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"THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION" (1994) (Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Moderate Extreme Moderate Heavy Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Minor Moderate None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Extreme Moderate Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Drama: A mild-mannered banker learns the rules and rhythm of a Maine penitentiary after he's sentenced to life for his wife's murder, an act he claims he didn't commit. PLOT: It's 1947 and mild-mannered banker Andy Dufresne (TIM ROBBINS) has just arrived at Shawshank prison to serve two life terms for the murder of his wife. He claims he's innocent, but as Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding (MORGAN FREEMAN) tells him, they're all "innocent" there, including others such as Heywood (WILLIAM SADLER) and lifelong inmate Brooks Hatlen (JAMES WHITMORE) who's been there since 1905 and serves as the sole librarian. While Warden Samuel Norton (BOB GUNTON) may run the prison via his hard-nosed lead guard, Captain Hadley (CLANCY BROWN), Red's the one who can anybody most anything, for a price. And what Andy needs is defense from Bogs Diamond (MARK ROLSTON) and his "sisters" who routinely enjoy putting new cons in their place by repeatedly raping them. But Andy must fend for himself, and as time passes and he becomes best friends with Red, he eventually figures out how to handle Bogs and the others. After a risky maneuver of offering Hadley financial advice, he becomes the warden's all-around assistant, eventually cooking the books as the years and then decades pass and new inmates, such as petty thief Tommy (GIL BELLOWS), come and go. Seeing how Red is always turned down for parole, Andy realizes he must deal with the fact that he might not ever get out, a thought that makes him set out on a patient and steady course to obtain his freedom. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens might be interested in it, but unless anyone else is a fan of someone in the cast, it doesn't seem too likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For language and prison violence. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: TIM ROBBINS plays a mild-mannered banker who's convicted of his wife's murder and sentenced to two-life terms in prison. There, he must figure out how things work, including dealing with Bogs and his fellow rapists who repeatedly attack him. Reserved, he sticks to himself but becomes friends with Red and ends up serving as the warden's "cooked books" accountant and general assistant. He also uses strong profanity. MORGAN FREEMAN plays his best friend in prison, the sort of man who can get anyone most anything for a price. He's concerned about Andy at various stage of their friendship, doesn't think he'll ever get out on parole and uses strong profanity. BOB GUNTON plays the corrupt and mean warden who runs the prison with an iron fist, uses Hadley to do his dirty work, and turns Andy into his unofficial assistant where he has him cook the books to cover unreported income and other financial irregularities. CLANCY BROWN plays the brutal head guard at the prison who isn't above beating inmates for any reason. MARK ROLSTON plays an inmate who, along with his cohorts, repeatedly rapes Andy and other wise intimidates and roughs him up. GIL BELLOWS plays a petty thief who arrives at the prison and unknowingly changes the delicate balance that's existed there for years. JAMES WHITMORE plays the oldest inmate there, the friendly librarian who's afraid of what he'd do on the outside if paroled. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 35 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are used. Sexually related dialogue (some of it explicit) is present, as is a brief sexual encounter (while standing, with movement). Some male prisoners' bare butts are seen, while some male prisoners are after a new male inmate (and gang rape is implied). Other violence includes a guard shooting and killing an inmate, two suicides (shooting and hanging) and men fighting with or beating others. Some of that has bloody results, while those scenes and other moments may be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers. Both prisoners and prison officials have bad attitudes, while various characters smoke and/or drink. Some crude humor is present, as is material regarding a man being convicted of killing his wife over her having an affair. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there are flashes of light during a thunderstorm. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE We see a flashback to Andy in his car at night, outside the home of his wife's lover. He drinks from a bottle of booze, later does so again, and later admits that he was drunk that night. Red states in voice-over narration that he can get anyone anything, listing cigarettes, a bag of reefer, a bottle of brandy, etc. All Andy asks as payment from Hadley is three beers a piece for the other inmates working with him resurfacing a roof. We later see them drinking (and Hadley takes a beer for himself), but Andy doesn't have any as he says he gave up drinking. A smuggled shipment comes in with cigarettes, whiskey and playing cards with naked ladies on them (we don't see the latter). We see cigarettes and bottles of liquor in a store. BLOOD/GORE Hadley tells an inmate that they'll "sh*t" and "piss" when he says so and later metaphorically comments about a "mouse fart." Andy finds a worm in his food. Andy has a bloody lip after being hit. Bogs has a little blood from his mouth while Hadley beats him. An inmate thinks he's found a good rock for Andy, but others inform him that it's a "horse apple" (dung) and others laugh as he breaks it apart and reacts to the thought and/or smell. Brooks makes a comment about himself -- "I nearly soiled myself." Not wanting to be paroled, Brooks holds a knife or other sharp object to Haywood's neck (with a little blood at the point of impact) until others talk him down. A guard states that he's going to go "pinch a loaf" (defecate) and we then see him sitting on the toilet reading a comic book, but don't see or hear anything related. The warden gives the nod and Hadley then shoots an inmate several times from the guard tower, killing him. We see blood at the points of impact, then blood on his shirt and some small pools below his body. A comment is made that a person "vanished like a fart in the wind." We see Andy bashing a sewer pipe and then having raw sewage blast out from that hole. We then see him crawling through that pipe and briefly see/hear him vomit from the smell. Knowing the police are coming for him, a prison official loads a pistol and aims it at the locked door. He then takes the gun, places it beneath his chin and pulls the trigger. We see his head whip back and the glass behind him shatter. We then see him sitting in his chair dead, with a bloody hole in his chin. We briefly see Red standing at a urinal after asking his manager if he could "piss." DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE During Andy's trial, it's stated his wife was having an affair and that she wanted a divorce. Various prisoners act as sexual predators, watching the new inmates arrive. They call them fresh fish and do various catcalls, etc. toward them. Norton and Hadley have bad attitudes regarding how they treat the inmates (including murder, brutality and the warden using Andy to launder his skimmed money). When a new inmate blubbers that he wants his mother, a veteran con jokes, "I had your mother, she wasn't that great." Guards accept bribes for various favors from the inmates. We hear that Red is in prison for murder. Brooks makes the comment "Easy peasy Japanesy." Paroled but unable to cope with being free, Brooks comments (in a letter) that maybe he should get a gun, rob the store where he works, and kill the manager (as an added bonus since he doesn't like the man). Andy broadcasts an opera recording over the PA system and won't stop when ordered to. The warden starts an outside work program for the inmates, but does it so that he can skim the money off the top and always get plenty of business since he can under-bid outside businesses. We then see him accepting a cash bribe to allow one such business to have the needed work. We hear that Tommy has been sent to prison for B&E (breaking and entering). When Andy informs the warden that another inmate has knowledge that proves Andy's innocence, the warden says not to bother (and gives Andy a month in solitary for questioning his response). Later, the warden has Hadley shoot that inmate dead. The warden tells Andy that if stops laundering his money, he'll lose his privileges and protection from the rapists, adding "You'll think you've been f*cked by a train." As the warden threatens to burn Andy's library holdings, he says that they'll "dance around it like wild injuns." The warden treats Andy like his slave, not only for laundering his money, but also by making him shine his shoes, etc. A man breaks his parole by leaving his designated area. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling or suspenseful to those with low tolerance levels for such material. When a new inmate won't stop crying and whimpering, Hadley removes him from his cell, and then repeatedly kicks and beats that man with his night stick. We later hear that the inmate died from his injuries. Bogs and other inmates ambush Andy. He struggles with them, with one punching him, while he elbows another. The men then proceed to kick Andy repeatedly, but we don't see the impact that's blocked by something in the foreground (we also don't see the implied rape). We briefly see another scene of Andy trying to ward off Bogs and the other rapists (with a broom handle or something similar), but don't see what happens next. Andy approaches Hadley to offer financial advice, but Hadley and the other guards (one of which holds a shotgun on Andy) don't see it that way. Hadley says that Andy will be "sucking my d*ck with no teeth" and drives him over toward the edge of a roof where he holds him, threatening to toss him off. Confronted by Bogs and the other rapists, Andy grabs a film canister and smashes Bogs and another man in the face with it. They then grab, punch and kick him, repeatedly and severely (seen in an overhead shot and we then hear that he spent a month in the infirmary from that beating). Bogs and the other rapists come after Andy again, with Bogs saying that Andy will swallow what he gives him to swallow and will then do the same for another man. Andy says he'll bite off anything presented to him, going on about the bite reflex when someone suffers a head injury (after Bogs threatens to stab him in the head if he doesn't comply). As punishment for the beating Bogs gave Andy, Hadley repeatedly hits Bogs with his nightstick. Bog tries to crawl out of his cell, but is yanked back in and we then hear more such beating. We later see him being carted away, bruised and battered with the comment that he never walked again. Not wanting to be paroled, Brooks holds a knife or other sharp object to Haywood's neck (with a little blood at the point of impact) until others talk him down. A man hangs himself (we see him stand on a table and then kick that away -- we see just his feet, but also a mirror reflection of him and then see a full shot of him -- from behind -- hanging there dead). The warden gives the nod and Hadley then shoots an inmate several times from the guard tower, killing him. We see blood at the points of impact, then blood on his shirt and some small pools below his body. After hearing that he has a 6-foot rope and knowing he's upset about not being able to prove his innocence, we think Andy is going to hang himself (as do others), but that doesn't happen. Knowing the police are coming for him, a prison official loads a pistol and aims it at the locked door. He then takes the gun, places it beneath his chin and pulls the trigger. We see his head whip back and the glass behind him shatter. We then see him sitting in his chair dead, with a bloody hole in his chin. GUNS/WEAPONS Rifles/Shotguns/Machine guns: Carried by guards and used (rifle) to shoot and kill an inmate. We see a flashback to Andy in his car at night, outside the home of his wife's lover. He retrieves a gun and loads it with bullets. We see several handguns in a window display case. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Get the f*ck out of my face," "You maggot-d*ck m*therf*cker," "Shut the f*ck up," "Lucky f*ck," "What the f*ck do you care?" "F*cking A," "A total f*cking mystery," "F*ck off," "You ignorant f*ck," "Calm the f*ck down," "F*ck you," "F*ck-stick" (nonsexual), "A lawyer f*cked me" (nonsexual), "F*ck this place, f*ck it," "Dumb f*ck thing to do," "Big twitchy f*cker," "You'll think you've been f*cked by a train," "Same old sh*t, different day," "Heap of maggot sh*t," "That little sack of sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "Horsesh*t," "Tub of sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "Dumb sh*t," "Crazy as a rat in a sh*t tin-house," "You're sh*tting me," "Sh*t-heap," "It's for sh*t," "Well sh*t," "Sh*tty pipe dreams," "I sh*t you not," "I don't give a sh*t," "Bet you wished your daddy never d*cked your momma," "You fat barrel of monkey spunk," "Squeezes your t*t 'till its purple" (nonsexual), "Colossal pr*ck," "Clean as a virgin's honey-pot," "I'll see you in hell," "Butt-steak," "Fat ass," "Silver spoon up his ass," "Your ass belongs to me," "Nit-wits," "Big old bull queers," "Smell my ass," "Poor bastard," "Jeez Louise," "Are you nuts?" "Bunch of ball washing bastards," "Ladies" (for men), "Horse apple" (dung), "Ain't that a kick in the head?" "Easy-peasy Japanesy," "My ass," "Damn right," "I do believe you're talking out of your ass," "G*ddamn right," "Old-timer," "Big damn hurry," "Pissed off," "Damn straight," "Dumb ass," "Turds," "I'll be damned," "Cocky as hell," "What the hell?" "Losers," "Half-assed," "The hell you say," "Tasty bitch," "Stand there with your thumb up your butt," "We'll dance around it like wild injuns," "Move your butts," "How the hell..?" "Take a piss" and "That's G*ddman right." Andy carves his name in the wall, as does Brooks and Red later. Tommy has a tattoo on his arm. A comment is made that a person "vanished like a fart in the wind." JUMP SCENES A sudden gunshot might startle some viewers. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A moderate amount of suspenseful/ominous music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 35 "f" words (2 used with "mother," 3 used sexually as are terms "banging" and "d*cked"), 44 "s" words, 5 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck" and "pr*ck"), 1 for female ones ("honey-pot"), 1 for breasts ("t*t"), 21 asses (3 used with "hole"), 13 damns, 9 hells, 3 S.O.B.s, 1 crap, 12 uses of "G-damn," 4 of "God," 2 each of "Jesus" and "Oh Lord" and 1 use each of "For God's sakes," "Oh Jesus," "Oh my Lord" and "Sweet Jesus." SEX/NUDITY We see a brief flashback to Andy's wife and her lover kissing while standing and just starting to disrobe, but nothing's seen at this moment. We then see another flashback of them, passionately kissing (and him nuzzling on her neck) up against a door or wall, with her working on his pants and him lifting her dress. The two then have sex while standing up (we see movement, but not much else as they're mostly in silhouette). A comment is made about Andy's wife "and the fellow she was banging." Various prisoners act as sexual predators, watching the new inmates arrive. They call them fresh fish and do various catcalls, etc. toward them. Andy is hosed down and deloused (powder thrown on him) and he's apparently nude, but we only see him from the chest (and middle of the back) up. We then see various new inmates walking along nude, holding their clothes and shoes to cover their crotches, but we see the sides of their bare butts. A person tells a new inmate that he'll "bet you wished your daddy never d*cked your momma." A comment is made about the "old bull queers" (prisoners with homosexual tendencies) and that they'll like one new inmate's big white butt. When a new inmate blubbers that he wants his mother, another unseen one jokes, "I had your mother, she wasn't that great." Bogs comes on to Andy. We see several prisoners' bare butts in the shower room where Bogs comes on to Andy (who asks him if anyone's gotten to him yet -- meaning sex). When Red comments on the "bull queers," Andy says he's not homosexual. Red says they aren't either, and adds that they take who they want by force. Andy approaches Hadley to offer financial advice, but Hadley and the other guards (one of which holds a shotgun on Andy) don't see it that way. Hadley says that Andy will be "sucking my d*ck with no teeth" and drives him over toward the edge of a roof where he holds him, threatening to toss him off. When Andy tells Red he wants Rita Hayworth (meaning a poster of her), Red jokes that he can get her, but doesn't have her stuffed down the front of his pants, adding, "I'm sorry to say." Bogs and the other rapists come after Andy again, with Bogs saying that Andy will swallow what he gives him to swallow and will then do the same for another man. Andy says he'll bite off anything presented to him, going on about the bite reflex when someone suffers a head injury (after Bogs threatens to stab him in the head if he doesn't comply). A smuggled shipment comes in with cigarettes, whiskey and playing cards with naked ladies on them (we don't see the latter). A poster of Rita Hayworth shows a little cleavage. Talking about Andy hiding the warden's money, Red asks if it's as "clean as a virgin's honey pot" and Andy says it's cleaner. We see a poster of Raquel Welch in a skimpy cavewoman outfit (from movie) that shows cleavage. Tommy comments on his former cell mate talking of the women he "f*cked." We then see a flashback to that cell mate commenting on that, calling her a "tasty bitch" and saying, "She's f*cking this pr*ck." The warden tells Andy that if stops laundering his money, he'll lose his privileges and protection from the rapists, adding "You'll think you've been f*cked by a train." Andy talks of an oak tree where he proposed to his wife and they "made love." We see Andy standing shirtless in the rain. SMOKING Many prisoners smoke in various scenes, while the warden smokes and lights a cigarette for Tommy. Red states in voice-over narration that he can get anyone anything, listing cigarettes, a bag of reefer, a bottle of brandy, etc. Red and the others bet cigarettes on which new inmate will crack first. Cigarettes are used as payment for items smuggled into the prison. A smuggled shipment comes in with cigarettes, whiskey and playing cards with naked ladies on them (we don't see the latter). We see footage of Rita Hayworth smoking in a movie. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We see a flashback to Andy in his car at night, outside the home of his wife's lover. He retrieves a gun and loads it with bullets. During Andy's trial, it's stated his wife was having an affair and that she wanted a divorce. About his wife's death, Andy tells Red that he didn't pull the trigger, but he drove her away (thus indirectly leading to her death). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Prison life. During Andy's trial, it's stated his wife was having an affair and that she wanted a divorce. Homosexuality or homosexual acts in prison. The comment that prison life is all about routines. The comment that hope is a dangerous thing in that it can drive a man insane (particularly one in prison). The comment to get busy living or get busy dying. VIOLENCE A guard hits an inmate in the gut with his night stick. When a new inmate won't stop crying and whimpering, Hadley removes him from his cell, and then repeatedly kicks and beats that man with his night stick. We later hear that the inmate died from his injuries. Bogs and other inmates ambush Andy. He struggles with them, with one punching him, while he elbows another. The men then proceed to kick Andy repeatedly, but we don't see the impact that's blocked by something in the foreground (we also don't see the implied rape). We briefly see another scene of Andy trying to ward off Bogs and the other rapists (with a broom handle or something similar), but don't see what happens next. Andy approaches Hadley to offer financial advice, but Hadley and the other guards (one of which holds a shotgun on Andy) don't see it that way. Hadley says that Andy will be "sucking my d*ck with no teeth" and drives him over toward the edge of a roof where he holds him, threatening to toss him off. Confronted by Bogs and the other rapists, Andy grabs a film canister and smashes Bogs and another man in the face with it. They then grab, punch and kick him, repeatedly and severely (seen in an overhead shot and we then hear that he spent a month in the infirmary from that beating). Bogs and the other rapists come after Andy again, with Bogs saying that Andy will swallow what he gives him to swallow and will then do the same for another man. Andy says he'll bite off anything presented to him, going on about the bite reflex when someone suffers a head injury (after Bogs threatens to stab him in the head if he doesn't comply). As punishment for the beating Bogs gave Andy, Hadley repeatedly hits Bogs with his nightstick. Bog tries to crawl out of his cell, but is yanked back in and we then hear more such beating. We later see him being carted away, bruised and battered with the comment that he never walked again. Not wanting to be paroled, Brooks holds a knife or other sharp object to Haywood's neck (with a little blood at the point of impact) until others talk him down. A man hangs himself (we see him stand on a table and then kick that away -- we see just his feet, but also a mirror reflection of him and then see a full shot of him -- from behind -- hanging there dead). Hadley breaks a glass door window to get to Andy. The warden gives the nod and Hadley then shoots an inmate several times from the guard tower, killing him. We see blood at the points of impact, then blood on his shirt and some small pools below his body. While upset, the warden throws small rocks at Red and his guards. Knowing the police are coming for him, a prison official loads a pistol and aims it at the locked door. He then takes the gun, places it beneath his chin and pulls the trigger. We see his head whip back and the glass behind him shatter. We then see him sitting in his chair dead, with a bloody hole in his chin. Reviewed April 30, 2006 / Posted May 6, 2006