191 INT -- PRISON LIBRARY -- DAY (1966) 191

Silence. Tommy has finished his story. Red is stunned...but
Andy looks like he's been smacked with a two by four.

RED
Andy?

Andy says nothing. Walks stiffly away. Doesn't look back.

192 INT -- NORTON'S OFFICE -- DAY (1966) 192

NORTON
Well. I have to say, that's the
most amazing story I ever heard.
What amazes me most is you were
taken in by it.

ANDY
Sir?

NORTON
It's obvious this fellow Williams
is impressed with you. He hears
your tale of woe and quite
naturally wants to cheer you up.
He's young, not terribly bright.
Not surprising he didn't know what
a state he'd put you in.

ANDY
I think he's telling the truth.

NORTON
Let's say for a moment Blatch does
exist. You think he'd just fall to
his knees and cry, "Yes, I did it!
I confess! By all means, please add
a life term to my sentence!"

ANDY
It wouldn't matter. With Tommy's
testimony, I can get a new trial.

NORTON
That's assuming Blatch is even
still there. Chances are excellent
he'd be released by now. Excellent.

ANDY
They'd have his last known address.
Names of relatives...
(Norton shakes his head)
Well it's a chance. isn't it? How
can you be so obtuse?

NORTON
What? What did you call me?

ANDY
Obtuse! Is it deliberate? The
country club will have his old time
cards! W-2s with his name on them!

NORTON
(rises)
Dufresne, if you want to indulge
this fantasy, that's your business.
Don't make it mine. This meeting's
over.

ANDY
Look, if it's the squeeze, don't
worry. I'd never say what goes on
in here. I'd be just as indictable
as you for laundering the money!

NORTON
Don't you ever mention money to me
again, you sorry son of a bitch!
Not in this office, not anywhere!
(slaps intercom)
Get in here! Now!

ANDY
I was just trying to rest your mind
at ease, that's all.

NORTON
(as GUARDS enter)
Solitary! A month!

Andy gets dragged away, kicking and screaming:

ANDY
What's the matter with you? It's my
chance to get out, don't you see
that? It's my life! Don't you
understand it's my life?

193 EXT -- PRISON YARD -- DAY (1966) 193

Mail call. Men crowd around as names are called out. Red and
the boys are parked on the bleachers.

FLOYD
A month in the hole. Longest damn
stretch I ever heard of.

TOMMY
It's my fault.

RED
Like hell. You didn't pull the
trigger, and you didn't convict him.

HEYWOOD
Red? You saying Andy's innocent? I
mean for real innocent?
(Red nods)
Sweet Jesus. How long's he been in
here?

RED
Since '47. Going on nineteen years.

MAIL CALLER
Thomas Williams!

Tommy raises his hand. The envelope gets tossed to him. He
stares at it. Red peers over his shoulder.

RED
Board of Education.

TOMMY
The son of a bitch mailed it.

RED
Looks that way. You gonna open it
or stick your thumb up your butt?

TOMMY
Thumb up my butt sounds better.

He gets hemmed in by the older men. Red snatches the letter.

TOMMY
C'mon, just throw it away. Will you
please? Just throw it away?

Red rips it open, scans the letter. Expressionless.

RED
Well, shit.

194 INT -- VISITOR'S ROOM -- DAY (1966) 194

Tommy makes his way through the chaos, finds Beth and the baby
waiting behind the thick plexi shield. He sits, doesn't pick
up the phone. Just stares at Beth. She doesn't know what to
make of it.

He presses a piece of paper against the glass. A high school
diploma. Her face lights up, blinking back tears.

195 INT -- SOLITARY WING -- NIGHT (1966) 195

LOW ANGLE on steel door. Somewhere behind it, unseen, is Andy,
A rat scurries along the wall. FOOTSTEPS approach slowly.

196 INT -- SOLITARY -- NIGHT (1966) 196

Andy listens in darkness. The FOOTSTEPS pause outside his
door. The slot opens. An ELDERLY GUARD peers in.

ELDERLY GUARD
Kid passed. C-plus average. Thought
you'd like to know.

The slot closes. The FOOTSTEPS recede. Andy smiles.

197 INT -- PRISON CORRIDOR -- NIGHT (1966) 197

We find Tommy on evening work detail, mopping the floors with
bucket and pail. Mert Entwhistle comes into view.

MERT
Warden wants to talk.

198 EXT -- PRISON -- NIGHT (1966) 198

A steel door rattles open. Mert leads Tommy outside to a gate,
unlocks it. Tommy looks around.

TOMMY
Out here?

MERT
That's what the man said.

Mert swings the gate open, sends Tommy through, turns and
heads back inside. Tommy proceeds out across a loading-dock
access for the shops and mills. Some vehicles parked. The
place is deserted. He stops, sensing a presence.

TOMMY
Warden?

Norton steps into the light.

NORTON
Tommy, we've got a situation here.
I think you can appreciate that.

TOMMY
Yes sir, I sure can.

NORTON
I tell you, son, this really came
along and knocked my wind out. It's
got me up nights, that's the truth.

Norton pulls a pack of cigarettes, offers Tommy a smoke. Tommy
takes one. Norton lights both cigarettes, pockets his lighter.

NORTON
The right decision. Sometimes it's
hard to figure out what that is.
You understand?
(Tommy nods)
Think hard, Tommy. If I'm gonna
move on this, there can't be the
least little shred of doubt. I have
to know if you what you told
Dufresne was the truth.

TOMMY
Yes sir. Absolutely.

NORTON
Would you be willing to swear before
a judge and jury...having placed
your hand on the Good Book and taken
an oath before Almighty God Himself?

TOMMY
Just gimme that chance.

NORTON
That's what I thought.

Norton drops his cigarette. Crushes it out with the toe of his
shoe. Glances up toward the plate shop roof as --

199 HIGH ANGLE FROM PLATE SHOP ROOF (SNIPER POV) 199

-- a rifle scope pops up into frame, jumping Tommy's image
into startling magnification, framed in the crosshairs.

200 THE SNIPER 200

rapid-fires a carbine -- BLAM!BLAM!BLAM!BLAM! -- his face lit
up by the muzzle flashes. Captain Hadley.