Adapted from Stephen King’s 1982 novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, The Shawshank Redemption tells a tale of hope, friendship, and willpower encased behind cold and timeless prison life during the 1940’s. Directed by Frank Darabont, The Shawshank Redemption portrays the life a successful banker named Andy Dufrane and his 40 years in prison alongside his friend Ellis Boyd Redding. Although Andy Dufrane is the film’s main hero, Ellis Boyd Redding narrates the development of their inseparable relationship in a corrupt and cruel prison system, and does so with an unforgettable style that tells the tale of two people’s lives in the matter of 142 minutes.
Convicted of the murder of his wife and her lover under overwhelming evidence, Andy Dufrane finds himself lost in a foreign world of solitude that he confronts with silence and indifference. Shawshank Prison was cruel and merciless place, home to corrupt guards and prison rape. Andy arrived to Shawshank last in line standing tall and unfazed by its stone walls and iron gates. However, as Red put in the first time he laid eyes on Andy, ” it looked like a stiff breeze would blow him over”. Andy was a man of few words, but the way he walked prison grounds and looked at other inmates made it seem he was always thinking as if he was a free man. He was very different from other inmates and this characteristic is what drew Red to reconsidering who Andy really was. He lived for more than smuggled boxes of cigarettes or being the top dog, which was something Red was keen to. Being a successful banker on the outside, Andy found a way to use his wit to develop a useful relationship with Warden Norton filing his taxes and running the numbers for the prison in order to work on a library for the inmates. Andy valued education and knew it was what the prison needed because he knew what being institutionalized does to a man. For this reason, Andy becomes a respected and protected inmate, but soon Andy realizes the game he got himself into was going to take a lot to escape from. Andy is forced to launder money through the prison for Warden Norton in fear of his library being burned to ashes or months of solitary confinement. As Andy states to Red, “It’s funny. On the outside, I was an honest man. Straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook.”. Struggling with the waging war of the idea of his life wasting away and perpetual confinement Andy is brought the edge of deciding if his life is even worth living.
The Shawshank Redemption approaches Andy’s story in way that makes its viewer continuously wonder, which was why this film is so successful in grabbing its viewer attention. Instead of painting Andy’s perspective in a first person point of view, Frank Darabout uses another character to frame the story of the film’s hero. From every situation we see Andy it is always in the perspective of how others see him. As Red narrates the film we see more and more of who Andy really is and continue to wonder about what exactly is going on his head. The mysterious and astute nature Andy withholds begs questions from the viewer that are typically never answered. This characteristic of the film is particularly apparent upon the rooftops of Shawshank prison where Andy and Red are working. Andy approaches a guard with financial advice concerning a large sum of money he had run into, in return all Andy asked for was a couple of beers for his friends on a hot summer day. When the day came and each of them grabbed a bottle in rejoice of their sliver of freedom Andy laid a distance away staring into space. Red had wondered why Andy had gone through the trouble to not reap the benefits, possibly to curry favour with the guards or just to make a couple of friends. These kinds of questions are never answered and situations like this are very common in the film making it harder and harder to gain a stable judgement of who Andy really is.
Beyond the perspective director Frank Darabout places Andy into, there are a few qualities that separate it from common films. The Shawshank Redemption lacks action, it lacks notable actors for its time, and it lacks a popular storyline. The film revolves around a historical prison drama which, in terms of modern entertainment, is a sure bet for a fall in the box office. During the film’s release in 1994 that is exactly what happened. Besides a wordy and odd title, The Shawshank Redemption did not initially appeal to its audiences because of what it lacked and its inability to match with other upbeat thrillers. However, like many things, classics aren’t always appreciated in their time. This film defied the convention of its time and faced the consequences, but for the same reason it was able to solidify itself as a classic in the industry.
I appreciate how you include the flaws of the film, not only the strengths. The details about the perspective of the film are intriguing and mystifying for the readers (presumably the audience as well). Some of the plot details could have been omitted, however. Overall, you have a strong review with an exceptionally written opening and ending.
I’m biased, having seen the film and read the novella, but I think you present a great point when you mention the underrated mystery element. Andy is definitely a more reserved character, and I think Red understands him in retrospect as much as he was vexed by him then. Similarly, I appreciated how you wrote that Andy’s portrayal is a result of a number of perspectives, because that alters viewers’ interpretation of him; we only see him through the eyes of others, particularly Red’s. That being said, I don’t know that I would categorize this film as a thriller, and I believe the title was deliberately sliced in half because it was considered unnecessary. Also, by the time he was starring in this film, Morgan Freeman was already popular, and had already won a Golden Globe award and had been nominated for an Oscar twice. Even with those points, though, your argument is extremely valid. Nice review!
First off, I like how you talk about the characters- Andy Dufrane and Red. Instead of trying to tackle all the complex themes and conflicts in the film (which you note there are many), you hone in one and that makes your film review particularly effective to me. Especially talking about Andy’s mysterious and quiet character, you make me curious to try and figure out more about him by rewatching the film. I also like how you note the importance of Red’s character in the film, since he was my favorite character from the film. Lastly, I enjoyed how in the conclusion you note that it isn’t/wasn’t always perfect but it is a classic. Overall, a coherent and intriguing review!