The Shawshank Redemption adapted from Stephen King’s novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is an uplifting film that glorifies courage, hope, and humanity. If it indulges in dialogue that is over sentimental at times in can be forgiven because the movie’s emotional payoff at the end presents its message loud, clear, and beautifully.
Styled much like a classic movie from the 1940’s it is devoid of nihilism and brutality. The film does not aim to exploitatively showcase the harshness of prison life or disturb and shock us and most of the prison violence is only strongly implied and show off screen. Instead it is the story of a friendship between two men forced to endure a terrible environment who choose to face their lives with hope.
Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is falsely convicted of murdering his wife and is sentenced to two life sentences at Shawshank Prison. There he befriends an old prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman) who has made a career of acquiring items and contraband for other prisoners. The relationship between Andy and Red is a wonderful portrayal of male friendship often lacking in our current period where toxic masculinity has kept such things at an unhealthy arm’s length.
The corruption within the prison is personified by the warden (Bob Gunton), a brutal prison guard (Clancy Brown), and a gang leader and rapist (Mark Rolston). The warden in particular is a figure of hypocrisy; espousing strong religious sentiment whilst profiteering off of the incarceration and suffering of the prisoners under his care. Under the trappings of his Christian convictions the warden is a greedy and unwholesome person who abuses Andy Dufresne and deliberately deprives him of any chance at proving his innocence when the opportunity arises. The falseness of the character is best symbolised in the film by a framed picture on his office wall depicting Biblical scripture that is later shown to hide a safe underneath containing documents relating to his shady business dealings. Like the picture on the wall the warden’s presentation of himself is a facade disguising what is truly a cruel and evil man.
Paralleling him is Andy himself who likewise uses a picture on a wall to hide his true nature. Andy’s however is a less than Christian sexy poster of Rita Hayworth which later as the years go by is replaced by one of Raquel Welch. What these raw images of sensuality hide, on the other hand, is not corruption and lies like the warden’s religious imagery, but rather Andy’s efforts to escape and be a free man again. For nearly twenty years Andy digs his way out of prison and when he does he spends the rest of his life living peaceably.
The Shawshank Redemption is a very kind film. It’s inspiring, hopeful, and extremely human. It’s harsh setting and unsavory characters don’t come to life on the screen to make us cynical or hate humanity, but to give a backdrop to the human spirit overcoming adversity and continue forward with hope and strength.
The movie is good, not just in cinematic quality, but morally too. It’s the sort of film that we need to see more of in Hollywood and the sort of film that only comes a few times in a lifetime: a movie that leaves an indelible positive impression on the viewer and has even changed viewers’ lives for the better.
3 1/2 Stars
Perspectives on Film 