this perspective, the premiere of “Forrest Gump” couldn’t have been more successful. Adrian responded to each one, and after he and Gwyneth exited the theater, the surging crowd finally thinned a bit.

“That was fantastic, Ed. This is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen,” Spielberg said as he took hold of him, clearly enjoying the film, though there was a hint of regret in his expression.

“Thank you. It’s a great honor to receive such praise from you,” Adrian nodded, and after a brief moment of thought, he guessed what Spielberg regretted, perhaps feeling that there should have been more reflection on the Jewish people’s experiences after World War II.

Of course, he knew that wouldn’t have been appropriate, and besides, Adrian was openly aiming for an Oscar. Just last year, Spielberg had won Best Director and Best Picture for this very theme, and any repetition by Adrian would have seemed redundant. Besides, this was a mainstream American film, so Spielberg simply felt a moment of regret and quickly adjusted his attitude.

“To speak frankly, without Tommy, the film would have been considerably diminished. I’ve said it before, he truly becomes whatever he plays. Last year’s portrayal of an AIDS patient was already astonishing, but now Forrest, completely unconnected to that character,” Adrian immediately began praising Tom Hanks beside him.

“Alright, Ed, if you keep this up, I’m going to be embarrassed,” Hanks chuckled modestly.

“Ed’s telling the truth, you really were outstanding, Tommy,” Spielberg said earnestly.

Seeing this, Adrian’s heart stirred slightly, and he suddenly asked, “Steven, what do you think of Tommy?”

Spielberg was taken aback, looked Hanks over seriously, then nodded, “We could give it a try.”

“Sorry, can I know what you guys are talking about?” Hanks asked, a bit confused.

“Don’t rush, Tommy. This is just the beginning–in fact, it’s not even the start yet. It’s just a plan, and you will know about it when the time comes,” Adrian said with a smile as he patted Hanks on the shoulder. Hanks wanted to ask more, but his wife gently tugged at him, and understanding the hint, he smiled and nodded without saying another word.

Of course, what Adrian and Spielberg were discussing was the new script that Adrian had previously been invited to provide to him, none other than “Saving Private Ryan,” known for one of the most intense opening scenes in film history! Initially, Adrian had wanted to talk about the second part of “Jurassic Park,” “The Lost World.” Michael Crichton had already completed the second novel, and according to the original contract, had also sold the adaptation rights to Adrian, making it more than perfect for DreamWorks to join in.

But the problem lay in the fact that because they had signed a contract with Universal during the initial distribution, if a sequel were to be made, Universal would have to join in too, which did not align with DreamWorks’ exclusivity strategy. After much deliberation, Adrian thought of the adaptation of “Band of Brothers” which he had recently purchased from Steven E. Spielberg. He then shared his idea for “Saving Private Ryan.”

“About humanity and war, about the paradox of saving one at the expense of eight, that is the theme of this film. To be honest, if I weren’t somewhat unfamiliar with war themes and still lacking in orchestrating large-scale scenes, I wouldn’t have handed the directing to you, Steven,” Adrian had said after his presentation.

“That means I’ve got quite the advantage,” Spielberg said with a smile, his eyes conveying an indescribable expression. “I didn’t expect you to come up with such an outstanding concept in such a short time.”

“It’s nothing. I already had this idea while reading ‘Band of Brothers.’ That generation of young Americans could be considered the strongest,” Adrian said impassively.

Having chosen the film, and with Captain Miller, the first protagonist, present at the time, Adrian naturally reminded Spielberg of this fact. A slight regret was that, from preparation to shooting and then to post-production, it was impossible to release the film within the next year. Next year marked the 50th anniversary of the victory over Fascism, and not only could the box office potentially be higher than the original, but it might even grant Tom Hanks his third consecutive Oscar for Best Actor.

Of course, this thought quickly passed through his mind and was pushed aside; Hanks’ back-to-back wins were already a stroke of luck, and if the release dates of “Philadelphia Story” and “Forrest Gump” had been switched, it would have been nearly impossible for Hanks to take home two consecutive Oscars for Best Actor–let alone three.

As for DreamWorks’ exclusivity strategy, Adrian could invest personally. He believed Spielberg would certainly not refuse. Having originally decided on a strategy to get involved in profitable movies, how could he back out now? Yes, this was greedy, but greed was good–as long as you could control it.

If Adrian merely wanted to be a great director or casually play around with women, he would not need to go to such lengths. But what he desired was to control Hollywood, to collect those women he wished to possess, and thus, power was always better the more of it he had. Especially since he had already savored the sweetness of power, how could he easily let go?

Alright, back to the main topic, the passionate response “Forrest Gump” garnered upon release caught many by surprise. Several renown film critics unanimously praised it as a masterpiece, and the media commentary was almost unanimously positive.

“This is an incredible film. In Forrest’s running, we reminisce on all the famous historical events of the last fifty years, and on Forrest himself, we see many long-lost spirits,” — “Chicago Tribune.”

“While the film has its flaws, Tom Hanks’ exquisite acting compensates for these. He portrays a character with mild intellectual disabilities, who is honest and brave, in a very credible way,” — “Wall Street Journal.”

“All I can say is that the Miracle Director has created another miracle. In this film, Forrest has truly become an embodiment of virtue. He is honest, trustworthy, earnest, brave, and values feelings, offering himself to others without expecting anything in return, never caring about rejections. He simply deals with life in an open and straightforward manner. He focuses his limited intelligence, beliefs, and courage on one point. He cares about nothing else and follows his instincts to keep running on the road, which is precisely what we lack now.

With the rapid development of society, many have lost themselves amidst constant changes, like Jenny in the movie, who represents that generation once called ‘beat’ during the ’60s and ’70s, with drug abuse, indulgence in pleasures, and crime. She desperately wants to live authentically, but only understands what that means in the end. Then there’s Lieutenant Dan, representing another kind of person, who dwells on past glories, refusing to change or accept change, convinced that such is their identity.

Only Forrest, persisting in his own persistence, never changing or giving up, no matter the difficulties, is the true self. At the film’s end, Lieutenant Dan and Jenny, representing two different life philosophies, meet for the first and only time, symbolizing the handshake between the radical and conservative viewpoints after the sexual revolution of the ’60s and ’70s–under the influence of Forrest. Therefore, those seemingly foolish actions are qualities we should hold on to, not cunning, self-serving schemes or opportunism. I can’t help but think, what a great mother it must take to raise such a child. Allow me to repeat that phrase: life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get next.

Thank you, Miracle Director, for bringing us such an excellent work.” — Renowned film critic Robert Cameron

(To be continued. For more of the story, please visit www.NovelFire.net. More chapters available, support the author, support genuine reading!)