"Brooks was here."
James Whitmore, who played the prison librarian "Lao Bu" in "The Shawshank Redemption", in real life, Whitmore graduated from Yale University and belonged to the outstanding graduates of the elite schools among the actors. In the film, Lao Bu is an amiable character who does not appear many times, but each time he appears in the film, he is a character who plays a role in advancing the plot. Usually, he has a crow in his arms, Little Jack, which is the only pleasure in his life, and he releases Little Jack before he is released from prison on parole.
This 4-minute monologue is a true portrayal of Lao Bu's heart. After spending a long time in prison, I used to see a car occasionally on the road, but now the streets are full of cars, and the world is getting faster and faster, and it has brought more and more trouble. People are accustomed to these troubles, but Lao Bu, an old man who has been out of society for a long time and is old, obviously cannot keep up with this rhythm.
Prisons are also part of social welfare support institutions, providing basic accommodation and working conditions for released inmates so that they can adapt to society. But this can not change people with bad backgrounds naturally wear colored glasses, and the loneliness of an empty house cannot withstand the indifference of the world. Lao Bu works very hard every day and hopes that he can integrate into society as soon as possible, but the fact is that society does not approve of it.
After work, Lao Bu's old habit is to go to the park to feed the birds, and he has also hoped that he will have the opportunity to see little Jack again, which is the last and only sustenance of his life.
Every night, Lao Bu alone could not sleep peacefully, even if he fell asleep, he would wake up because of nightmares. During the day, he was afraid because he could not integrate into society, and society did not give him enough tolerance. Life, as if it were one's own, has always been a person.
Such a life is hopeless, you can't see the direction you are running forward, and there is no one or thing that can worry you, you are a marginal figure in society. If Lao Bu is a few years younger, maybe Lao Bu will really commit another crime and go to prison, although there is a restriction on personal freedom, but in that circle, some people will talk to Lao Bu and joke, everyone is equal, the most important thing in life is not to achieve extraordinary, but to feel needed by others.
If the film interpretation: Lao Bu, a person in the film, the cumulative appearance time does not exceed 20 minutes, there are few independent shots, and there are few lines, but in the middle of the film, there is a personal monologue of up to 4 minutes, which is not unreasonable. Lao Bu condenses all the problems that a released prisoner encounters when he is accepted by society. It also made a perfect preparation for the final ending of the movie, because Red, played by Freeman, will also face the situation after Lao Bu was released from prison, if there is no accident, Red will also choose to "visit here" to complete the final performance of his life. Andy, played by Robbins, cleverly uses the temptation that Red can help him complete a task, helping Red get rid of negative energy and look forward to a new life, because Red feels that Andy needs him.
"So was Red."
If movie reviews: be a person who is needed by others.
James Whitmore
James Whitmore (October 1, 1921 – February 6, 2009) was r.I.P., Thank you, Brooks