The Shawshank Redemption · written by Frank Darabont · 1994

Norton recruits a dozen prisoners to resurface the license-plate factory roof.

Scene 44 of 249 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 28 min into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 44

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.
Just before
Scene 41
In the laundry stock rooms, the Sisters corner and assault Andy.
Scene 42
Bruised Andy sits in solitary; Red describes the Sisters’ repeated attacks.
Scene 43
Andy returns to the laundry as Red recalls his brutal first years.
Scene 44
This scene

44EXT -- PRISON YARD -- DAY (1949)

Warden Norton addresses the assembled cons via bullhorn:

NORTON

...the roof of the license-plate

factory needs resurfacing. I need a

dozen volunteers for a week's work.

We're gonna be taking names in this

steel bucket here...

Red glances around at his friends. Andy also catches his eye.

RED (V.O.)

It was outdoor detail, and May is

one damn fine month to be workin'

outdoors.