This film is one that has been enjoyed by movie-lovers for over three decades and it has become a timeless classic loved by audiences old and new. The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont, has stood the test of time and still receives much critical acclaim even 30 years later.
The story follows the tale of Andy Dufresne who is imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover. The upstanding banker 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.
Starring Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman as Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding, the two characters each undergo their own transformation arc but their journeys are intertwined.
One reviewer on IMDb said: “The best movie in history and the best ending in any entertainment business.”
Another penned: “It deserves this praise that seems to be growing each year. Now twenty years old, the film has not aged a day, and instead seems to be getting better.
“This is Tim Robbins’ best role, and a fine performance from the always wonderful Morgan Freeman.”
The film is based on the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, which was released in his 1982 collection of short stories, Different Seasons.
It is set in Maine but was filmed at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio.
The compound was to be demolished once filming wrapped, but the cellblock and main administrative building were saved and became a tourist attraction.
While the film was not an immediate box office hit, it became a hit after it received seven nominations at the Oscars.
Although it did not win, following this it was rereleased in cinemas and today it is kept alive by digital streaming services.