The Shawshank Redemption:A Place Where Humanity Is Put to Test - Movie Review Example

The Shawshank Redemption – a place where humanity is put to test. While a prison is normally taken as a restraint on one’s freedom, it is also supposed as the first step to correction of one’s offenses or crimes. The movie Shawshank Redemption directed by Frank Darabont, and released in 1994 reveals the brutal reality and corruption within the four walls of the Shawshank State Penitentiary operated by Warden Samuel Norton. The movie is based upon the work Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King. Despite being a place for resurrection, the prisoners often find them facing harsh situation which are unjust. the movie centers around Tim Robbins enacting as Andy Dufrense, a banker accused for killing his wife and her lover with bullets and this story is narrated by “Red” Redding (Tim Morgan), his friend in the prison. Despite Andy’s declaration of innocence he is retained in the prison guided by circumstantial evidence. The movie uses the character of Andy Dufrense to reflect the resilience of human spirit and how one can retain his humanity against all odds under penitence. Andy Dufresne in his late 40s has no reason to be apprehensive about life unless things changes a little too fast for him. The corpses of his wife and her previous lover are found strewn with bullets after Andy comes to know of his wife’s illicit relationship. The circumstance goes against him when he visits his house with whisky and bullets. Though he admits to these incidents, he declares his innocence but all he receives form the court of justice is to life sentences to serve and undergo the tough penitence of the jail at Shawshank which is known to be the most atrocious one in New England. When Eliss “Red” Redding befriends Andy, he foretells that the lanky and out of place Andy would not be able to sustain here for long. His prediction seems strong given that Andy is surrounded by hostile inmates and strong tough and aggressive head guard like Hadley and personalities like Warden Norton (enacted by Bob Grunton) who made their dominance clearly felt throughout. Later when Andy narrates his story to Red, he says, “Bad luck, I guess. It floats around. Its got to land on somebody. It was my turn, thats all. I was in the path of the tornado. I just didnt expect the storm would last as long as it has”. This is complemented by the harassment of the group of troublemakers and sexual assaulters named “The Sisters” under the leadership of Bogs. Despite being tormented Andy does not give in. This surrounding is ideal to prove the Prison to live up to its name and reputation of atrocity and violence and abrupt instances of abuse occur frequently. With brutality on one hand, corruption also prevails on the other. For instance, the Warden Norton uses Andy to assist him in his operation of laundering money under the fake name of Randall Stevens. This opportunity comes when by his luck his discovers Hadley is in a problem related to tax on an inheritance and renders his fruitful advice on the same. He is then asked to look after the library and also renders financial counseling to the other guards. Hadley also beats up the group of ‘Sisters’ who refrains from bothering Andy henceforth. Things were comfortable for Andy since his talents are being exploited by the Warden who uses the inmates for supplying labor force instead of skilled labor for which he receives incentives. Andy knows his corruption but has little way out. He takes a big risk by playing The Marriage of Figago for his inmates to hear despite knowing that he would be confined to solitary cell for this offense of rendering one pleasant moment. He carries on his good work by expanding the library after several attempts and with the help of the warden. He dedicates the library to Brookes the old librarian who commits suicide after being released on parole since he could not adjust to the outside world. The movie set over a wide space of two decades joins different strands of stories taking place in the prison. This shows how Andy retains his integrity in the midst of the prison system that fails to help the prisoners survive after coming into the real world and emerging from being the witness to brutalities and actions which vouch against humanity. An instance of unethical action and the bloody truth behind the dark practices of the Shawshank Prison is revealed when Tommy Williams (enacted by Gil Bellows) under robbery charges comes in contact with Andy. After hearing his case, Tommy tells him the news of another inmate Elmo Blatch who has been under the charges of a similar nature of murder and gives Andy the hope of proving his innocence. Andy gains hope with this story and Tommy promises to help him but Warden Norton refuses to oblige owing to the fear that Andy might reveal his corruption with money laundering to the outside world after being released. They fall into a bickering and Andy is led to solitary confinement for sometime during which Tommy is murdered by Hadley under Norton’s instruction. When Norton informs him about the death of Tommy, saying that he was shot as he tried to escape, Andy refuses to help them any longer. In turn Norton threatens him saying, “Nothing stops. Nothing... or you will do the hardest time there is.” Here one finds the betrayal in human nature which makes Hadley and the warden refrain from cooperating with Andy despite the help obtained from him. Quite ironically what the prisoners learn here is undercover crimes which never come to the knowledge of the outside world. What kind of redemption can be expected in this environment? Perhaps, nothing can be done without one’s integrity. The environment stands witness to the survival of the fittest strategy of nature. Andy stands as an example to this. Andy shows his resilience as well as his calm intelligence which helps him escape the hell to everyone’s surprise. Andy has never stopped dreaming despite his double sentences and reveals his wish to live in Zihuatango, a coastal city of Mexican Pacific region. He tells his friend Red to retrieve some package from Buxton when he is released on parole. The next day everyone find his absence in the prison. Norton is angry not only for the escape of a convict but the risk that his own crimes are subject to. In his anger he throws a stone at the Rita Hayworth’s poster and this creates a hole. The truth is revealed that Andy has been digging the hole or the escape route for the past two decades with the rock hammer he obtained for Red to help him practice his hobby of rock cutting. He replaces the ledger book of the warden with his Bible, perhaps the guide to his humanity and assistance in standing against the odds. Norton needs this more than the ledger book perhaps because of the increasing level of offences he has been conducting over decades. Perhaps the Bible could teach him a few lessons on humanity. Andy escapes through the tunnel and a narrow drain of sewage when there is a thunderstorm. Using his fake name of Randall Stevens he draws out the money from different banks and publishes the evidence of the corruption committed by Norton to a newspaper and the police arrests Hadley though Norton commits suicide in order to escape the capture. After 40 years Red gets his parole and following his friend’s advice retrieves the box of money and Andy’s note which reminds him of the beach he wanted to visit. He breaks the parole and reaches the beach where the two friends meet. Thus the climax is reached when the discovery of the hole in the wall is made accidentally after Andy escapes. This reveals careful planning apart from strong determination to pursue his dream and regain his self esteem which he automatically deserves, being innocent of the charges pressed against him. Divine vengeance is meted out as Andy redeems his normal life through sheer focus and strong belief in what he wants. This is reflected in his note to Red, “Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies”. The violence of the jail and the immoral and inhuman practices could not taint his nature and neither have these activities detained him from committing any good or benevolent deeds for the people he cares for and those who actually stand by him. In conclusion one can say that the movie Shawshank Redemption shows the redemption of Andy’s fate which he achieves through his strength of character and wisdom in an environment where he is attacked and beaten, psychologically and physical tormented by the people of authority apart from being exploited. A person’s innocence holds no worth in this dark world where once an individual is in, he is bound to reach his breakdown point and lose all hopes for escape. The penitentiary serves as the stern tormentor to the convicts and the only route of coming out victorious from the horrid world is through sheer willpower and spirit, like Andy. Reference Shawshank Redemption, Darabont, Frank (Dir.), Castle Rock Entertainment, 1994 (DVD) Read More