Rekha reviews the film, The Shawshank Redemption, that celebrates the hope and spirit that’s undying. An exclusive for Different Truths.

It is very recently that I happened to watch some of the most sought after English films. What better time than now, when the whole world is in the venomous grip of a pandemic and subsequent complete or partial lockdown.

Among some of the movies I watched, this one, in particular, stayed with me and still haunts me. Just to brief you, the protagonist is a young and highly successful banker, who is sentenced to a double life term for murdering his wife and her lover.  He is sent to one of the most ruthless prisons, The Shawshank Prison. Of course, Andy never admits to the crime even in the court or to his inmates in jail.

Among some of the movies I watched, this one, in particular, stayed with me and still haunts me. Just to brief you, the protagonist is a young and highly successful banker, who is sentenced to a double life term for murdering his wife and her lover.  He is sent to one of the most ruthless prisons, The Shawshank Prison. Of course, Andy never admits to the crime even in the court or to his inmates in jail. Not alone that, he very quickly wins the confidence of the warden and is liked by the inmates too.

The pulse of the story begins in prison. It turns out that Andy (played to perfection by Tim Robbins) becomes one of the most unconventional inmates of the prison. The story travels through a most compelling and yet undeniably sensitive path with hope becoming the focus theme. It is absolutely stunning to see the tenacity of the soul and effervescence of the spirit despite being trapped in one of the most difficult situations in his life and, in a place, which is one of the best guarded, like a fortress and an absolute next to impossible to even imagine to escape. Not alone that, he succeeds in conveying that feeling of “not all is lost” in a lot of inmates, who until then felt that their life will end there only. They were far too conditioned to life in jail, and hope was the last of things that they should ever hang on to!

Andy, the convict, walking tall with an enigma leaves the audience craving for more! Will Andy be successful in his venture? That’s the tiny streak of light that succeeds in keeping the audience glued! Well, it doesn’t seem to be anywhere close to the thought but as the movie unfolds, the little bubbles of expectation start shining through the colours of the sunlight and the thin ray of hope resurfaces.

As the film progresses, leaving the audience with a strong element of curiosity, that’s so infectiously engrossing — Andy, the convict, walking tall with an enigma leaves the audience craving for more! Will Andy be successful in his venture? That’s the tiny streak of light that succeeds in keeping the audience glued! Well, it doesn’t seem to be anywhere close to the thought but as the movie unfolds, the little bubbles of expectation starts shining through the colours of the sunlight and the thin ray of hope resurfaces.

The beautiful poster woman reveals it all. That’s all I will give away…

Through the film, one is exposed to a mix of characters and a variety of emotions that is indeed very intriguing.  It is a complex blend of facing adversities and at the same time how the prisoners are able to maintain their sanity by finding little moments of joy and friendship. It tells about how a prison at the start can be the most difficult place to be and how they get used to it and eventually graduate themselves to ‘ being institutionalised’. This is expressed by Red (yet another stellar performance by Morgan Freeman) very beautifully in the film.

The jail culture with its good, bad and the ugly frames, takes us into a world that is so different from the one we live. The jail represents a life that no one should live or experience. I feel if we have a preview of that kind of hellish and chastened atmosphere, anyone would give a second thought to commit a crime of any kind.

The jail culture with its good, bad and the ugly frames, takes us into a world that is so different from the one we live. The jail represents a life that no one should live or experience. I feel if we have a preview of that kind of hellish and chastened atmosphere, anyone would give a second thought to commit a crime of any kind. Nothing can be more satisfying and complete than a life of freedom, dignity and contentment within our means.

I must add here, for the kind of indignation and excruciation within the walls of the prison, no crime in this world is worth committing! The prison strips you off all your sanity and dignity and leaves you to lead a life of institutionalisation; plummeting you to a depth of absolute servitude and isolation. It’s incomplete defiance and deprivation of the basic rights and simple joys of life that one otherwise enjoys.

Savagery and barbarism of the body and the mind are all one is subjected to and he begins to think that is the way of life forever. It is heartbreaking to see the inmates live a life of drudgery, misery and total annihilation of their personality.

Savagery and barbarism of the body and the mind are all one is subjected to and he begins to think that is the way of life forever. It is heartbreaking to see the inmates live a life of drudgery, misery and total annihilation of their personality. But, I would say in the same breath, they should not have sinned!

I am also shocked or should I say surprised at another inmate’s mental make-up. A senior man, in charge of the jail library, is almost ready to commit another crime as he does not want to leave the premises that were his home for so many years. Is this what ‘Being institutionalised’ means? It’s very hard to digest this very rare emotion! Then there is another set of criminals, who take crime to yet another level, of sexual assault of the worst order. This can make you cringe with disgust and anger! There are many more incidents that add to the essence of the film. Let me leave you with an element of surprise and some wow moments of profoundness!

It’s a riveting story with strong, standalone characters, who are successful in portraying innate humaneness despite their criminal backstories. But yes! This film does not license anyone to even think of living in one of the worst penitentiary, The Shawshank Prison or for that matter any prison in the world. The world outside the tall impregnable walls is a beautiful place to be!

Finally, I would say that his film is an eye-opener to how prisons are and throw light on the multitude of characters who languish for years with no hope of seeing the light of the world or enjoy the love and care of their families. It’s a riveting story with strong, standalone characters, who are successful in portraying innate humaneness despite their criminal backstories. But yes! This film does not license anyone to even think of living in one of the worst penitentiary, The Shawshank Prison or for that matter any prison in the world. The world outside the tall impregnable walls is a beautiful place to be! It is nowhere else but in this world that we can attain salvation by being among people, with the sun shining on our eyes, fragrant air to breathe and live a life of dignity and respect.

In the end, I am reminded of these words by Bob Marley, “Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all the days of your life.” And this film portrayed that sentiment very well. It was indeed a tightrope walk between death and freedom!

Photo from the Internet