Remember room 237 from ‘The Shining’? What about the amount of change the boys have in ‘Stand by Me’? Well, for those of us who are familiar with Stephen King’s body of work, you’ll notice the number 237 is always present throughout his writings.
The Shawshank Redemption’s director, Frank Darabont, decided to include it in the movie. After Andy escapes, the guards yell, “Open 237!” before questioning Red about where Dufresne went.
Morgan Freeman Almost Didn't Play Red
Who else but Morgan Freeman could have portrayed Red? No one, right? Well, some people had different views. In King's version, the character is an Irish guy with red hair. It's not exactly how you would describe Freeman. The studio had considered many actors, like Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Harrison Ford.
Still, in the end, Darabont chose Freeman. His natural charisma and soulful voice made him perfect for the part. As a tip of the hat to Stephen King, Darabont added the line, "Maybe it's because I'm Irish," when Andy asks Red about his nickname.
The Maggot Issue
In the film, Brooks, the old man who works in the prison library, feeds a maggot to his pet crow. The American Humane Association had to step in because, apparently, it was cruel for a maggot to be fed to a crow.
After this unforeseen setback, the filmmakers found a maggot that had died of natural causes to feed to the crow, and all was well.
Red's Story
In the movie, Red's past is a mystery. We only know that he "committed murder." But who did he murder? How? The film doesn't answer any of these questions, but King goes into more detail in his book.
It turns out that Red is serving three life sentences for murdering not only his wife, but also his neighbor's wife and son. Red cut the brakes of his wife's car to collect insurance money. He didn't predict that his neighbor's family would also end up dying in the car when it crashed. Ouch!
The Movie Really Helped the Local Economy
The story, like almost every other Stephen King novel, is set in Maine. Still, the movie was entirely shot in Ohio. The filmmakers used 13 different filming locations that have all become tourist destinations, thanks to die-hard Shawshank fans.
Since 1994, 18,000 people have gone to Ohio to look at these sacred Shawshank sites, bringing in $3 million to the local economy. Who knew that a movie about a banker escaping prison through a poop shoot could be so good for the people of Ohio?