100 Movies Every Catholic Should See #62: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Written and directed by Frank Darabont. Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.

Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

The Shawshank Redemption was a revelation to me. It came to me at a time when I needed it most, and spoke to the high school me on a level I didn’t know cinema could. Since then, while some have come close, none has so touched me the way Shawshank did. This film stands atop all time great lists all over the world from individuals of all walks of life. It is near universally loved as arguably the greatest of Stephen King adaptations, and is exceptional in every capacity. 

Acting, directing, cinematography, scoring, writing, set design, and pacing are all done to astonishing perfection. Masters of their crafts are abundant throughout from Roger Deakins to Thomas Newman to Tim Robbins to Frank Darabont: there is no shortage of talent in this masterclass of filmmaking. Shawshank is endlessly quotable, and not in the sense of a comedy film, but in an inspirational way. Lines are read and delivered with such grace and wisdom one cannot help but take away a line or two for inspiration. Wisdom and insight flow from it in an almost poetic manner. The film flows elegantly from making the audience laugh, cry, cheer, dred, and rejoice without ever overstaying a second. Thomas Newman’s score acts as a beautiful overture to Deakins’ impeccable cinematography. Every performance is of the highest quality. Even side characters feel real and relatable, adding depth to every scene. It is in fact the film where Morgan Freeman’s narrating ability first debuted for film, and still to this day stands as some of the greatest narration ever done. Shawshank’s morphing cycle of antagonists adds to some of the most menacing in movie history, helping build an astonishingly oppressive atmosphere that never feels overwhelming but always present. 

With all this praise to give, the question still stands as to why Catholics should see it? What does it have to offer other than apex artistic merit? It’s in the details and messaging is where Shawshank excels philosophically and spiritually. 

Many dissertations and video essays have been correctly composed pointing out Shawshank’s alignment with Stoicism and its links to Aurelius’s Meditations. For Catholics, Darabont’s magnum opus does not stop there, but speaks to us in a deeper, more intimate way. The Shawshank Redemption to the religious is a spiritual epic. It offers us comfort and guidance in how to conduct ourselves in what has become known as “Spiritual Warfare”. Ignatius of Loyola constantly discusses the interior battle and the battle for the soul, and Therese of Lisieux gave us her Little Way to act in God’s accord. Shawshank shows us that spiritual warfare is a war of attrition: it is just as much about the internal as it is about the external. Little acts of defiance in the face of such ugliness is necessary, especially in the times we live in now. While assumedly none of us are serving life sentences for a crime we did not commit, we are called to be vigilant and persevere as Andy did regardless of our circumstances. The quote given at the beginning is just one example throughout the film of the importance of Hope, and its need in all aspects of life. The film’s fixation on hope is how we ought to be always, and it's a message that speaks centrally to what we as Catholics believe and know; Hope and Faith in Christ’s promise of salvation. Through Hope and Faith in Christ we Hope to obtain eternal life with Him, and Shawshank very clearly aligns and agrees with this especially by the ending. I dare not give away any plot points as it is best for first time viewers to approach with only the knowledge that it is about a man in prison falsely accused of a crime. 

“Get busy livin, or get busy dyin” is perhaps the most famous line from the entire film, and serves as another insight to its deeper ties to Stoicism, but also can be interpreted among the Catholic audience as applying to always living for Christ. This sentiment has been echoed by countless saints and popes, and again calls to the balance of internal and external that this film possesses. It is this balance and the true presence of both internal (spiritual) and external conflict that is a true unifier of every film on this list, and a diagnosis of why there are few films in the modern era that seem to satisfy Christians and convey the deeper meanings that we all too often find missing from cinema. Films are so obsessed with the external conflict that they neglect arguably the most important part of the person; the soul. While the soul in secular media has been reduced to merely “the human psyche”, this term is grossly negligent of the “totality of man’s interior” and is reductionist of man’s nature. For hope is not merely a product of the psyche, but is discerned and held onto within the soul. 

Live in faith and hope, though it be in darkness, for in this darkness God protects the soul. Cast your care upon God for you are His and He will not forget you. Do not think that He is leaving you alone, for that would be to wrong Him. - St. John of the Cross

Some may find The Shawshank Redemption as almost bitter towards those who believe, to be subversive of Christianity: as portrayed through one of the central villains being a self identified Christian who quotes the Bible in order to justify cruelty, as well as the protagonist's final dig at him using the very words he preached to inmates. The Warden clearly is a part of some off-denominational sect (whether Methodist Evangelical or some other is left ambiguous). Throughout the film he also quite clearly does not follow the commandments he claims to believe in, and is confirmed to be quite evil. Evil characters using Sacred Scripture to inconsistently enforce their warped morality is an archetype that goes all the way back to Sacred Scripture itself, where Satan tempts Christ and quotes Psalm 91. Andy’s rebuttal can also be seen as similar to Christ’s, where instead of using Deuteronomy he uses Acts. Andy quietly shows knowledge of the Bible throughout: his relationship with the Warden implicitly resembles Christ’s temptation in the desert, further reinforcing the spirituality of this film. The fact that Shawshank aligns so neatly with Catholic spiritual teachings of so many different saints also proves this film's righteousness and is further reason for us as the viewer to connect with it in ways a normal secular audience could not. 

The Shawshank Redemption stands as a testament to the art of filmmaking in all aspects. Its impact on culture and the art form will forever be felt. It is beloved by almost all (including me) as one of the greatest films of all time, and reminds us of what cinema is capable of. Its deeper conflicts and meanings add a layer that allow viewers of all walks to appreciate it and find enjoyment, and stands king amongst a year many consider to be the greatest year for cinema (1994).  In my long journey of cinema, I truly believe there will never be another film quite like Shawshank ever again, and there will be no film that speaks to me quite how it does. It offers so much on a dramatic and spiritual level that it wholly deserves a spot on this list, as well as the top of all watchlists for those who have not seen it yet.