The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
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A banker's long journey of endurance and friendship unfolds within the confines of a Maine state penitentiary.
The story
In 1947, banker Andy Dufresne is sentenced to two consecutive life terms at Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over the next two decades, Andy forms a deep bond with a fellow inmate, Ellis "Red" Redding, a man who facilitates the exchange of contraband. While navigating the harsh realities of prison life and the corruption of the administration, Andy becomes involved in a complex money-laundering scheme for the warden. The narrative explores his resilience and the quiet ways he maintains his dignity and hope while enduring the passage of time in a bleak environment.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1947, Andy Dufresne is sent to Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover. He befriends Red, a smuggler, and eventually uses his financial expertise to help the corrupt Warden Samuel Norton and Captain Byron Hadley with money laundering. Over decades, Andy maintains his spirit, helps others, and builds a library. He eventually discovers that his friend Tommy has evidence of his innocence, but the warden refuses to help and has Tommy killed. Andy eventually escapes through a tunnel he dug over 19 years, using a rock hammer. He sends the evidence of the warden's crimes to the press, leading to the warden's suicide and Hadley's arrest. Red is paroled years later and finds a package containing money and a letter from Andy, leading him to a beach in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, where the two friends are finally reunited.
- First release year
- 1994
- Runtime (minutes)
- 142
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Frank Darabont
- Writers
- Frank Darabont · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tim Robbins · Andy Dufresne; Morgan Freeman · Ellis "Red" Redding; Bob Gunton · Samuel Norton; William Sadler · Heywood; Clancy Brown · Byron Hadley; Gil Bellows · Tommy Williams; James Whitmore · Brooks Hatlen
- Genres
- drama; crime
- Themes
- hope; friendship; institutional corruption; resilience
- Tone and mood
- somber; poignant; inspiring
- Setting
- A state penitentiary in Maine during the mid-20th century (1947-1965).
- Premise and plot tags
- prison drama; crime; friendship; legal drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (novella)
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim for its story and performances but was a box-office disappointment initially. It became a cultural phenomenon through home video sales and television broadcasts.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 89% · scale: percentage · review count: 146; Metacritic · score: 82 · scale: 100 · review count: 22
- Awards and nominations
- American Society of Cinematographers award · Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography · win
- Production trivia
- The film was originally intended to feature the movie 'The Lost Weekend' in the prison theater scene.; The character of 'Red' was originally described as a white Irishman in the novella.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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