WI: Chevy Chase as Forrest Gump

Chevy Chase turned down the role of Forrest Gump. What if he had accepted the role? How different would the film be? How well would the film have done at the Oscars?
 
I don't think it would have done as well, but then again the author of the original novel, Winston Groom, pictured John Goodman playing the character.
 
I don't think it would have done as well, but then again the author of the original novel, Winston Groom, pictured John Goodman playing the character.

The original novel is terrible in comparison to the movie. One of the few times a movie based on a book completely triumphed on nearly if not on all levels to the book.
 

jahenders

Banned
I quite agree. I really enjoyed the movie, but found the book extremely disappointing -- not funny or endearing. Forrest just comes off as dumb, not likeable and too much profanity for my taste and not relevant to the story.

The original novel is terrible in comparison to the movie. One of the few times a movie based on a book completely triumphed on nearly if not on all levels to the book.
 

jahenders

Banned
I think the movie could have worked with Chevy but it would have been a different movie. I think with Chevy, the movie would attempt to be more of a laughfest -- easy humor at Forrest's expense, etc -- and it would have lacked lots of the emotional depth. It also would have suffered a bit in that Chevy didn't have nearly the box off draw of Hanks.
 
I think with Chevy, the movie would attempt to be more of a laughfest -- easy humor at Forrest's expense, etc -- and it would have lacked lots of the emotional depth. It also would have suffered a bit in that Chevy didn't have nearly the box off draw of Hanks.

Yeah, to the extent that Chevy Chase had a heyday at all, it was over well before the early 90s. Odd to think that the casting choice came down between a has-been, Chase, and an actor approaching the full blossom of his career, Hanks.
 

Driftless

Donor
I don't think it would have done as well, but then again the author of the original novel, Winston Groom, pictured John Goodman playing the character.

The author thought Forrest Gump should be played by John Goodman.

Hanks certainly owns the role. John Goodman wouldn't have been bad either, he's good with both comedy and drama - and a lot better choice than Chevy Chase*.



*Disclaimer - I've never liked Chase in ANY role, going back to SNL. I thought he was by far the weakest link in the original cast.... But that's me...
 
I don't think the film would've been nearly as successful as it was. I personally don't think Chevy Chase is that good of a comedic actor (possible exception being the Vacation movies) so I don't think he could've pulled off a dramatic role. It's safe to say (despite the author of the original book envisioning Forrest being played by John Goodman) that the role of Gump was made for Tom Hanks.

Even the other people they considered for the role, John Travolta and Bill Murray (at least according to Wikipedia so don't quote me on this) would've done better in the role than Chevy Chase or John Goodman for that matter.
 
I don't think the film would've been nearly as successful as it was. I personally don't think Chevy Chase is that good of a comedic actor (possible exception being the Vacation movies) so I don't think he could've pulled off a dramatic role. It's safe to say (despite the author of the original book envisioning Forrest being played by John Goodman) that the role of Gump was made for Tom Hanks.

Even the other people they considered for the role, John Travolta and Bill Murray (at least according to Wikipedia so don't quote me on this) would've done better in the role than Chevy Chase or John Goodman for that matter.

With Chevy Chase in the lead, What film do you think would have won best picture in 1994?
 
I think even if Zemeckis had stayed on, had shot the movie in pretty much the same style, with the same screenplay, it would have been a better film. Much more of a satire, and a lot more nuanced.

I'm not saying Chevy is a great actor or anything but he would have brought a sly, knowing wit - as well as the smoldering anger you sometimes saw lurking underneath his glib performances. Though he has practically no range at all, this would've been one of those roles (like with Fletch or the first Vacation flick) that he slotted right into.

And speaking of Robert Zemeckis, apropos of pretty much nothing, here's one of the most grimmest Wikipedia profile pictures ever:

220px-Robert_Zemeckis_by_David_Shankbone.jpg
 
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