Many believed that the 90s period prison drama, ‘The Shawshank Redemption‘ is based on a true story. Was there any particular historical incident that inspired Frank Darabont to direct the film? ‘The Shawshank Redemption‘ received seven Academy Award nominations and is featured in the IMDb’s top-rated movies of all time. In 2015, the film was chosen by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.
‘The Shawshank Redemption‘ is actually not based on a true story, but rather adapted from Stephen King’s novella ‘Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption‘. This novella is a part of King’s different season collection of stories. The story follows a banker Andy Dufresne who is sentenced to life in prison, despite claiming to be innocent in 1947. He spends the next 19 years hatching an escape plan from the Shawshank State Penitentiary. During his time as an inmate, he befriends fellow convict and contraband smuggler Ellis Red Redding who unknowingly provides Dufresne with the tools required for the escape. Although Red serves as the film’s narrator, it does not reveal why he is imprisoned.
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‘The Shawshank Redemption’ Vs Stephen King’s Novella
Frank Darabont, wanted to honor the source material that mimicked the novella’s narrative. Other plot developments were entirely his invention, sharpening the film’s themes and adding dashes of cinematic violence. The crucial difference is that Andy Dufresne uses the poster of Rita Hayworth to hide the tunnel, symbolizing freedom and hope. Meanwhile, in the novella, her poster is replaced with Raquel Welch.
While reading a book, a particular image of the character is imprinted in the reader’s mind which might or might not be the same in the movies. While in the film, both Red and Andy look completely different from their appearances in the novella. Interestingly, these casting decisions were so perfect that Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman have immortalized the roles. Now it is difficult not to picture them while reading ‘Rita Hayworth And Shawshank Redemption‘. However, Andy in the book is small, mousy-haired, and wearing glasses. Red is a white Irish man. The writers make reference to this difference by having Red joke about having Irish heritage.
In the original story, Brooks dies uneventfully in an old folks’ home. Sadly, Brook’s end in the film was disturbing – he committed suicide by hanging, which was heart-wrenching to watch. Tommy, a young con who can clear Andy’s name, trades his silence for a transfer to a minimum-security prison in the novella. But in the film, Caption Hadley shoots Tommy from the tower.
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Who Was The Real Andy Dufresne?
Even though ‘The Shawshank Redemption‘ is not based on a true story, it does share several similarities with a real prison escape from the actual prison where the film was shot. In 1957 Frank Freshwaters pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter after he killed a man while driving. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Freshwater’s sentence was later suspended and he was placed on probation.
Freshwaters escaped his incarceration the same year he was put behind bars. On the contrary, it took Andy Dufresne almost 20 years to escape. Freshwaters managed to earn the trust of many of the prison guards and was later moved to Osborn Prison Farm where he escaped within a few months. Till today, it has not been revealed how Freshwaters managed to escape.
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