Shawshank Redemption. If those two words mean nothing to you, then you are in for a treat--watch the movie. Why the Zihuatanejo reference? Rent the film and find out. Now, to those who have seen the 1994 film, based on Stephen King's short story, "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" then read on.
Shawshank is my favorite Stephen King film. What can I say, I think Stephen King is a genius and while I love Misery and The Green Mile-- Shawshank moves me and inspires hope. The story centers around Andy, played by Tim Robbins, a convicted banker who is charged a life sentence for a crime he did not commit. Andy tries to adjust to his destiny through peace and understanding. His unique friendship with Red, played by the increidble Morgan Freeman, is brought to life and shared with the audience. Shawshank is a steller piece of film portraying a remarkable bond every human being would strive to experience in their lifetime in an unexpected setting.
There's one magnificent scene in the film that lives in my memory. Andy asks Red, "Do you think you'll ever get out of here?" Red replies, "One day when I get a long white beard, and two or three marbles rolling around upstairs; they'll let me out."
Andy answers, "I'll tell you where I would go, Zihuatanejo."
Where is Zihuatanejo? I have been intrigued ever since I heard the name. Andy's answer, "It's in Mexico, a little place on the Pacific Ocean." He goes on to say, "Mexicans say the Pacific has no memory, a warm place with no memory." There are times in my life, I would have liked to erase a memory, but I never visited Zihuatanejo.
I finally took my trip to Zihuatanejo last week, (travel article coming soon) and it is a beautiful, tranquil town on the Pacific. A clean, friendly old fishing village with baby-soft sand and sunny weather year round.
(Spoiler Alert). My mission to identify the beach in the final scene. What I discovered as I went from one extrordinary beach to the next, the scene was filmed in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. And, you know what? It doesn't matter. Stephen King had it right when he wrote about Zihuatanejo. I found my hope and redemption on La Ropa Beach in Zihuatanejo, with its warm winds and laid back lifestyle, it has no memory, but it does have an abundance of hope. My rating for this film: LOVE it! If you haven't watched it, why not? On my top 20 films of all time.
Interesting trivia goof: The movie set in 1947, displays the famous laughing Einstein photograph shot in 1951 hanging on Andy's cell door.
