Why The Shawshank Redemption Is Dedicated To Allen Greene (2024)

In 1994, director Frank Darabont made The Shawshank Redemption, a movie which he dedicated to a man named Allen Greene, who was a major reason why the Stephen King adaptation happened in the first place. The Shawshank Redemption is an iconic drama film starring Tim Robbins as Shawshank's Andy Dufresne, a man who is wrongfully sent to prison for killing his wife and her lover, and while there, forms a bond with other prisoners, including a man named Red, played by Morgan Freeman. The movie is based on a 1982 novella written by horror author Stephen King.

Before The Shawshank Redemption, Frank Darabont got his start in Hollywood by being a screenwriter. He was the voice behind horror movies such as A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Blob, and The Fly II. However, in 1994, Darabont got his big break when he was offered the opportunity to direct an adaptation of Stephen King's novella, then known as "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption." After directing Shawshank, Darabont went on adapt other King stories, however, the 1994 prison drama was pivotal for him, and he dedicated it all to a man named Allen Greene.

Allen Greene Worked With Shawshank Redemption Director Frank Darabont

Allen Greene was Darabont's agent

At the end of The Shawshank Redemption, there was a dedication to the memory of Allen Greene. First and foremost, Greene was Frank Darabont's agent. In this way, it makes sense that Darabont would dedicate his first huge project to Greene, who likely helped him get the movie in the first place. However, there is also the fact of Greene's death. During production on The Shawshank Redemption, Greene passed away from AIDS. In this way, Darabont dedicated the movie to Greene because his agent was never able to see the film in its final form.

Overall, Allen Greene's Shawshank Redemption dedication is centered on the fact that Frank Darabont directed the film.

On top of that, as Darabont's close friend, Greene's death likely affected Darabont greatly. In this way, it is a very kind and loving gesture from Darabont to dedicate such a mammoth project like The Shawshank Redemption to his friend, Allen Greene. It honors Greene's work, and his legacy as well.

The Shawshank Redemption Would Be Very Different Without Allen Greene

Greene played a big background role

Ultimately, Allen Greene's Shawshank Redemption dedication makes sense because, without Allen Greene, the movie would have looked much different. As Darabont's agent, Greene was the one who helped get Darabont the gig as the director of The Shawshank Redemption. In this way, if Greene had not been involved, then Darabont likely would not have gotten the job, and the movie would have been directed by someone else. Therefore, Allen Greene was a major piece in the puzzle of The Shawshank Redemption, and without him, the iconic movie likely would have been completely different.

The Shawshank Redemption

R

Drama

Director

Frank Darabont

Release Date

October 14, 1994

Studio(s)

Columbia Pictures

Distributor(s)

Columbia Pictures

Writers

Frank Darabont

Cast

William Sadler , Tim Robbins , Bob Gunton , Clancy Brown , Morgan Freeman

Runtime

142 minutes

Budget

$25 million