The Shawshank Redemption · written by Frank Darabont · 1994

Tommy reads at the wood-shop line until work pulls him away from the book.

Scene 150 of 249 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:16 into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 150

After a banker is wrongly imprisoned for murder, he uses patience, expertise, and friendship to survive Shawshank and build a path to freedom.

Scenes 1–8
Andy’s former life and conviction frame a banker whose apparent control has vanished.
Scenes 9–10
Inside prison, Andy needs a way to survive without surrendering the inner self he is trying to protect.
Scenes 11–30
Andy enters Shawshank and confronts its violence, hierarchy, and rules.
Scene 31
Andy and Red begin the friendship that will carry the film’s argument about hope and connection.
Scene 51
Andy tells Red that prisoners retain an inner life and hope, though Red warns hope can be dangerous.
Scene 112
Andy broadcasts Mozart; the whole prison experiences a brief freedom of mind, revealing what hope can still do.
Just before
Scene 147
Andy teaches Tommy the alphabet at the blackboard.
Scene 148
Tommy and Andy discuss a book as Tommy begins to make progress.
Scene 149
Tommy reads aloud, laboring through the words.
Scene 150
This scene

150INT -- WOOD SHOP -- DAY (1965)

Tommy intent on a paperback, mouthing the words. Behind him, wood is piling up on the conveyor belt.

RED (V.O.)

After a while, you couldn't pry

those books out of hands.

RED (CONT'D)

Ass in gear, son! You're putting us

behind!

Tommy shoves the book in his back pocket and hurries over.