The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American prison drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murders of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over the following two decades, he befriends a fellow prisoner, contraband smuggler Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), and becomes instrumental in a money laundering operation led by the prison warden Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton). William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, and James Whitmore appear in supporting roles. Darabont purchased the film rights to King's story in 1987, but development did not begin until five years later, when he wrote the script over an eight-week period. Two weeks after submitting his script to Castle Rock Entertainment, Darabont secured a $25 million budget to produce The Shawshank Redemption, which started pre-production in January 1993. While the film is set in Maine, principal photography took place from June to August 1993 almost entirely in Mansfield, Ohio, with the Ohio State Reformatory serving as the eponymous penitentiary. The project attracted many stars for the role of Andy, including Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and Kevin Costner. Thomas Newman provided the film's score. While The Shawshank Redemption received critical acclaim upon its release—particularly for its story, the performances of Robbins and Freeman, Newman's score, Darabont's direction and screenplay and Roger Deakins' cinematography—the film was a box-office disappointment, earning only $16 million during its initial theatrical run. Many reasons were cited for its failure at the time, including competition from the films Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump, the general unpopularity of prison films, its lack of female characters, and even the title, which was considered to be confusing for audiences. It went on to receive multiple award nominations, including seven Academy Award nominations, and a theatrical re-release that, combined with international takings, increased the film's box-office gross to $73.3 million. Over 320,000 VHS rental copies were shipped throughout the United States, and on the strength of its award nominations and word of mouth, it became the top video rental of 1995. The broadcast rights were acquired following the purchase of Castle Rock by Turner Broadcasting System, and it was shown regularly on the TNT network starting in 1997, further increasing its popularity. Decades after its release, the film is still broadcast regularly, and is popular in several countries, with audience members and celebrities citing it as a source of inspiration or naming it a favorite in various surveys, leading to its recognition as one of the most "beloved" films ever made. In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

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I've been in here most of my life.

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I'm an institutional man now. Just like Brooks was.

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Well, you underestimate yourself. I don't think so.

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I mean... in here, I'm the guy who can get things for you, sure. But outside, all you need is the Yellow Pages. Hell, I wouldn't even know where to begin.

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The Pacific Ocean? Shit. - About scare me to death, something that big. - Not me. I didn't shoot my wife and I didn't shoot her lover. Whatever mistakes I've made, I've paid for them and then some. That hotel, that boat. I don't think that's too much to ask.

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I don't think you ought to be doing this to yourself, Andy. These are just shitty pipe dreams. I mean, Mexico is way the hell down there and you're in here. And that's the way it is. Yeah, right. That's the way it is. It's down there and I'm in here. I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living or get busy dying. Andy. Red. If you ever get out of here, do me a favor. Sure, Andy. Anything. There's a big hayfield up near Buxton. You know where Buxton is? - Well, just... There's a lot of hayfields up there. - One in particular. It's got a long rock wall with a big oak tree at the north end. It's like something out of a Robert Frost poem. It's where I asked my wife to marry me. We went there for a picnic and made love under that oak.

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I asked and she said yes. Promise me, Red, if you ever get out, find that spot. At the base of that wall, you'll find a rock that has no earthly business in a Maine hayfield. A piece of black, volcanic glass. There's something buried under it I want you to have. What, Andy? What's buried under there? You'll have to pry it up to see.

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No, I'm telling you, the guy is...

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He's talking funnier. - I'm really worried about him. - We ought to keep an eye on him. That's fine during the day, but at night he's got that cell all to himself. Oh, Lord. What? Andy come down to the loading dock today. - He asked me for a length of rope. - Rope? Six feet long. And you gave it to him? Sure I did. Why wouldn't I? Jesus, Heywood. Hey, how the hell was I supposed to know? Remember Brooks Hatlen? No.

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Andy would never do that. Never. I don't know.

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Every man has his breaking point.

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Lickety-split. - I want to get home. - Just about finished, sir.

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Three deposits tonight.

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Get my stuff down to the laundry. And shine my shoes. I want 'em looking like mirrors. Yes, sir.

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It's good having you back, Andy. The place wasn't the same without you.

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Lights out!

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I've had some long nights in stir.

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Alone in the dark with nothing but your thoughts, time can draw out like a blade.

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That was the longest night of my life.

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Give me a count.

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