Bishop Barron on "The Shawshank Redemption"

Another part of a video series from Wordonfire.org. Bishop Barron will be commenting on subjects from modern day culture. For more visit www.wordonfire.org

[@dhulin9708]

This movie is a favorite of my 70 year old life. Saw honest deep love between the two! Sure Jesus loved it’s caring meaning too! 🧡

[@BishopBarron]

Thanks so much for that wonderful response. God bless you. I'll actually be in Dallas in two weeks for the NCDVD Convention. Right after the talk, I'm going to Trinity Seminary in Dallas. Unfortunately, neither of those events is really a public event. Please pray for me.

[@BishopBarron]

I'm not speculating about the sourness of atheism. I know it from direct experience. The attempt to account for a radically contingent world through endless appeal to contingent causes is, epistemically, a dead end, sour. To attempt to satisfy the longing for the unconditioned good and true and beautiful through finite things is, morally and spiritually, a dead end, sour stuff.

[@eddiecampion2410]

Father it is great to hear your review of this.i enjoyed it.

[@nousury]

Ela Lamblin Atwill is not a historian, and has put forward the least tenable of all of "mythical Jesus" theories. Why would the Roman Empire create a religion, only to turn around and persecute the followers of the very religion it had supposedly just created?

[@Flyboy243]

I'm an atheist, but I love this movie and the parallels with Jesus are almost spot-on.

[@TheXone7]

Flyboy243 Thank you for a nice comment :-)

[@savagetbagg]

U still have time

[@bluequirk8536]

Do you believe in Love ?

[@BobJP77]

Nice to see an Atheist that isn't criticising anything religious online

[@antondzajajurca7797]

I beg to differ. Fra Barron picked parts of the movie that suits his narrative.

[@SocalNewsOne]

Oh my, I have never made that connection with the movie. The movie is one of my favorites and now I know why! Thank you and bless you Bishop Barron.

[@ChrisS9993]

I wanna watch that movie again now that you emphasized the Christ themes. Thanks for the insight!

[@BobJP77]

The movie has similarities to Christ but I guess that I'm pretty much saying the same thing.

[@myrnaadadadad1281]

This is the first time I have heard of an interpretation through Christology...which I couldn’t see before.. what a revelation for me .. thank you Bishop Barron for always articulating the teachings of Christ

[@SunshineSurfsup1]

Wow! I never thought of this movie classic in this way. Thank you for opening my eyes.

[@orphia6479]

10:00 oh my. Just seeing that still of the scene brought tears to my eyes, it's so powerful and beautiful. Great analysis here.

[@lizherenow1]

Nicely worded, as always, Father. God bless you and your work.

[@ThanksStJoseph]

All great stories are a reflection of THE Great Story...if they're any good. It's enchanting to me to think how so many of these types of stories are popular in secular culture. Human hearts are yearning for Christ and at a distance love Him yet don't know it's Him. Great commentary Father Barron! Pax Domini!

[@brucefetter]

I need to watch it again. Thank you for this!

[@thefateshavewarned]

Great commentary on one of my favorite movies. Thanks again Father Barron.

[@fernman2162]

Thank you father for presenting that enlighting analysis on this film. What a joy!

[@agjeung]

Thank you, Father Barron, for your insightful commentary. It has been nearly 20 years since I saw the Shawshank Redemption, and it has been one of my favorite movies ever for all that time. You helped me understand why I liked it so much. I watched your whole video all the way through with a big smile on my face, because you explained so well what I already knew but couldn't articulate. Thanks again!

[@BishopBarron]

I think that might be my favorite response ever!

[@debau1]

I have watched this movie several times and love it. This is a very interesting and insightful analysis.

[@chrisjanej.8747]

One of my favorite movies, but never saw it in this way. Thank you for this wonderful insight Bishop Barron!

[@nevermind2886]

Fr. Barron, you owe me a new computer. My current one just broke because you blasted too much awesome through the screen and speakers. Cheers.

[@allang1402]

Shawshank is one of my favourite movies. Just watched it again. I loved how Bishop Barron linked the scenes to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Very powerful.

[@isaacisraelsolishernandez4516]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE VERY ACCUTE DESCRIPTION OF THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE BY THE BISHOP. Never get tired of them.

[@GregAitchison]

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow! Makes me want to invite the entire parish out for a "night at the movies" followed by showing this. A truly great film, and now I think I know why my mind and heart have always enjoyed it so much. Thanks for the outstanding insights (as always!), Fr. Barron!

[@bishopsheen1985]

Thanks, Father Barron!!

[@robertlop5]

I like the analysis. I love Shawshank Redemption. In the end there is redemption. It is the same message of redemption for 2,000 years,

[@winstonsmith9533]

My Dad favorite movie. It and Braveheart! Thank you, Bishop Barron!

[@trishknaut1031]

Praise God for you Bishop! Always inspiring to see the Christ figure in your spoilers so that we, the blind will see!

[@VictorKrottner]

It's amazing that you can draw all these parallels. I have seen that movie several times and never made any of these connections. Thank you for opening up my eyes.

[@michaelnolan1000]

stumbled across your video on Faith , about a month ago , last night , was my 2 nd RCA class and cant wait til Easter . i'm addicted to Word on Fire , I can pause , rewind and re watch, . PLEASE come to the DFW area (Dallas /FT.Worth) my life is changing partially because of your VERY talented speaking abilities( The Modern Day Fulton Sheen ) PLEASE POST YOUR ITINERARY

[@SuperTGTV]

How did the RCIA classes go? I start soon.

[@margarethhuapcent1270]

Redemption super needed and necessary!

[@up8877]

Very beautiful interpretation!

[@MrSickcant]

Father Barron I was lucky enough during the peak of my Atheism to come across your movie review of the Tree of Life a few years ago. After discovering your videos I have learnt so much about Christianity and cleared up a lot of the dogmatic rhetoric and miss-information I once clung to. I even got to meet you on your Australian tour not long ago. Through your videos you've helped broaden my understanding of life and Christ and it all started with your movie reviews. Thank-you Fr Barron :)

[@GarrettFruge]

Great commentary!

[@krdiaz8026]

Just saw this as an adult. I first saw it as a child and didn't appreciate it much. Great film!

[@vincenttorrieri7321]

Great video. God bless.

[@Anna-ef4dv]

What a sensitive review. Beautiful.

[@Mysticamusings]

Very good analysis. The Shawshank Redemption is a really great movie.

[@Rsambo00]

I never thought of the movie this way. Amazing

[@2012aquinas]

I had to watch a Catholic documentary a decade ago that criticized films for being anti-Catholic. It condemned the Shawshank Redemption for the opening scene of the jail superintendent punching one of the inmates after he declared his faith in the Bible. Cheers for posting this video! Father Barron, you have a wonderful mind for analysis and discussion. Shawshank is a great film!

[@leet47]

You just blew my mind.

[@exodous02]

Wow. When I first saw this movie it disturbed me, I think I saw it too young around 13. When I watched it later in High School it became one of my favorite films. I'll have to watch it again with this new insight and see if I agree with it.

[@davidmarzolino7159]

I must have seen this movie a hundred times, and I just noticed the Bible which contained the rockhammer when opened was on the first page of Exodus. The details in this movie are beyond incredible

[@lytnin88]

I too love the movie, seen it a couple of times, I think, and I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. But I never saw the parallels to the life of Jesus in the movie. Until now. Thanks Rabbi Barron.

[@aidanlisney5546]

Bishop Barron is the man.

[@joshuadakin5153]

Thank you

[@bernieromero5597]

Clear and compelling it is.

[@ahhchoo8488]

great interpretation.

[@gesz90]

Ah Fr. Barron... You are a genius...

[@BobJP77]

This is one of my favourite movies

[@tonybamber1137]

Great review of a great film. I just don't understand why I don't see all these themes myself because after listening to you they seem obvious. Thanks anyway.

[@laurenkho2584]

Great learning

[@avenger1212]

Interesting that the warden, representing the dark powers, was the closest literal reference in the movie to the church. The church today, in my opinion, gravely underestimates the responsibility of its calling. So much so that in many ways, it has become the greatest tool for causing unbelief ever to exist.

[@aughalough1]

avenger1212, time to get out of the gutter!

[@greatwhite8412]

Not the greatest tool but definitely we've become (The Opposite) of What We Intended 💖💖💖

[@xukeith33]

Awesome movie!

[@timothyclark5786]

Perfect review of this movie. I love the allegory of Christ in this story. The movie has such a hopeful ending that represents so much what Christ does for us sinners.

[@Yolduranduran]

Awesome review!

[@flocklinclock4733]

Such a great movie.

[@Lampredi4]

Andy’s story always reminded me of that of Joseph from Genesis and that of Moses.

[@Gustavo-so7zk]

Interesting, Andy to me always seemed like a Christ figure, with Shawshank prison being a sort of symbol for life on Earth, and the free world a symbol of Heaven. Andy (Jesus, son of God), a completely innocent man, is sent to prison (life on Earth), performs a number of “miracles” (interestingly, both Andy and Jesus’s first miracles are alcohol - related, Jesus turns water into wine and Andy gets his fellow inmates beer after their work), acquires a group of followers/friends (disciples), is abused by the wicked, teaches his friends wise lessons, and one night, which seemed to be his lowest point, they find his cell (tomb) empty (that allusion is very very clever). In reality, Andy has left the prison (life on Earth) and has ascended to the free world (Heaven), meanwhile, judgement strikes on the evils at Shawshank. Thus, Andy (Jesus), the only truly innocent man in all of Shawshank among the wicked murderers, thieves, and sinners, teaches the wicked truth and what is really good in life. Interestingly enough, the story of Shawshank in this view almost tells like a Gospel, written by a disciple since it’s actually completely narrated by Red. Some more evidence to my thesis is how his friends, especially Red, seem to notice that he is different from the other prisoners, and their interest is sparked. Also, Andy literally enters the prison “naked as the day [he] was born,”as spoken in the washing scene, which isn’t even a subtle metaphor for birth 😂. All in all, Andy (Jesus), teaches that while prison (life on Earth) is very confining from the true potential of humankind and is not the true destiny of man, it is still possible to do good, and only in doing good and refraining from evil does one get out of prison (life on Earth) and ascend to the free world (Heaven).

[@robertmiller5258]

I have always loved the film - now I know why.

[@savagetbagg]

Whole life Blown Away in a blink of a eye and nothing else about all the time in the world to think about it

[@OrionOodama]

Released in 1994, only able to watch this film January 7, 2023 (local time). Special shoutout to Steve Kerr, who cited this as his favorite movie in an "Open Court" episode (aired before becoming the GSW coach). Not mushy. Not sentimental. Andy Dufresne sought redemption, not revenge. Although not totally faithful to Stephen King's work (Tommy Williams is an idea of writer-director Frank Darabont), the adaptation's additional elements only enhances the film's timeless appeal. Glad Bishop Barron has this commentary when he was a Father, giving a deeper narrative on the film's Christian context. Others provide other themes which Darabont let them do, Glad and thrilled to take the plunge. In an instant, it becomes my favorite film, and let's see if time agrees as life goes along.

[@antonyvivekjose2084]

Hi Father, please kindly talk about the movie 'Into The Wild', directed by Sean Penn.

[@john9394pm]

Good job

[@EmperorsNewWardrobe]

That's a nice interpretation, Mr Barron! I find it quite funny that you say the zoom out is to a 'god like perspective' and yet the director, Frank Darabont, chose that shot out of stubborness - he didn't want the pair to meet at the end, and so he showed as little as possible of the reunion to spite the pushy producers! I think it's a still a very delicate and fitting shot though!

[@theonlyguiltymaninshawshan7909]

Splendid analysis of an excellent film. The Christological angles are myriad.

[@claudinepotvin-giordano1154]

Ty

[@rockanne]

You have to be in love with Jesus to see what Fr. Barron sees. I want to see through this love too.

[@joelciaccio62]

Love it! One of my favorite movies! Love the glasses, btw.

[@4py3priestj]

At TEDS? Fantastic. That's not usually a super Catholic-friendly place. I saw that Andrew Swafford did an MA there. I'll pray that your visit serves the Lord's purposes. -Jeremy

[@greatwhite8412]

💖💖💖

[@lobisw]

This movie has been out a long time!

[@ricardocarvalho1490]

Fr Barron, I'm a traditional catholic and a big fan of your videos. You teach me a lot about the faith and your communication skills are "just what we need", as Cardinal Dolan puts it. I'd love to see you share your thoughts on the Traditional Latin Mass, which played such an important role in my conversion ("reconversion", actually). I believe the traditional liturgy plays a very important role in the New Evangelization. Do you agree with that? Sorry for my poor english... God Bless!

[@keepingthebooks]

I first watched this film at a crucial point during my adolescence. To say the least, it was inspirational for me. What surprises me, as I reflect now, is the fact that Stephen King - considered to be the "horror master" of our day (though, I can't honestly say I think his work is that scary, nor did I think so when I used to read his stuff) - wrote this sober, obviously "unscary", even philosophical, work. However, I never examined the film as deeply as you did here, especially with the thread of Andy as a figure of Christ.

[@jkm9332]

I always wondered why I loved this movie so much. It's about Jesus!

[@JohnnyBGoode1122]

Fr. Barron, I know the symbolism may be obvious, but would you consider doing an analysis of The Green Mile? I just love John Coffey's line, "That's how it is every day, all over the world."

[@dipsaucerose]

Fr. Barron can you do a review on forrest gump?!

[@rfly05]

Steven King also wrote the story that became Stand By Me (it is in the same book as the Shawshank Redemption story). Would be interesting to examine the Christ imagery in that book/movie.

[@1sola1verita]

that 'vague inner strength' is not our merit, even though we'd like to believe it is. Without God, we would overcome nothing at all...

[@frjosemaria]

Fr. Barron, please make a video of CAPTAIN PHILLIPS. it has lots of Christ's figure's connections. Thank you. This is "Envia tu Espiritu" Jose of Deacon Payne.

[@sangoandmiroku799]

As darkness is the absence of light, so is belief in nothing, the absence of enlightenment.

[@tonyc7352]

Yes, and I made the same relation when I first seen it. What is want to know us if the movie's writer intended these parallels.

[@rachealbrimberry8918]

like the aikido advice.

[@squamish4244]

Perhaps the Christ story captures the human experience on so many levels that even if novelists or filmmakers do not specifically intend to reference it, the story nevertheless manifests. (I don't mean in the case of The Shawskank Redemption, but in general.)

[@jorgeavalos816]

This is a depth idea...

[@kevinpilon11]

Hey Father, great video! Although it was a recording of "Madam Butterfly", not "Marriage of Figaro"

[@krassimirtzvetanov7925]

You are wrong it is a "Marriage of Figaro".

[@thepea432]

Father Barron could you do a comment on the movie "Troy?" I know it may seem silly, but considering the fact they removed the gods from story, I think you may be able to draw some points.

[@sarahnicholas1444]

I love both shawshank redemption and the green mile movies

[@mish375]

Both are great films.

[@kca1031]

If you want to do reviews on Green Mile, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Cool Hand Luke, I don't think any of us would be opposed! :)

[@Mittens_Explains_It_All]

Sounds interesting. When does this movie come out?

[@michaeldukes4108]

Came out, like, 30 years ago, dude.

[@maryjanedarc-en-c4959]

Type in KZbin search box: What Francis Really Believes (2nd Edition). That is a very interesting video. Let me know what you think.

[@quixilver0143]

I was actually surprised to not see anything about the other guy who got out.... the one who couldn't stand the life of freedom and kept doing things that would send him back to Shawshank. Great analysis of the main character though, of course :-)

[@alanshadastrokeanddiedinho2897]

The director of Shawshank also directed the Green Mile

[@Fnelrbnef]

19 years, but whatever;P Very nice video! I never really thought about Andy as a Christ-figure. But indeed, he is. I did think of him like a Zen-like figure. But I guess... it’s the same thing, really:)

[@filthyswit]

@:51 He showed a way out to who beside himself? And if you mean metaphorically, I still don't think it's possible for the others to feel the way he felt because he knew he had a way out. He also knew that he would have a good deal of money once he got out. I'd feel pretty good about myself too :)

[@frankstancatto2662]

The movie was made early 90s. So it's been out for 20 years.

[@Julian-AJCP]

There was a Video once, that explained the Christian theme even better... I can't find it anymore. Can someone help, please?

[@StrategicWealthLLC]

Not aware of it. Good luck in your search.

[@Julian-AJCP]

@@StrategicWealthLLC I found it. It's the one by logosmadeflesh. This movie has really brought me much closer to understand the essence of what Christianity is about. Also Ben Hur and Groundhog Day (the latter being much more philosophical) have done that for me. It's crazy to think that movies can give you a much better understanding of what your religion is about than the church.

[@StrategicWealthLLC]

@@Julian-AJCP - Many roads to God...

[@GoGuide888]

I rest my case.

[@TheElixir007]

For those interested in movies with Christ figures, please watch the 2015 Indian film Charlie. A great film with a great ending!

[@jtblaw1]

Don't forget "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington!"

[@greyforge27]

This reminds me very much of Maximilian Kolbe

[@robertbarker8358]

Fr. Baron, firstly - I love your podcast and youtube channel. A few thoughts on this one, however. To start, who says Andy Dufresne is innocent? The movie leaves this point ambiguous, and I believe does so intentionally. Overall, I think you're reaching quite a bit on this one. I see this movie as positioning the warden as an example of the inabilty of any religious power to overcome hopelessness - rather the way is through some vague interior strength that one has to tap into and free oneself.

[@marlonmoncrieffe0728]

...It was not ambiguous AT ALL. He ALWAYS was innocent; Elmo Blatch killed his wife and lover.

[@margarethhuapcent1270]

😇😇😇👼☄️💐💗🕊️

[@jspinellimusic]

Imagine a religion debate with Fr. Baron Vs. Betty Bowers. Father Barron would knock her shoes off, and straighten her out.