Prior to 1994, redemption was a concept left for Sunday services and theologians. That all changed when a little-known story written by a Catholic author, best known for his horror fiction, wrote a short story that in its film adaptation became an enduring classic. Stephen King’s Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption was adapted for the screen by Frank Derabont and became The Shawshank Redemption, the #1 movie of all time according to IMDb user rankings. To date the film has generated an estimated $58,500,000 worldwide. The fans, though, will be the first to tell you that it isn’t about the money; this movie has power of its own.
This weekend thousands of Shawshank disciples made the pilgrimage to Mansfield to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the filming. On Friday night, the Renaissance Theater hosted a screening of the film with box office numbers of 673. Following the film, actors Bob Gunton, who played Warden Samuel Norton, James Kisicki, the bank manager, and Scott Mann, Glenn Quentin (Linda Dufresne’s lover), signed autographs in the lobby. Although originally contracted to sign autographs until 10:30 p.m. the line was still 39 people deep at 10:50 and the actors all stayed until each autograph was signed.
Britt Lockhart drove almost 2000 miles round trip from Yukon, OK to visit Mansfield several times over the years, all to connect with a place that has become dear to him through film. “It’s hard to express in words—the hope, the friendship. It’s a powerful guy movie,” said Lockhart, who brought his entire family on this pilgrimage.
Jake Wells of La Pier, MI was only 6 years old when The Shawshank Redemption premiered in theaters, but the 25 year old man was so profoundly impacted by the film that he has the iconic oak tree tattooed on his right leg. Wells has visited Mansfield and each stop on the Shawshank Trail three times now over the years. When asked about his devotion to the film he said, “What moves me is the message, the hopeful ending; that good can come from bad.” This was Wells’ first opportunity to see the film on the big screen.
None know with greater certainty the message of hope and redemption more than Larry Lorton of Wadsworth, Ohio. Bob Gunton and Larry Lorton served in the 101st infantry unit together in Viet Nam. Until this reunion weekend Lorton and Gunton had not been able to reconnect.
Lorton remembers that many of his comrades would talk about their hopes and dreams as a distraction from the war. One time a few guys in the unit poked fun at Gunton claiming he couldn’t be an actor, “Right there in the middle of the jungle he just went into some Shakespeare,” Lorton reminisced. “He’s a good caring guy, they put him in a bad area [chokes up] I just can’t imagine. I didn’t think we’d see him again.”
Gunton was offered what he thought was a promotion so he had made a point to go around and thank the guys in the unit and let them know that he never meant to leave them behind, only after his chopper took off did everyone realize that instead he was being sent to a fire base in a volatile area.
When asked why he was so moved by seeing Gunton after all these years Lorton said, “You have to understand. All those guys, we had big dreams, hopes, plans, but none of us did it. No one realized their dreams, no one but Bob. He’s a good man.”
Redemption is a concept that resonates with people regardless of their religious predilections, and that quite possibly is the magic of this film. The human experience is complex, sometimes unfair, and often sad. There are consequences real and imagined that shape our destiny, but in the end hope is a priceless commodity for our survival. We all need to know that there is a bright future and that we are loved, and The Shawshank Redemption reminds us of that.
James Kisicki and Scott Mann were discussing the film together and at moments each had tears well up in their eyes. Mann shared that over the years he has lost friends to suicide, only to turn on the television at random and catch the film partway through. “It always gives me hope; it reminds me of what my mother taught me. Hey, what’s done is done. Move on, life is too short.”
