Behind The Scenes Of ‘The Shawshank Redemption’: Fascinating Facts And Trivia
The Shawshank Redemption came out in 1994 and has since won numerous awards and earned its spot on many lists of the greatest films of all time. The movie follows a banker named Andy Dufresne, who is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife and her lover, though he claims to be innocent. Here is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at The Shawshank Redemption. Read on in order to find out which famous actor wanted a lead in the movie...
Frank Darabont Took A Chance On The Shawshank Redemption
A new director looking to make his first film, Frank Darabont was initially supposed to make his silver screen directorial debut with a Child's Play-type of a horror film.
Instead, he opted to take a chance and adapt Stephen King's novella.
They Shortened The Title So Audiences Wouldn't Be Confused
Although the original title of King's novella is Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, the title was eventually shortened to The Shawshank Redemption.
This was done because people in Hollywood thought the film was actually a biopic about the life of actress Rita Hayworth.
It Flopped At The Box Office
While The Shawshank Redemption may be considered a classic today, it only initially grossed $18 million at the box office, which didn't even cover the cost of the film's production.
However, after earning numerous Oscar nominations, the film made another $10 million.
They Had To Re-Record The Voiceover
Morgan Freeman's voiceover for the film was actually recorded before filming and was played out loud during production to set the rhythm for each scene.
Unfortunately, they had to re-record the entire thing due to hiss on the track.
Charlie Sheen Wanted The Part
After reading the script, a young Charlie Sheen fell in love with the plot of the film and wanted to be in it.
He offered to do a 30-minute test reel portraying Red to prove he was the right guy. Ultimately, the studio decided against using Sheen and hired Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins soon after.
The Set Caught Fire
The prison cell block was built on a set, and they used opaque plastic sheeting over windows so that lamps could be used to simulate daylight.
On their way to grab coffee between scenes, director Frank Darabont and extra Michael C. Poole discovered someone had placed a lamp too close to the plastic. It caught fire, and the two quickly extinguished the flame.
An Academy Award Snub
It seemed strange that Shawshank didn't even earn an Academy Award nomination for the Production Design by Terence Marsh.
However, according to Frank Darabont, the prison set that Marsh had built in an abandoned manufacturing plant looked so real that the majority of people assumed they had used a real prison.
The Maggot Dilemma
In the film, the elderly man Brooks, who works in the prison library, has a pet crow. The scenes with the live crow were heavily monitored by the American Human Association.
In the scene when Brooks feeds his crow a maggot, the AHA stepped in, claiming that they would have to use a maggot that had died of natural causes. Amazingly, the production team found a maggot that met the AHA's standards.
There Was Almost A Different Director
After purchasing the rights from King, director Frank Darabont was offered $2.5 million from Rob Reiner to hand over the film's rights.
Darabont ultimately turned him down, claiming that it was his "chance to do something really great."
It's Based On A Stephen King Novella
The film is actually based on King's novella, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.
King sold the film rights for his novella for $5,000, although he never cashed the check. Years after the film was released, he framed it and sent the check to director Frank Darabont with the inscription, "In case you ever need bail money. Love, Steve."
The Significance Of The Number 237
Stephen King is known for planting Easter eggs in his writing in order to connect his work. One of these Easter eggs is the number 237.
Frank Darabont decided to include this in the film when the guards shout, "Open 237!" before questioning Red about where Andy went.
Morgan Freeman Wasn't The Only Option For Red
In King's novella, Red is described as a middle-aged Irishman with graying red hair. To fit the profile, many well-known actors were seriously considered for the role.
However, Frank Darabont always saw Morgan Freeman as Red for his natural demeanor and voice. To honor King's original character, Darabont added, "Maybe it's because I'm Irish," when Andy inquires about Red's nickname.
Red's Past
In the film, when Andy asks Red why he's in Shawshank, he responds by saying, "I committed murder." The novella goes into much greater detail about Red's past, explaining that he is serving three life sentences for murder.
Red had disconnected his wife's car's brakes in order to collect an insurance policy, but he didn't anticipate that his neighbor's wife and son would be riding in the vehicle.
Morgan Freeman's Son Had A Cameo
Unknown to most, the mugshots of a young Red attached to his parole papers aren't Morgan Freeman, but they're actually photos of his son, Alfonso Freeman.
Alfonso even had a cameo in the film chanting, "Fresh fish! Fresh fish today! We're reeling em' in!"
The Secret Behind Andy's Hands
Although Tim Robbins played Andy Dufrense, the close-up shots of his hands are not his but rather those of director Frank Darabont.
The reason that Robbins' hands weren't used was that Darabont wanted the scenes to be done in a particular way and decided he needed to do them himself to create the final product he envisioned.
Portraying Correctional Officers Correctly
Before filming the movie, Clancy Brown was approached by several real-life correctional officers to help make his portrayal of Captain Hadley as realistic as possible, but Brown turned them all down.
He knew that Captain Hadley was written to be an evil character, and he didn't want to misrepresent actual correctional officers.
Working With A Bird
In the scene when Andy arrives at the library to begin his new position as Brooks' assistant, Brook's crow, Jake, is squawking. Robbins had to time his line so that the bird didn't squawk while he was talking.
If you look closely, you can see Robbins paying close attention to the bird, waiting for it to squawk before saying his line.
The Scene That Took Nine Hours To Shoot
In the scene when Andy and Red converse for the first time, Red is throwing a baseball back and forth with Heywood.
This brief conversation took a grueling nine hours to film, and Freeman had to throw a baseball the entire time. Morgan Freeman even had to wear a sling due to damage to his shoulder.
Deleted Scenes
One of the deleted scenes from the movie was the inmates finding Brooks' pet crow dead in a field and giving it a proper burial. In another scene, Tommy's wife visits him, which encourages him to turn his life around and focus on getting his GED.
In another, Red has a panic attack in a grocery store and retreats to the bathroom because it reminds him of his cell.
The Movie Helped Boost The Local Economy
Although the film is set in Maine, it was filmed in Mansfield, Ashland, and Upper Sandusky, Ohio. The three towns have become increasingly popular tourist destinations since the film's release.
According to the Mansfield/Richmond County Convention and Visitors Bureau, tourism has increased every year since 1994.
Using Ex-Cons As Extras
Initially, the citizens of Mansfield, Ohio were thrilled that The Shawshank Redemption was being filmed in their town, and many locals hoped to be featured as extras in the film.
However, many people who signed up as extras could only work for one day. So, in order to fill the positions, the filmmakers went to a halfway house to recruit extras, many of whom were even ex-cons.
Using The Film Gilda Worked Out
In the novella, the prisoners watch the 1945 film The Lost Weekend. Darabont discovered that the rights to that film were owned by a different studio. So, he set out to find a film that he could show a segment of without having to pay a lot of money.
This resulted in him using the movie Gilda. Darabont actually couldn't have been happier since Gilda is one of Rita Hayworth's most notable films.
Not Entirely A Real Jail
The exterior shots of the Shawshank prison were filmed at the abandoned Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, but the interior was too far gone to be saved.
So, many of the interior shots were filmed on a sound stage.
References To Shawshank
Like many other of Stephen King's writings, the story of The Shawshank Redemption takes place in Maine. He alludes to the prison in countless of his other novels, short stories, and novellas.
For example, in the film Dolores Claiborne, based on another one of King's novels, Dolores yells at her husband that he will do time in Shawshank for what he did to their daughter.
There Are Multiple Wardens In The Novella
One of the differences between Stephen King's novella and the film is that there are multiple wardens throughout Andy's time in prison.
To make things easier, the film bundled the multiple characters into one person.
Making Sewage
In the climax of the film, Andy Dufresne, escapes from Shawshank Prison, which involves crawling through a sewage pipe that is full of human waste from the prison.
Obviously, the sludge that Andy crawls through isn't human waste. It's actually a mixture of Chocolate syrup, sawdust, and water.
Change Of Plans For A Filming Location
In the end, Andy and Red reunite and continue their lives in Zihuatanejo, a Mexican paradise in the Pacific coastal state of Guerrero. Back in 1966, it was still a small fishing village, exactly how Andy had described it to Red.
However, since 1966, the small village grew to become a large tourist city because of its beauty, so they ended up filming the scene in the United States Virgin Islands.
There Were Threats Of Fines
Because the shooting schedule in Mansfield, Ohio was so tight for the film, the production team made it clear that anyone who held up production would be fined.
Both Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman were each late once but were never fined. In the end, filming in Mansfield finished ahead of schedule.
The Trailways Coach Is Still Up And Running
Near the end of the film, we see Red board a Trailways coach bus. The actual bus is a GM PD-4104 that was built in 1960 and later delivered to the Carolina Scenic Trailways.
In 1990, the late John Holbein, the owner of the Blue Ridge Trailways, found and restored the bus as it's seen in The Shawshank Redemption. Currently, it is the property of Capital Trailway in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Iconic Rock Wall
The rock wall where Andy leaves Red money with directions and money for travel was built for the film and remained standing for years after.
However, the wall was eventually sold, rock by rock, on eBay by the farmer who owned the land. The tree remains, although it was struck by lightning in 2011.
Frank Darabont Had A Different Idea For The Ending
Initially, Frank Darabont wanted to end the film with Red searching for Andy after he had been released from prison.
However, the executives at Castle Rock insisted that the film ends with Andy and Red reuniting in order to please audiences.
Coincidence With Names
When Andy is first reassigned to the prison library for a job, the first correctional officer who comes seeking investment help introduces himself, saying "I'm Dekins." The cinematographer of the movie was named Roger Deakins.
However, it proved to be strictly a coincidence since the character and Deakins spell their names differently.
The Symbolism Behind Red's Names
Red's full name is Ellis Redding. Ellis is a Welsh derivative of the word "elus" which translates to mean benevolent/kind.
His last name, Redding is also a Germanic last name that means counsel or advice. So together, Red's name can be translated to mean "benevolent counselor," which perfectly fits his character.
The Introduction Of Miranda Rights
In the film, Red says that Andy broke out of Shawshank in 1966. This was the same year as the landmark Miranda v. Arizona case before the Supreme Court, which established that a defendant must be informed of his or her rights during the process of being arrested.
At the end of the film, the police can be heard reading Captain Hadley his Miranda Rights to ensure historical accuracy.
It Had A Limited Release At First
When The Shawshank Redemption was first released, there was a limited release in North America, and it could only be viewed in 33 theaters until October 14.
It was then released in 910 additional theaters, the same day that Pulp Fiction was released. Both films are also listed in the Top 10 of IMDB's top 250 movies.
There's Symbolism Behind Andy And The Warden Too
In the film, Andy is also symbolized as the savior for many of the other inmates. The name Andy means brave, strong, and courageous, and his initials are A.D. or "anno Domini" or "the year of our Lord."
Warden Norton symbolizes Lucifer, which translates to mean "bringer of light." This is further shown when the Warden notes that his favorite bible verse is "I am the light of the world..."
There Was Tension On Set
According to Morgan Freeman, there was "extreme tension" while filming, as there were constant disagreements between actors, producers, and director Frank Darabont.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Freeman explained that the atmosphere was "very strange," but he didn't elaborate further.
