The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

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Plot

Taking place in 1947, Andy Dufresne --a professional banker-- is imprisoned for the double-homicide of both his wife and her lover, which he claims he did not commit. Dufresne is whisked away to Shawshank State Penitentiary, a fictional prison in Maine. Although he stays his first month in prison without barely uttering a word, he eventually warms up to Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, a fixer. Andy asks him for a rock hammer so he can continue with his hobby of rock collecting. As Andy warms up further to the other inmates, a group known as "The Sisters" take a shine to him. One day, while doing laundry indoors, Andy is ambushed by The Sisters and raped.

Red and the gang

Dufresne works in a continual battle against The Sisters, until one day in 1949 when he is given the opportunity to work outdoors, which Red bribes him and their other friendly inmates into. While working outside, Andy overhears that Byron Hadley, the leader of the prison guards, has received an inheritance from his now-deceased brother. Dufresne then approaches Hadley, and tells him how to circumvent taxes on the inheritance, which gives him favor among the guards, and a cooler of beer for his friends. After returning, Dufresne is beaten by The Sisters, injuring him to a month-long trip in the infirmary. However, because of his arrangement with Hadley, the guards beat Bogs, the leader of the Sisters, crippling him, and causing the rest of the Sisters to back off of Dufresne.

After returning, Andy finds a poster of Rita Hayworth, and a position alongside its long-time librarian Brooks Hatlen waiting for him. While working in the library, Andy works with all of the guards', and even the warden's taxes. Andy also begins writing the state weekly, and later bi-weekly, for donations and funds for the library. After receiving said donations, Andy plays a newly found copy of Marriage of the Figaro over the PA, causing him to be put in solitary confinement for a week, but also giving a glimmering moment of hope to the inmates of Shawshank.

After creating a large prison work force, and using it for kickbacks after undercutting competitors, Warden Norton enlists Dufresne's help to launder the money. Dufresne creates a fake identity to pin the money on in case anyone gets suspicious of the Warden. Andy also finds himself without an assistant after Brooks is released on parole. However, unable to adjust to modern living, Brooks hangs himself after inscribing his name on the wall. In 1965, another, younger inmate takes his place in the form of Tommy Williams. Williams, young and with a family outside asks Dufresne to teach him, and help him with his GED. While earning his GED, Williams hears of Dufresne's crime, and recalls his cell-mate in a previous prison bragging about having committed a similar crime, then pinning it on a banker. Warden Norton, thinking Dufresne would rat him out if released, and reluctant to let go of his services, puts Andy in solitary confinement, and has Tommy shot, saying that he was attempting to escape. The Warden also threatens the destruction of the Brooks Hatlen dedicated library if Andy does not continue laundering his money.

Andy and Red

After spending 19 years in prison together, Andy tells Red of his dream of living south of the border, in a tropical, coastal town. He also tells him of a beautiful hayfield he should visit in case he is ever released. Because of his tone, and the later revelation that he received a rope from a fellow inmate, Red fears Andy will commit suicide, and that the prison has finally broken him. The next day, while taking roll, Red's fears appear to be true, after Andy does not leave his cell. However, after inspecting the cell, the guards are unable to find any sign of Andy. Frustrated, Warden Norton throws a rock at Dufresne's changed poster of Raquel Welch. Instead of bouncing off the wall, however, it goes straight through. The warden pulls out the poster to reveal a tunnel dug by Dufresne using his rock hammer. Dufresne had swapped out his Bible for the Warden's ledger, as well as taking his suit. Dufresne crawled through the hole, leading to a sewer pipe, breaking through it in a thunderstorm. After changing into a normal suit and basking in freedom, Andy withdrew all of the money from Norton's laundered account, becoming the "ghost" he had created years earlier. Andy also mailed a letter to the press, exposing the corruption in Shawshank. Police arrive at the prison, arrested Captain Hadley, and frightening the Warden into killing himself.

Finally being released from parole, and being put in the same apartment and job that Brooks was, Red visits the hayfield Andy spoke of. At the hayfield, Red finds money, and a reminder of Zihuatanejo. Using the money, Red violates his parole and takes a bus to Mexico. After arriving, Red finds Andy sprucing up an old boat he vividly described in his description of Zihuatanejo, and the two reunite with a hug.

Reception

The Shawshank Redemption was never a box-office success in American theaters when it premiered in 1994. The film was met with modest reviews, and grossed only $18 million dollars worldwide. Since the film was made for $25 million, it became known as a flop.

Blu-ray cover of the film

However, despite the unimpressive reviews, the film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, which resulted into the film be re-released in theaters. The film now earned back the money it took to make it, and a little more. Director Frank Darabont told The Wall Street Journal in 1999 that the film would have be forgotten if it weren't for the Oscar-nominations. But it was when the film was released on VHS in 1995 that it found it's real audience. It became the most rented movie in America that year, and after that one of the biggest sellers in the video-market in the 90s. It has since then enjoyed a remarkable life on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray and cable television as well.

The Shawshank Redemption has been voted the best film of the 90s and the 4th best film ever made by the readers of Empire Magazine. Ever since the launch of the iMDB Top 250 list, The Shawshank Redemption has held a spot in the top 5. Currently it's number 1 on the list with a score of 9.2. This has helped the movie reach a younger audience, which it wasn't originally made for.