Factual error: During the 1972 New Year's Eve celebration, Forrest drinks a Dr. Pepper with a logo that wasn't devised until around the mid 80s.
Forrest Gump (1994)
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Gary Sinise, Robin Wright, Robin Wright Penn
Factual error: When Forrest and Lt. Dan first try catching shrimp on the new boat in the mid 70s, they catch a bunch of junk, including a Mello Yello can, which wasn't launched until 1979. (01:30:05)
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Suggested correction: The time frame is right on track. It took Dan a lot of years to get to the point where he joined Forrest on the boat. 1979 tracks with what comes before and after.
You should watch the film again. Hurricane Carmen, which happened after Lt. Dan joined, and they were struggling to catch anything, was in 1974. And Forrest leaves the shrimp business in 1975 when he finds out his mother is dying of cancer. 1979 comes well after all those events. Not to mention that it's only 1981 when Forrest is sitting on the bench telling his story.
Revealing mistake: When Forrest finally catches shrimp on the boat, the net drops shrimp on the deck which are not only already dead, they're headless and very obviously processed for shipment to market. (01:32:30)
Trivia: Disabled U.S. veterans would tell Gary Sinise that they were inspired by his portrayal of Lt. Dan in this film. Feeling humbled because he himself was neither a veteran or disabled, he established the Gary Sinise Foundation in order to help disabled veterans adjust to their new lives. https://www.garysinisefoundation.org.
Trivia: Dave Chappelle was originally offered the role of Bubba in Forrest Gump in a pre-production stage. He was concerned that the character was racially demeaning, so he turned down the part. He has since admitted to regretting the decision.
Trivia: Forrest's son is played by Haley Joel Osment, who later achieved great fame as the troubled Cole in the "The Sixth Sense". (02:01:15)
Forrest Gump: I may not be a smart man, but I know what love is.
Drill Sergeant: Why did you put that gun together so fast, Private?
Forrest Gump: Because you told me to, Drill Sergeant!
Forrest Gump: Bit me directly in the but-tocks. They said it was a million dollar wound, but the Army must keep that money, 'cause I still ain't seen a nickel of that million dollars.
Question: What does Jenny die of? And is it mentioned anywhere in the film at all?
Answer: It's not specified in the film, but in the sequel book "Gump & Co" the author mentions that Jenny dies from Hepatitis C as a former drug addict in the early 70s. Hepatitis C was an unknown disease until 1989.
Answer: In 1981, when Forrest meets Jenny again, she says she has a virus that doctors don't know. This virus was the HIV virus, as 1981 marks the AIDS outbreak in the World.
Answer: It could have been HIV or Hepatitis C or something else. Maybe someone related to the story or even Winston Groom himself told this at some other place. Nonetheless, it's false that it appears in that book.
It absolutely appears in the second book, 'Gump and Company'.
Question: By the buses, when Jenny's boyfriend apologizes for hitting her and mentions "that lying S.O.B. Johnson", who is the Johnson he is referring to?
Answer: Johnson refers to Lyndon Johnson, the US President.
Answer: He's referring to president Lyndon Johnson AKA the guy Forrest shows his gunshot wound to.
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