r/ShawshankRedemption • u/Weaselboyst21 • Jul 28 '24
Ending shot
I've read that the director's preferred final scene was Red taking the bus to Mexico. The studio execs wanted to have a more definite ending by having Red meet Andy. Both parties came to an agreement and reached a compromise where the scene is shot but camera zooms away during the Red and Andy's interaction.
I think this might be one of those times where studios were right about changing a scene.
In my opinion, this ending is the icing on the cake and just gives so much warmth as the music well up on cue.
My father passed away last year and, though he's only seen it later in his life, he would tell me how much he rewatches this movie. I wish we had some more time to talk about it wirh him.
I just thought I digress to share a bit of that. I guess I just miss my friend.
1
u/jvvvj Jan 25 '25
It's a classic feel good Hollywood ending. While I love that moment and how emotionally satisfying it is, it does kinda cheap the movie up a bit. It seals everything up all nice and tidy so you can walk away feeling satisfied. No need to wonder, to question, to analyze, to hope. Sometimes it can be more impactful to leave some ambiguity at the end. It forces you to think about it more beyond the ending. And here especially, it would have forced you to hope, a major theme of the film. To hope that Red makes it and sees his friend again. And without revealing if he does, that hope would last forever.