The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film stars Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne, a successful banker wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and Morgan Freeman as Red, a fellow inmate and friend who becomes instrumental in his eventual escape from prison.
The Shawshank Redemption is set in the 1940s and follows Andy’s journey through Shawshank State Penitentiary. Initially, Andy is a withdrawn and solitary figure, but he gradually forms a bond with Red and other inmates. As time passes, Andy uses his skills as a banker to help the prison’s corrupt warden, Norton, launder money. However, he secretly plans to escape from the prison, and eventually, with Red’s help, he manages to do so.
The Shawshank Redemption received critical acclaim and has since become regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Morgan Freeman, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Frank Darabont. Although it did not win any of these awards, the film has since become a classic and has been widely praised for its performances, direction, and themes of hope, friendship, and redemption.
| Directed by | Frank Darabont |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Niki Marvin |
| Screenplay by | Frank Darabont |
| Based on | Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King |
| Starring | Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, James Whitmore, |
| Music by | Thomas Newman |
| Cinematography | Roger Deakins |
| Edited by | Richard Francis-Bruce |
| Production company |
Castle Rock Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date | September 10, 1994 (TIFF) September 23, 1994 (United States) |
| Running time | 142 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $25 million |
| Box office | $58.3 million |
