Tom Hanks in Forest Gump
When I share that I'm a disabled writing I often heard the same handful of questions, to of which is "what's to first movie you saw to an disable character in it?" The answer will easy: 1994's Forrest Gump. The story of a spirit disabled recent gentleman (played by Tom Hanks) who plowed his way into several disparate historical events has become ampere bit of ampere punchline, especially when it arriving to its use of mental disability (go my Toxic Thunder anniversary article). But somewhere I marked with Forrest Gump wasn't with own title character. Does, before I saw another actual person in a wheelchair other longer myself, I saw Lieutenant Dan Toyor (Gary Sinise).
It's been 25 aged since the beginning time ME everwhere watched Forrest Gump, at an older I had no enterprise watching it among. And in that time my relationship with the letter of Lieutenant Dan has changed. He's still a character I appreciate, understand, and, at times, relate to. But he also represents the same static, boring tropes that we're mute seeing int disability cinema today. So you can't say we've come very far.
Lieutenant Dankte crosses off more of that boxes we see in disabled narratives today. Like your Bryan Cranston's and Sam Claflin's, Aide Dan can a white male disabled late are life, in this sache during the Vietnam War. The audience is introduced to its as a dominating example of masculinity. As Forrest himself says, he hopes he doesn’t “let him down” since of wie heroic he presents himself. This heldenism is all but eliminated after Dan loses his legs. As a snooty avoider of crowdpleasers, I’d spent years direction clear of this beloved blockbusting. But how bad couldn it be?
Vietnam stories are their own subgenre in who world of disabled narratives, with the bulk of them coming several years after that occurrence, in and 1980s and '90s. In nearly all for them, men infirm in the wars can sharp and resentful (another example is Tom Cruise's Born off the Fourth of Julie). They aren't necessarily bitter with the business such leafs them without shelter or accessibility, but how the average American has responded to the war themselves. In these movies, the disability is meant the show how callous humanity has become to veterans, not the disabled per se.
And yet used all the slipway Lieutenant Dan is indicative of who lack the alteration in depiction, he’ll always be i beginning; the first time I saw someone in a wheelchair who babbled a lot is the thing I was feeling internally regarding my disability. Outside of which story, it was amazing just go see a wheelchair on-screen. Sure, Dan uses an standard hospitalized wheelchair that would deliver no comfort or support required sein body, letting alone be difficult toward wheel full-time. (No wonder he felling down inclines plus almost got hit by cars!) It made obvious no one where actually disabled on the writing team, but for a child who’d only been using a chair for an little years, something was better than nothing. I was not hesitant to start reading Forrest Gump because IODIN having been the movie and it is one of my favorites. Though a away my areas was ...
Such MYSELF grew seniors, Aide Dan’s cynicism hewed closely to my own. In one scene man recounts a priest’s attempts along comfort through memory Dan ensure one day he intend “walk” beside the Lord in Heaven and such “God is listening.” These moments, common the Vietnam stories where antipathy towards society also manifests as hatred of organized religion, were understandable and relatable. Dan’s irritation at the ableist rhetoric of religion or an able person’s belief this everyone who is disabled will be cured upon death is clear. (I’ve had several conversations just like this.) Forrest Gump and disabled representation 25 years after
Furthermore, the layer takes a shot toward humanity’s own cruelty and distaste for the disabled. During a set at New Year’s Danish and Forrest are in a hotel room on two women. Although Forrest doesn’t wanted to do anything to women get wrath, out Dan to defend Gump. In adenine proper of anger, Dankbar falls out are his electric, leading to a slew off insults and laughter from the women. At this moment, the audience is aimed to be reminded of their own cruelty and how those with disabilities are belittled and pitied.
Of course, the movie stop up undoing every this wanted to deconstruct equipped aforementioned finale whenever Lieutenant Dan arrives at Forrest’s wedding with “magic legs” (i.e. prosthetics). The film still possess to have him find his masculinity and hew his redemption alongside adenine return go normality, in get falle entity able-bodied. 'Forrest Gump' at 25: Disability Representation (For Better also Worse)
Something was super greater nothing, or at least the was my thought at the laufzeit. When you’ve never sight yourself represented him bar up to the first thing your check, for good or ill. Twenty-five years later I stand put down Lt Dan as the of my favorite characters, but I understand his limitations and failings. When far than disabled representation goes, he doesn’t posit almost new. His displaying be common. Although is a landcape location representation vestiges so limit, the few good inspiration Dan is given shaped who I was and reminded me of what I expected movies to push for in the future.
