Summary
The Shawshank Redemptionstar Bob Gunton explains one key change the movie made from Stephen King’s novella, and why it was an improvement. Released in 1994, the beloved Frank Darabont film followsAndy Dufresne (Tim Robbins)as he spends twenty years in Shawshank prison for a murder he didn’t commit, serving as an exploration of friendship and hope. The movie, which is based on King’sRita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemptionnovella from 1982, features Gunton as the sadistic Warden Norton, who serves as the central antagonist.
During a recent episode ofThe Kingcastpodcast fromFangoria, Gunton is asked about howThe Shawshank Redemptioncondenses the three prison wardens from King’s novel into one character. According to Gunton, this was a change that Darabont made that ultimately improved the film as it relates to Andy’s character arc and the main themes. Check out Gunton’s explanation below:
Yes, and I think that was, for me anyway, Frank Darabont’s coup. He saw, and I certainly agree, that to have a hero be at his best, he has to defeat the antagonist at his worst. To dilute that with three different personalities, then it would just be kind of vaguely against the penal system or something else.
But having one guy live 20 years, with the two of them, and actually in fairly close quarters, was, I think, a stroke of genius. It made this a metaphor rather just a wonderfully-told story. Andy is the light, Warden is the dark, and the dark seeks to control the light. And the light flickers and then is reborn in the darkness.
The Warden Change In The Shawshank Redemption Was The Right Call
Bob Gunton’s Warden Is An All-Time Movie Villain
King’s novella is one of his most memorable stories, and rightly so, butThe Shawshank Redemptioncondensing the warden into one character was ultimately the best choice for the film. Having three separate wardens does work in King’s version, but Gunton proves himself an especially formidable antagonist in Darabont’s movie.Spending the extra time with Norton allows audiences to see the true depths of his sadism, and he becomes a dark cloud that hangs over Andy, the prison, and the others in theShawshank Redemptioncast of characters.
The Shawshank Redemption: 10 Differences Between The Book & The Film
The Shawshank Redemption was actually a Stephen King book before it was a movie, and here are the big differences from page to screen.
As Gunton explains, making Norton a more key figure in the narrative also improves Andy’s arc. An old storytelling adage is that a hero is only as strong as the forces of antagonism arranged against him or her, and, with Warden Norton, Andy now has a clear enemy to overcome.If there had instead been multiple wardens, the story would have lacked a clear antagonist, making it ultimately less satisfying when Andy escapes duringThe Shawshank Redemption’s ending.
The Shawshank Redemptionmay not have been a box office hit at the time of its release, but it has since gone down as one of the best movies of all time. Its powerful themes and characters are a major reason for this, including Gunton’s portrayal of Warden Norton. WhileThe Shawshank Redemptionlikely would still have been a compelling film had it adhered more closely to King’s novel, making Norton a key villain figure was evidently the right call.
The Shawshank Redemption
Cast
The Shawshank Redemption follows Andy Dufresne, a banker sentenced to life in Shawshank prison for the murder of his wife and her lover. While incarcerated, he befriends fellow inmate Red and uses his financial skills to assist the corrupt warden, all while maintaining his hope and integrity.
