The Shawshank Redemption · written by Frank Darabont · 1994

Morning count reveals Andy is missing from his cell.

Scene 177 of 249 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act three

Guard
Haig

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:30 into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 177

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.
Scenes 31–154
He adapts through Red’s help, builds the library, and slowly earns trust while preparing for freedom.
Scenes 155–156
Tommy reveals that another inmate confessed to the murders, offering Andy a route to prove his innocence.
Scenes 157–166
Norton refuses to help and has Tommy killed, costing Andy the legal hope he had found.
Just before
Scene 174
Andy pauses outside Red’s cell; they exchange a silent, worried look.
Scene 175
In his cell, Andy finishes the final chess piece and looks up at the poster.
Scene 176
Red lies awake, afraid of what Andy might do.
Scene 177
This scene

177INT -- CELLBLOCK FIVE -- MORNING (1966)

KA-THUMP! The master lock is thrown. The cons emerge from their cells and the headcount begins. Red looks back to see if Andy's in line. He's not. Suddenly the count stalls:

GUARD

Man missing on tier two! Cell 12!

The head bull, HAIG, checks his

list:

HAIG

Dufresne? Get your ass out here,

boy! You're holding up the show!

(no answer)

Don't make me come down there now!

I'll thump your skull for you!

Still no answer. Glaring, Haig stalks down the tier, clipboard in hand. His men fall in behind.

HAIG (CONT'D)

Dufresne, dammit, you're putting me

behind! You better be sick or dead

in there, I shit you not!

They arrive at bars. Their faces go slack. Stunned. Softly:

HAIG (CONT'D)

Oh my Holy God.

REVERSE ANGLE

reveals the cell is empty. Everything neat and tidy. Even the bunk is stowed. They wrench the door open and rush in, tossing the cell in a panic as if Andy might be lurking under the Kleenex or the toothpaste. CAMERA ROCKETS IN on Haig as he spins toward us, bellowing at the top of his lungs:

HAIG

WHAT THE FUCK!