Skip to main content
Close

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

By Michael Schilf · October 15, 2010

Screenplay Genre: Drama / Crime

Movie Time: 142 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

A batch of new inmates arrives at Shawshank Prison, and the cons bet on who will break down crying first. Ellis 'Red' Redding (Morgan Freeman) puts his money on Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), but when the cons "go fishin' with the first-timers" that night and the chief guard Hadley savagely beats a "fresh fish" because of his crying, Andy doesn't make a sound, costing Red two packs of cigarettes. (00:17:46)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

While tarring a prison roof with Red and some other cons, Andy overhears Hadley complaining about paying taxes for an upcoming inheritance. Andy approaches Hadley, who threatens to throw Andy off the roof, as Andy informs Hadley how he could shelter the money from the IRS, offering to set it up for Hadley "nearly free of charge", asking only three beers apiece for each of his "co-workers". (00:33:41)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

When a donation of old books and records arrive at the warden's office, Andy finds a copy of Mozart's "Le Nozze de Figaro", locks the guard assigned to the warden's office in the bathroom, and plays the record on the phonograph over the prison's PA system. Norton, the warden, arrives furious at the act of defiance. Hadley breaks into the office, and Andy is sent to solitary confinement for two weeks. (1:05:29)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

With new information to prove his innocence, Andy asks Norton to help him get another trial, assuring Norton he won't reveal the money laundering schemes he set up for him, but Norton reacts by throwing Andy in solitary and luring Tommy, the only inmate who can testify on Andy's behalf, to meet him alone, where Norton has Hadley shoot him four times in the chest. (1:31:54)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

While Andy is not accounted for as usual from his cell, Norton finds Andy's shoes in a shoebox instead of his own and rushes to Andy's cell, demanding an explanation. With increasing hostility, he throws one of Andy's sculpted rocks at a poster of Raquel Welch, and the rock punches through and into the wall. Norton tears the poster away to find a tunnel just wide enough for a man to crawl through. (1:51:45).