If you haven’t seen The Shawshank Redemption, you are truly missing out. The Warner Bros. classic, based on a Stephen King short story, was adapted into a script by first-time director Frank Darabont. The film’s initial box office was disappointing but it has gone on to find huge success in video rentals and wide spread acclaim. Enjoy these awesome facts about The Shawshank Redemption.
1. Not the Shawshank reunion
Frank Darabont preferred to end the film with Red searching for Andy. In fact, if he had been allowed to shoot the ending as he wanted, the closing shot would have been Red on the bus heading for the field. Darabont wanted to end on an open, ambiguous note but Castle Rock insisted on a reunion between the two to please audiences. So instead of showing us a teary reunion, the film observes it from a distance. Darabont’s response to Castle Rock’s demands.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
2. This is why we invest
The $370,000 Andy stole from the Warden in 1966 may not seem a huge amount for 20 years incarceration but adjusted for inflation to today, Andy stole the equivalent of $2,703,466.67.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
3. Call in the reliever
Andy and Red's opening chat in the prison yard, in which Red is pitching a baseball, took nine hours to shoot. Morgan Freeman pitched that baseball for the entire nine hours without a word of complaint. He showed up for work the next day with his arm in a sling.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
4. Extended version
There were numerous deleted scenes from the film including:
A sequence where the convicts find Jake (Brooks's pet crow) dead in a field sometime after Brooks has left the prison, and the convicts give Jake a funeral and burial.
Tommy's young wife visiting him, their conversations providing a more vivid illustration into why Tommy decides to turn his life around and approaches Andy to work on getting his GED.
Red's feelings on the 1960s after he is paroled, as well as a panic attack in the grocery store that sends him running for a bathroom cubicle that calms him down because it reminds him of his cell which makes his choice to find the tree and rock wall more meaningful, because it runs counter to Brooks's choice.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
5. Late Bloomer
Although a very modest hit in theaters, it became one of the highest-grossing video rentals of all time.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
6. So he's not Irish?
Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Paul Newman and Robert Redford were all considered for the part of Red. In the original novel, Red is a middle-aged Irishman with graying red hair. However, Frank Darabont always had Morgan Freeman in mind for the role because of his authoritative presence, demeanor and deep voice. In the movie, they left the line, "Maybe it's 'cause I'm Irish," in as a joke, even after they had cast Morgan Freeman as Red.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
7. Do I amuse you?
Director Frank Darabont watched Goodfellas (1990) every Sunday while shooting this film and drew inspiration from it, on using voice-over narration and showing the passage of time.
8. Writer's block
Frank Darabont took a large pay cut to use his version of the script. He later decided not to include the deleted scenes on the DVD version of the film, apparently because he is embarrassed by them, and doesn't want them to taint the public view of the film.
9. Help a brother out
The mugshots of a young-looking Morgan Freeman that are attached to his parole papers are actually pictures of Morgan's younger son, Alfonso Freeman. Alfonso also had a cameo in the movie as a con shouting, "Fresh fish! Fresh fish today! We're reeling 'em in!". A year after The Shawshank Redemption (1994), he appeared as a Fingerprint Technician in another Morgan Freeman movie, Se7en (1995).
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
10. Forrest would have escaped for sure
Jeff Bridges, Tom Hanks, Kevin Costner, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Johnny Depp and Charlie Sheen were all considered for the part of Andy Dufresne. Hanks turned it down because he was committed to Forrest Gump (1994). Costner liked the script a lot but was then embroiled in the filming of Waterworld (1995).
Forrest Gump (1994), Paramount Pictures
11. Had me fooled
One of the reasons why the full title of the Stephen King novella, "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption," was not employed was because there was a perception in Hollywood that the film was actually going to be a biopic of Rita Hayworth. Indeed, Frank Darabont even received solicitations of audition requests from several actresses and supermodels and their agents about playing the lead.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
12. They're actually really nice
Clancy Brown said that he received several offers from real-life corrections officers to work with him to make his portrayal of Captain Hadley more realistic. He turned them all down because Hadley was an evil character and he didn't want to misrepresent real corrections officers.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
13. Probably not a good call, Andy.
Tim Robbins thought of the idea of his character, Andy Dufresne, turning up the volume of the record player in the scene where he plays the Opera music over the PA. This was one of the only scenes that was not in the original novella by King.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
14. Quite the dedication.
At the end of the movie, there is a dedication to Allen Greene. He was Frank Darabont's agent and also a close personal friend. He died just before the completion of the movie due to AIDS complications.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
15. Seems legit.
After the film gained popularity, Ted Turner sold the television rights to TNT, his own network, for much lower than normal for such a big film. Because it is so inexpensive to show, the film is broadcast on TNT extremely often.
16. I cant feel my fingers!
In the closeup of Andy's hands loading the revolver in the opening scenes, the hands are actually those of Frank Darabont. Later in the film, while Andy carves his name into his cell wall (seen twice in the film), Darabont's hands are used again for the insert shot. These closeups were filmed during post production, notably because Darabont felt that only he could do exactly what he wanted in the closeups.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
17. Yeah, definitely a flop.
The film's initial gross of $18 million could not even cover the cost of its production. It did another $10 million in the wake of its Oscar nominations, but the film was still deemed to be a box office flop.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
18. Respect all creatures
The American Humane Association monitored the filming of scenes involving Brooks' crow. During the scene where he fed it a maggot, the AHA objected on the grounds that it was cruel to the maggot, and required that they use a maggot that had died from natural causes. One was found, and the scene was filmed.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
19. Greatness comes in many forms
Rob Reiner loved Frank Darabont's script so much that he offered $2.5 million for the rights to the script so he could direct it. Darabont seriously considered Reiner's offer but ultimately decided that it was his "chance to do something really great" by directing the movie himself. Reiner wanted Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise to play Red and Andy respectively.
20. Inspiration comes in many forms
Stephen King has said that his original novella was a culmination of all the memories he had from watching prison movies when he was a child.
21. Voiceovers come in many forms
For this film, the voiceover narration was recorded before filming began and was then played on set to dictate the rhythm of each scene. The guide track was recorded in an Iowa recording studio by Morgan Freeman in only 40 minutes. Unfortunately, there was a minor hiss to the track which sound engineers in Los Angeles were unable to eradicate. Consequently, it had to be re-recorded in a proper studio; this time it took three weeks.
22. Muddy Waters
For the sewage tunnel sequence, Tim Robbins initially refused to immerse himself in the muddy water at the end of the pipe after a chemist tested the water and dubbed it lethal.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
23. Not actors
While Mansfield locals were eager to be extras, many weren't available during the day due to their jobs or were only available for one day, which obviously would not work in a prison film. So, extras were found at a halfway house, some of them real-life ex-cons.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
24. Probably charged him more than a buck
Stephen King sold the rights to the novella Rita Hayworth & Shawshank Redemption very cheaply out of his friendship with Frank Darabont. They had originally become friends when Darabont, as an aspiring filmmaker, adapted a short story of King's called The Woman in the Room (1983) (King has a policy stating that any aspiring filmmaker can adapt his short stories for a buck) and King was thoroughly impressed. They maintained a pen pal relationship and didn't actually meet until Darabont optioned Shawshank.
25. Snubbed by Forrest
Despite being widely considered as one of the greatest movies of all time, it didn't receive a single oscar win, though it was nominated for 7 including best picture. In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked this as the #72 Greatest Movie of All Time. It was the first inclusion of this film on the list. It is currently the #1 movie of all time according to imdb.com users.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
26. Andy also worked for Enron.
The character Andy Dufresne had a cameo appearance in 'Apt Pupil', another Stephen King novelette. Andy handled the investments for Dussander, the Nazi in hiding.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
27. No streams here.
Despite its box office failure, Warner Brothers shipped 320,000 rental copies to US video stores, a figure a spokesman freely admitted was "out of whack" with the film's performance in the theaters.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
28. Method actors
To prepare for his role as Andy Dufresne, Tim Robbins actually spent some time in solitary confinement.
29. Speed is key
Frank Darabont wrote the script in just eight weeks.
30. First of many
This was Morgan Freeman's first time narrating a movie.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
31. Good choice
James Whitmore was cast in the part of Brooks because he was one of Frank Darabont's favorite character actors.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
32. Bang!
The sound of the warden shooting himself is the same sound of the man stamping "Approved" on Red's paper.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
33. Jake want a cracker?
When Andy goes to the library to begin work as Brooks' assistant and Brooks' crow, Jake, is squawking, Tim Robbins had to time his line, "Hey, Jake. Where's Brooks?" so that the crow wouldn't squawk over him, since the bird could not be trained to squawk on cue. Robbins was able to adapt to this and time his line perfectly by learning the bird's squawking patterns, for which director Frank Darabont praised him. Robbins' improvisation is noticeable as he watches the bird carefully while approaching it, waiting for it to squawk, and doesn't begin his line until after it does so.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
34. I still have no idea what those Italian ladies were singing about
The opera song that Andy Dufresne plays over the loud speakers is "Canzonetta sull'aria" from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro."
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
35. Real Jail
The exteriors were filmed at the defunct Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. The prison was in such poor condition, renovations had to be made prior to filming. However, most of the interiors were shot on a sound stage, because they determined it would be cheaper to build duplicates of the interiors rather than renovating the interiors of Mansfield.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
36. Fan theory
Many critics have spotted many allegorical themes in the film, generally along the lines that Andy Dufresne is a latter day Jesus Christ. Frank Darabont refutes all such claims although he is delighted that so many people have read so much into his film.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
37. Now I know.
Red says he has no idea what the ladies in The Marriage of Figaro are singing about. Actually, they're composing a letter to the husband of one of them inviting him to an assignation with the other in order to expose his infidelity.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
38. Smoking kills
Though Red traffics in and is often seen with packs of cigarettes (he gives packs to Heywood, Brooks Hatlen and Laundry Leonard), he is never himself seen smoking in the film.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
39. The real Shawshank
The Shawshank prison, in the book and in the movie, was loosely based on Thomaston prison, an aging prison located in Thomaston, Maine. That real life prison closed in 2004 due to its small size and dilapidated structure.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
40. Why only one?
Four different pinup posters adorn Andy's cell in the novella: Jayne Mansfield, Linda Ronstadt, Hazel Court and Rita Hayworth. In the film just three feature: Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, and Raquel Welch (pictured).
41. Brooks got a few screws loose
Although it is never stated in the film, Brooks is in prison for murdering his wife and daughter after a losing streak at poker.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
42. It's all in the details
Warden Norton whistles Martin Luther's signature hymn "Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott", or "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
43. Approval from the man himself
Stephen King has considered this to be one of his favorite film adaptations based on his own work.
44. Gilda
The Rita Hayworth movie the prisoners are watching is Gilda (1946).
45. Check in or check out.
Since filming schedule was very tight in Mansfield, Ohio anyone who held up production time were threatened to be fined. Both Tim Robbins and William Sadler showed up late once but were never fined. Filming in Mansfield, Ohio finished ahead of schedule.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
46. By any means necessary
In the novella Red is paid for his smuggling activities not just through cigarettes, but actual cash that prisoners (including Andy) themselves smuggled into Shawshank by any means necessary.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
47. All good things must end
As of July 23, 2016, the white oak tree featured near the end of the movie has fallen down on Pleasant Valley Road near Malabar Farm in Ohio due to strong winds. The oak tree survived a lightning strike occurred on July 29, 2011.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
48. Sounds like Andy
The shoot was apparently fraught with "extreme tension" as there were constant differences between the actors, the producers, and the director. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Morgan Freeman said, "That was a strange production. There were moments of extreme tension on the set. Between the producers and actors, between the director and actors, between everybody. Just this personality stuff between different groups. Very strange. Let's stop talking about that one."
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
49. This was not 2017
There are only two female speaking parts in the entire film. One is the customer who complains about Brooks' service at the grocery store and the other is the bank teller who attends to Andy at the bank following his escape.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
50. Ah capitalism
There's now a Shawshank Trail for tourists, and local businesses are right on the bandwagon. In that part of Ohio you can pick yourself up some Reformatory "Red" Wines, Shawshank Bundt Cakes and the local Two Cousins' Pizza sells Redemption pie.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
51. Yum
When Andy is making his escape, he crawls through a sewer tunnel filled with raw excrement. The sludge was actually a mixture of chocolate syrup, sawdust, and water, and even decades later the pipes still smell like cocoa.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
52. "Just a stupid kid that committed a terrible crime"
In the movie, Red says the only guilty man in Shawshank when Andy asks him what he's in for. The source novella explains in detail; Red's life term is not because of a botched robbery-turned-fatal-shooting, he is serving three life sentences for murdering his wife, his neighbor's wife and his neighbor's son. Red disconnected the brakes on his car in order to kill his wife to collect on an insurance policy; he did not plan on two other people joining his wife for her ill-fated drive.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Castle Rock
