Screenplays

The Shawshank Redemption

Written and Directed by Frank Darabont (based on the novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King)

Starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman Jr., Bob Gunton, James Whitmore, and Gil Bellowes

The Shawshank Redemption is a prison drama about a man who is beaten, raped, abused, and frequently thrown into “the hole.” The sky is usually as gray as the stone walls, and the only female companionship comes from the posters on a wall. The film is bleak and slow and long. No wonder it fared poorly at the box office. Then…through word of mouth, TV, and home rentals, The Shawshank Redemption turned into one of the most beloved movies of our time, becoming almost a religious experience for many of its devotees. This movie breaks all kinds o rules, relating to both craft and appeal, which just goes to show that the only real rule is that a movie should move its audience.  

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