The Shawshank Redemption
Stephen King's stories and books are some of the most bankable sources of film ideas in the industry. King has received writing credit for nearly 70 films and television series. However, the end results vary drastically in quality. The Dead Zone, The Shining (1980) and Carrie were successful movies. The film adaptations of Thinner, Hearts In Atlantis, and The Running Man all sucked, though. One of King's early novellas, "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption," became the basis of one of the most popular films of all-time, The Shawshank Redemption.
Tim Robbins stars as Andy Dufresne, an intelligent, calm, young banker who is convicted of his wife's and her lover's murders. The State of Maine sentences him to life at Shawshank, a prison administered by a corrupt warden and a brutal guard captain. At first, Andy keeps to himself. After a while, he befriends Ellis "Red" Redding, played flawlessly by the irreplaceable Morgan Freeman. Red is also serving a life sentence for murder; he keeps busy in the prison by importing small items for the inmates as a business.
One day, Andy hears a guard complaining about having to pay taxes on a recent inheritance. Andy apprises the guard of an IRS benefit that protects the inheritance from taxation. Word gets around that this "wife-killing" former banker can assist with taxes and trust funds. Soon, Andy is playing accountant to the warden's scams. In turn, the guards and the warden give preferential treatment to Andy. The lead character's unbreakable spirit provides the energy for one of the best Hollywood endings ever seen.
Screenwriter/director Frank Darabont has also directed and written the screenplay for The Green Mile, based on Steven King's novel of the same title. Darabont remains faithful to the original text; the major characters and story elements are retained in the screenplay. Some liberties are taken with the order of events, though. Also, the original story had a series of wardens running the prison, with Norton being the last one. In the film, Norton is the only warden during Andy's incarceration.
The Shawshank Redemption addresses many stereotypical issues regarding imprisonment: sadistic guards, prison violence and institutionalization, for example. The guard captain beats a new prisoner on the head one late night; he dies before the infirmary doctor can help him the next morning. Prison-violence scenes are relatively tame and easier to watch. Red sums up the concept of institutionalization perfectly; "These walls are kind of funny. First you hate 'em, then you get used to 'em. Enough time passes, gets so you depend on them. That's institutionalized. They send you here for life, that's exactly what they take. The part that counts, anyways."
From the immense popularity of Shawshank and The Green Mile, it is surprising that Frank Darabont hasn't directed many films during his career. He has the skills to make a 2.5-hour (or longer) film feel like minutes. While some films are forgotten during the walk back to the car, The Shawshank Redemption takes up long-term residence in your memory.
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This film is best understood and appreciated when sober.
Themes of prison violence and corruption are not fitting for a romantic mood.
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