The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film stars Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne, a banker who is unjustly convicted of murdering his wife and her lover and is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary. Morgan Freeman co-stars as Ellis “Red” Redding, a fellow prisoner who becomes Andy’s friend.

 

Short Synopsis

 

Andy Dufresne is a banker who is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. He is sent to Shawshank State Penitentiary, where he meets Red, a longtime inmate. Andy and Red become friends, and Andy uses his intelligence and cunning to survive in Shawshank. He eventually escapes from prison after 19 years, and Red is released on parole.

Interesting Facts

  • The Shawshank Redemption was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Tim Robbins. It won none of the awards.
  • The film was a box office disappointment at the time of its release, grossing only $58.3 million worldwide. It has since become a cult classic, and it is now considered one of the greatest films of all time.
  • The film was shot on location at the former Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. The prison was closed in 1990, and it is now a popular tourist destination.
  • The film’s title is a reference to a song from the 1940s called “Shawshank Redemption.” The song is about a man who is wrongly imprisoned and eventually escapes.
  • The film’s poster features a line from the film: “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
  • The film’s tagline is: “Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.”

Director and Cast

  • Director: Frank Darabont
  • Writer: Frank Darabont (based on the novella by Stephen King)

Cast

  • Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne
  • Morgan Freeman as Ellis “Red” Redding
  • Bob Gunton as Samuel Norton, the warden of Shawshank Prison
  • William Sadler as Heywood, a fellow prisoner
  • Clancy Brown as Byron Hadley, a sadistic guard
  • Gil Bellows as Tommy Williams, a young prisoner who befriends Andy
  • James Whitmore as Brooks Hatlen, an elderly prisoner who has been in Shawshank for many years