We've Got to Get Out of This Place!

Rating: 9/10 (18 April 2019)

At this writing I see that there is already 6,329 reviews of "The Shawshank Redemption" on IMDb so what the heck, I'll throw in my two cents worth.
"The Shawshank Redemption" was adapted from a Stephen King novelette about a wrongly convicted murderer's 19 year odyssey through Shawshank prison in Maine. Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sent to prison for the murder of his wife and her lover. We don't learn until later that he really was innocent. Andy is taken under the wing of veteran lifer Red Redding (Morgan Freeman) who shows him the ways of prison life.
Warden Norton (Bob Gunton) is a strict Bible thumper who together with his sadistic Captain of the Guards Captain Hadley (Clancy Brown), maintain order within the prison. A convict named Bogs (Mark Rolston) sets his sights on Andy for homosexual purposes. Andy is continuously attacked by Bogs and his friends. While working on a roof top, Andy overhears Hadley's complaints over taxes on a small inheritance. Andy tells Hadley of a way in which he can avoid any taxes. As his "fee" Andy asks for beer for his co-workers which puts him favor with the group. Later, when Bogs and his gang rough up Andy, Hadley beats Bogs to a pulp and renders him a parapalygic.
Warden Norton sees possibilities in Andy and re-assigns him to the prison library being run by lifer Brooks Hatlen (James Whitmore). Andy through an exhaustive letter writing campaign, manages to gain funding from the state to expand the library along with a supply of used books. Andy does Income taxes for the guards and tutors some prisoners as well. Norton is impressed Under a scheme where prisoners are loaned out to the community for work on public projects, Norton develops a kick back scheme and employs Andy to keep the books for him.
A young convict named Tommy (Gil Bellows) comes to the prison and after gaining the confidence of Andy and Red, tells a tale of a prisoner that he had shared a cell with who admitted to killing Andy's wife and lover. Andy goes to Warden Norton to seek a new trial. Norton not wanting to lose Andy because of his accounting skills, refuses to help him. An argument ensues and Andy is thrust into solitary.
When he is released from solitary, Andy becomes distant and becomes a loner. What he is really doing is hatching an elaborate frame-up of Norton and his cronies while also planning to escape. One morning g at roll call Andy does not answer and......................................................................................
This film deservedly was nominated for seven Academy Awards. The acting is superb. Robbins and Woodward are tremendous as the two main characters. Gunton and Brown are great as the main villains. But veteran James Whitmore almost steals the movie with his sympathetic portrayal of the paroled lifer who tries to adjust to society after 50 years in prison.
A great movie.