Things That Might Spoil ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ Just a Little Bit for You

It’s crazy how films completely immerse us in them, and we miss out even on the most obvious flaws on screen. I like to believe that that's what magic feels like. While normal cinephiles move on after the experience, nerds like me rewatch those movies over and over again, like our lives depend on it, until the minor mistakes feel blinding.

So, don’t mind me when I say that I’m here to spoil one of the most iconic films for you, just a little bit.

In this article, we’re looking at some of the mistakes that you might have missed in Frank Darabont’s Shawshank Redemption (probably even after multiple rewatches).

Minor Mistakes That You Might Have Missed in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’

1. The Missing Accent

In the narrative, adhering to Stephen King's original novel, Darabont establishes that the fictional Shawshank Prison is situated in Maine. Yet, you do not hear even a single character speaking in the heavy and very distinct New England accent, save for the warden, which is also extremely half-hearted and sparse. Considering that most of the people in the jail are supposed to be from the area, the missing accent kind of starts hitting you after a couple of rewatches.

2. Andy and The Others Are Blessed With Forever-Youth

According to the story, Andy (Tim Robbins) came to Shawshank State Penitentiary in 1947 and managed to pull off a prison break, claiming his freedom, only in 1966—that is, about 19 years behind bars. Darabont clearly establishes that the story takes place over a span of almost two decades, yet none of the characters age, not even one bit. Be it Red or Andy, they’re all as young and radiant, consistently, all throughout the movie (except in the sewer scene where Andy swims in human excreta, to escape prison). As a script supervisor, I think that the schedule might have been interfering with the continuity, and hence, it was a conscious creative decision to avoid “aging.” Better not do it than do it all wrong.

3. The Extreme Wide and Establishment Shots Have Shadows in Them

Darabont uses grand establishment shots in The Shawshank Redemption. But if you look closely, you will see that many of the shots have shadows of the helicopter that’s carrying the camera. On a closer look, you can also spot modern cars in the distance, which are not period-appropriate.

4. Did Red Time Travel?

Every prison dreams of having a Red—someone who can source anything and everything, even in captivity. Throughout the film, Red (Morgan Freeman) is the official cigarette supplier (along with the many other contrabands) at the Shawshank State Penitentiary, but interestingly, he doesn’t smoke even once throughout the film. Is that why he never noticed that the Marlboro Miles he had been supplying to the inmates didn’t exist back in the 1950s and '60s? LOL! The brand of cigarettes that we see Red trading behind bars was launched in the 90s. Not a blaring mistake, but the nerd in me would’ve appreciated the due diligence.

5. Andy’s Sewage Exit

An often-debated point, many viewers have pointed out about the sewer pipe and the disoriented flow of water through the pipe when Andy first breaks through the top of it. You will realize that the sewage water inside the pipe is definitely acting strangely against the laws of physics; the pipe should only drain as low as the hole in it. Considering Darabont’s inexperience (since this was his first film), I do not mind cutting him some slack here. Somehow, movies and physics have always been like oil and water. Working in Bollywood, who should know it better than me?

6. The Stephen King Homage

I could never figure out why that is (maybe it was his gratitude because Stephen sold the rights to Shawshank to Darabont for peanuts), but Darabont placed quite a few Stephen King easter eggs all over the film. I mean, if you’re a Stephen King fan, it might just become a treasure hunt for you. For instance, references to The Shining is all over the place, including room 237 (originally 217 in King’s book), which is Red’s cell number in the movie, or Morgan’s dialogue when Andy asks him about his nickname, “May be because I’m Irish,” since, as per the original literature, Red is a white Irish man. The whole Stephen King easter egg situation is not really a mistake, but feels a bit too gimmicky to me after a point.

All whining aside, to err is filmmaking, and truth be told, The Shawshank Redemption doesn’t really deserve rigorous scrutiny since the film is indeed a masterpiece, especially considering that it was Darabont’s debut as a filmmaker.

So, here I stop with being so critical. The mic is all yours: let us know your favorite moments from The Shawshank Redemption.