‘The Shawshank Redemption’ 30th anniversary: Remembering the beloved 7-time Oscar nominee

Susan Pennington
·6 min read

Of the dozens of Stephen King works that have been adapted to film (both big and small screen), one stands out as not only the best among his, but one of the best films ever made. “The Shawshank Redemption” had its nationwide release on September 23, 1994 and, while audiences at the time didn’t know what to think of this seemingly “dreary” film, it has endured for three decades as a beloved favorite for its messages of hope and friendship. Read on for more about “The Shawshank Redemption’s” 30th anniversary.

“The Shawshank Redemption” follows the 20-year ordeal of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a banker who is wrongly convicted of killing his wife and her lover, and subsequently encounters all manners of abuse within the prison walls, from corrupt warden Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton) and brutal prison guard captain Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown) to the “Sisters” gang of rapists led by Bogs Diamond (Mark Rolston). The audience is lulled into the story by the narration of Ellis “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman), a prisoner serving a life sentence who is a skilled contraband smuggler and befriends the introspective Andy, who comes to Red for help in procuring some unusual items.

More from GoldDerby

The road to making King’s novella into a feature film began in 1983, when aspiring filmmaker Frank Darabont became one of King’s first “Dollar Babies.” This was a deal in which the prolific writer sold one of his short stories to a young and upcoming filmmaker for $1, while retaining all the rights to the work, and with the caveat that he must give approval for any commercial exhibition of the resulting film. Darabont’s first work as a writer and director was for the short film “The Woman in the Room,” based on King’s short story. A few years later, Darabont bought the rights to King’s novella “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption,” and his script attracted the interest of Castle Rock Entertainment, especially cofounder Rob Reiner.

SEEStephen King movies: 12 greatest films ranked worst to best

Reiner had adapted King’s “The Body” into the successful film “Stand by Me” in 1986, and liked Darabont’s script so well, he wanted to direct, with a plan to cast his “A Few Good Men” (1992) star Tom Cruise as Andy, with Harrison Ford as Red. At the time, prison-based films were not popular, and the story of two men who become friends without a “buddy film” feel was not likely to make it big at the box office, but two big names would have added to its appeal. However, Darabont held firm that he wanted to direct, and he was given his first opportunity to helm a feature-length film.

Besides Cruise and Ford, several actors were considered for the two lead roles, including Tom Hanks and Kevin Costner for Andy, and Gene Hackman and Paul Newman for Red. Tim Robbins landed the role of Andy based on his performance in “Jacob’s Ladder,” and brought cinematographer Roger Deakins in on the deal. For the character of Red, King’s novella describes him as a white Irishman, but producer Liz Glotzer advocated for Morgan Freeman, with Darabont agreeing based on the actor’s small role in another prison drama, “Brubaker” (1980). It’s not always a wise call to depart from source material, but this choice was spot on, leading to a steady career in narration for the prolific actor with one of the most recognizable voices in the industry.

When “The Shawshank Redemption” was released in September of 1994, it vied for box office revenue with the likes of “Forrest Gump” and “Pulp Fiction.” With a title that does little to convey its content, a theatrical poster of a man being pelted by rain and audiences flocking to action-heavy films like the Arnold Schwarzenegger blockbuster “True Lies” released a few weeks earlier, “Shawshank” bombed at the box office. But two things saved it from falling into “hidden gem” film obscurity.

Critics loved the film, and the Academy honored it with seven nominations, the most for any production based on a work by King. But “Forrest Gump” proved the darling of the night, winning six, beating “Shawshank” in four categories: Best Picture, Best Actor (Tom Hanks beating Morgan Freeman), Adapted Screenplay and Editing. “Shawshank” competed with “Forrest Gump” in all seven of its nominated categories, with both films losing Best Cinematography (to “Legends of the Fall”), Sound (to “Speed”) and Score (to “The Lion King”). This is one of the most highly contentious Best Picture wins of all time, with many feeling that “The Shawshank Redemption” should have been crowned the champ. However, it’s not surprising that “Forrest Gump,” a more lighthearted film with a popular lead actor and some new-at-the-time special effects, won. The fact that “Shawshank” was bestowed so many nominations on Oscar night actually brought recognition to what was likely to become a forgotten film.

SEEMorgan Freeman movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best

Based on its critical success, 320,000 video rentals were released, and it became the top-rented film for 1995. Turner Broadcasting System owned Castle Rock at the time, and began airing the movie on TNT. Between the rentals and the cable showings, “The Shawshank Redemption” was redeemed from its box office disappointment, and has become a cultural phenomenon in the 30 years since. In their varied and lengthy careers, both Freeman and Robbins say they are most commonly asked about and complimented on this film. What the trailers and movie posters failed to capture about this movie, people began to discover slowly, spreading by word of mouth the beauty of this film that appeals equally to men and women, despite the lack of females in it.

Whereas most prison films are either dreary or action-based escape thrillers, “The Shawshank Redemption” is about hope and a deep friendship forged under the most difficult and unlikely of circumstances. Red believes that “Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.” But Andy knows that “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” Andy spends 20 years steadily working his way to freedom and redemption, and he does not forget his good friend when the time comes. It’s a story with a slow, steady build, devastating circumstances, quotable dialogue, climaxing in a beautiful image of the result that slow and steady determination can bring, and ending with the power of true friendship.

While “The Shawshank Redemption” did not fully receive the awards and attention it deserved 30 years ago, it has left a legacy of inspiration and is often listed on critics’ “best” lists. And it’s a prime lesson that you can hear the title of a film, see the poster and watch a trailer, but you never know what you’re getting until you actually give it a chance.

SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions

Best of GoldDerby

Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next