The Shawshank Redemption

"Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free."

1994 2h 22m EN

🤯

8.7

MASTERPIECE

🍅

89%

FRESH

💯

METACRITIC

⭐

9.3

IMDB

★8.7TMDB · 31,526🍅89%Rotten Tomatoes●82Metacritic★9.3IMDB · 3,235,958

DramaCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.

“Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.”

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Cast

Tim Robbins
Andy Dufresne
Morgan Freeman
Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding
Bob Gunton
Warden Norton
William Sadler
Heywood
Clancy Brown
Captain Byron T. Hadley
Gil Bellows
Tommy
James Whitmore
Brooks Hatlen
Mark Rolston
Bogs Diamond

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Frank Darabont
Writers: Frank Darabont
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

32 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CAST

Did you know

203+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Frank Darabont, shot by Roger Deakins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Thomas Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Richard Francis-Bruce shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman and Bob Gunton carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0111161 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Frank Darabont directs. Roger Deakins behind the camera. Thomas Newman scores. Richard Francis-Bruce cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

132 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2203+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
3Directed by Frank Darabont, shot by Roger Deakins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Thomas Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Richard Francis-Bruce shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman and Bob Gunton carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.".
8IMDB entry: tt0111161 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
931,526 TMDB user ratings logged — serious cultural footprint.
10Classified under 19 themes, including "prison", "friendship", "police brutality", "corruption".
11Released under 24 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Roger Deakins
Original score: Thomas Newman
Editing: Richard Francis-Bruce
Production design: Terence Marsh
Costume design: Elizabeth McBride
Makeup / hair: Monty Westmore
Stunt coordinator: Jerry Gatlin
Runtime: 142 min · 2h 22m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $25,000,000
Box office: $28,341,469
Return: 113% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes: 89% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 82/100
IMDB rating: 9.3/10 · 3,235,958 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

Nominated for 7 Oscars. 21 wins & 43 nominations total

American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases
National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Frank Darabont

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

elshaarawy2016-04-29
★ 9/10
very good movie 9.5/10 محمد الشعراوى
John Chard2016-07-10
★ 10/10
Some birds aren't meant to be caged. The Shawshank Redemption is written and directed by Frank Darabont. It is an adaptation of the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, the film portrays the story of Andy Dufresne (Robbins), a banker who is sentenced to two life sentences at Shawshank State Prison for apparently murdering his wife and her lover. Andy finds it tough going but finds solace in the friendship he forms with fellow inmate Ellis "Red" Redding (Freeman). While things start to pick up when the warden finds Andy a prison job more befitting his talents as a banker. However, the arrival of another inmate is going to vastly change things for all of them. There was no fanfare or bunting put out for the release of the film back in 94, with a title that didn't give much inkling to anyone about what it was about, and with Columbia Pictures unsure how to market it, Shawshank Redemption barely registered at the box office. However, come Academy Award time the film received several nominations, and although it won none, it stirred up interest in the film for its home entertainment release. The rest, as they say, is history. For the film finally found an audience that saw the film propelled to almost mythical proportions as an endearing modern day classic. Something that has delighted its fans, whilst simultaneously baffling its detractors. One thing is for sure, though, is that which ever side of the Shawshank fence you sit on, the film continues to gather new fans and simply will never go away or loose that mythical status. It's possibly the simplicity of it all that sends some haters of the film into cinematic spasms. The implausible plot and an apparent sentimental edge that makes a nonsense of prison life, are but two chief complaints from those that dislike the film with a passion. Yet when characters are this richly drawn, and so movingly performed, it strikes me as churlish to do down a human drama that's dealing in hope, friendship and faith. The sentimental aspect is indeed there, but that acts as a counterpoint to the suffering, degradation and shattering of the soul involving our protagonist. Cosy prison life you say? No chance. The need for human connection is never more needed than during incarceration, surely? And given the quite terrific performances of Robbins (never better) & Freeman (sublimely making it easy), it's the easiest thing in the world to warm to Andy and Red. Those in support aren't faring too bad either. Bob Gunton is coiled spring smarm as Warden Norton, James Whitmore is heart achingly great as the "Birdman Of Shawshank," Clancy Brown is menacing as antagonist Capt. Byron Hadley, William Sadler amusing as Heywood & Mark Rolston is impressively vile as Bogs Diamond. Then there's Roger Deakins' lush cinematography as the camera gracefully glides in and out of the prison offering almost ethereal hope to our characters (yes, they are ours). The music pings in conjunction with the emotional flow of the movie too. Thomas Newman's score is mostly piano based, dovetailing neatly with Andy's state of mind, while the excellently selected soundtrack ranges from the likes of Hank Williams to the gorgeous Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart. If you love Shawshank then it's a love that lasts a lifetime. Every viewing brings the same array of emotions - anger - revilement - happiness - sadness - inspiration and a warmth that can reduce the most hardened into misty eyed wonderment. Above all else, though, Shawshank offers hope - not just for characters in a movie - but for a better life and a better world for all of us. 10/10
tmdb739134332017-11-11
★ 6/10
Make way for the best film ever made people. Make way.