Forrest Gump - Tom Hanks was twice inspired when he chose to do this movies. First of all he accepted to play the part not two hours after he had read the script, as it was one of the best he had ever come across. Then he refused to take a fixed salary, asking for a percentage after the release of the movies. By the end this would mean over 40 million dollars, surely much more than he would have received at first. Funnily that for maybe his best part ever Tom Hanks wasn't even the first choice of the producers. The Shawshank Redemption - it was a flop at the box-office in the rather short period of time when it was shown, but would become a cult-movie and the most rented video of 1995. And would prove that director Frank Darabont was one of the so very few who could turn into a great movie a Stephen King story. He would do it again, and not only once, with The Mist and The Green Mile. Even if it was financially a failed project, Morgan Freeman would later admit that among all of his movies (and the list is impressive, to say the least) this was his favourite.
Pulp Fiction - Uma Thurman didn't want to star in this movie. But Tarantino was not a director who could give up an idea. He insisted, and asked, and returned, and in the end he simply read a large part of the script over the phone to a shocked Uma Thurman. Who in the end gave up and accepted the part. One of the best choices she ever made.
La vita e bella - in the beginning everybody thought that Roberto Benigni was doomed to fail. It was a difficult script, he was known mainly as a comedic actor, he wanted not only to be the main character, but also to direct, mainly this was his most important project. And it was a huge hit, with three Academy Awards and about 100 other awards and nominations, over 200 million dollars at the box office and simply a movie which made history.
Photo: movieposters.com
