No other film can make you feel both imprisoned and liberated like The Shawshank Redemption. In my opinion, it’s the greatest film of all time, bar none.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it, yet I could watch it over and over without ever getting bored.

The story is first-class, the acting flawless, and the casting pitch-perfect — not just Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, but every supporting character, too. It’s absolute cinematic perfection.But even masterpieces aren’t immune to human error….

A friend recently suggested I rewatch The Shawshank Redemption, and at first, I wasn’t so sure. It had been nearly 15 years since I last saw it, and I wondered if it would still hold up. But wow, let me tell you — it absolutely does. From the very first scene, I was completely hooked, and it hit me all over again: this really is one of the greatest movies ever made.But despite its iconic status, The Shawshank Redemption isn’t without its quirks, bloopers, and even a glaring plot hole that might leave you scratching your head.

Let’s dig into some little-known mistakes and behind-the-scenes flubs that somehow snuck past the final cut of this impeccable movie.

A pitch-perfect performance
We simply have to kick things off with a piece of trivia that never fails to amaze fans of The Shawshank Redemption. Unsurprisingly, it’s all about the legendary Morgan Freeman.

During Andy (Tim Robbins) and Red’s (Morgan Freeman) first chat in the prison yard — a scene where Red is effortlessly tossing a baseball — Freeman didn’t just act the part.

The shot took an exhausting nine hours to film, and Freeman threw that baseball the entire time without a single complaint. Talk about dedication! The next day, though, reality caught up — Freeman arrived on set with his left arm in a sling. Now that’s the kind of behind-the-scenes grit that makes this movie unforgettable.

Freeman’s personal favorite
Red, the wise and kind-hearted inmate played by Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption, is one of Freeman’s most iconic roles — and also his personal favorite.

Interestingly, the role almost went to legendary actors like Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Paul Newman, Gene Hackman, Robert Redford, or Robert Duvall before Freeman brought Red to life with his unforgettable performance.

Why is Red called Red?
In Stephen King’s novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, the character of Red is described as a red-haired Irishman — quite different from how we see him in the film.

In a 2014 interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Freeman admitted that when he first picked up Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, he stopped reading after the first page upon discovering that Red was written as an Irishman. “I can’t play an Irishman,” he thought, and set the book aside.Despite Freeman’s initial hesitation, director Frank Darabont had always envisioned him for the role of Red and eventually persuaded him to take it on.

Red’s reply, “Maybe it’s because I’m Irish,” to Andy’s inquiry about his nickname was an inside joke the filmmakers liked so much that they kept it in the final cut.

Swapping shirts
Morgan Freeman’s impressive commitment to tossing that baseball during Andy and Red’s first chat isn’t the only thing worth noticing.

Here’s a fun little blooper to keep an eye out for next time you watch: during their big introduction scene, there’s an extra hanging out in the background who apparently had a wardrobe crisis.

When Red’s lines were filmed, the extra wore one prison shirt, but by the time Andy’s lines were shot, they magically swapped into a different one! It’s a small continuity slip that’s now a fun little Easter egg for fans of Shawshank.

Chessboard mistake
Andy Dufresne, the prison’s resident genius and king of creative accounting, has an eye for detail that could rival a jeweler’s. From balancing the warden’s books to helping guards save on taxes, he’s got it all figured out. But when it comes to setting up his chessboard? Let’s just say even geniuses have their off days.

For the sharp-eyed viewer, it’s hard to miss: the chessboard in Andy Dufresne’s cell is set up backwards. The bottom-right square, which should always be white, is black.

As a result, the royal lineup is all wrong — both the black and white kings and queens have swapped places, lounging on the wrong-colored squares. It’s a classic chess mistake that no serious player would ever make, since proper placement is key to the game.

But hey, maybe Andy’s got bigger things on his mind than chess rules. After all, when you’re plotting your escape from Shawshank, who cares if your chessboard breaks tradition…

Tim Robbins explains famous plot hole
One of the most unforgettable moments in The Shawshank Redemption is when the guards and prisoners discover that And has pulled off the impossible: he’s escaped!

But for years, fans have been scratching their heads over one puzzling detail.

How did Andy manage to put the poster back over the tunnel after crawling through it? To some, the poster was clearly attached in ALL 4 corners when the warden threw a rock at it.

It’s a mystery that’s baffled viewers, sparked countless debates, and even made Morgan Freeman himself ask the question during a cast reunion at the TCM Film Festival.