Analyzing Evil: Warden Samuel Norton From The Shawshank Redemption
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- Опубликовано: 19 дек 2024
- Welcome everyone to the forty-fourth episode of Analyzing Evil! Our feature villain for this video is Warden Samuel Norton from The Shawshank Redemption. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for watching. If you have any feedback or questions feel free to let me know below!
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#TheShaswshankRedemption #StephenKing #WardenNorton
I think you missed one small, but important detail. As the time goes by, warden Norton exchanges his crucifix lapel pin with a community service one. That leads me to believe his Christianity was really just a facade (at least in the film, didn't read the book) he was putting on because it was convenient for him during the earlier years. As the attitudes of the society change, he adjusts his carefully crafted image to suit them.
He'd have a B.L.M. one if alive today for sure!
I thought he came across as a fairly typical Christian.
@@Britonbear Then you haven't met a true Christian yet.
@@Britonbear he is by no means a typical Christian.
He also said that his wife goes to church and he is likely to go with her.
I always felt that Norton responded so heavily because he literally didn't know what "obtuse" means. It just triggered him
Ah yes, the classic “twitter feminist” response.
@@kaj7135 olololol
If you follow that convesation, Norton was condescending to Andy by saying he was surprised Andy was "taken in" by Tommy's ridiculous story. Even Norton's expressions have the look of sneering disbelief. So its no surprise Andy throws it back in Norton's face.
I wonder what he’d say if Andy called him Acute haha
@@kaj7135 You could just remove the word “feminist” and your statement would still be correct.
For such a god fearing villain, I feel the best scripture that applies to Warden Samuel Norton is Matthew 23:27-28 *"You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."*
That hits hard
Andy: Jesus.
The Head guard: Roman soldier
Warden: Synagogue of Satan.
But that's so general it can apply to every person.
one of the best quotes ever, transcends any belief system.
@@Ignirium No, it isn't. While almost everyone, of course, tries to be perceived in the best way possible, there are people who actually have something valuable inside to share with others on the outside, there are people who openly carry their internal brokenness for everyone to see, and many other possibilities. Some people show their "wickedness" without any hypocrisy, because they just don't care what others might think, others try to live the best they can but openly admit that they fail, at least every now and then. The verse quoted above talks explicitly about people who are rotten on the inside, but try everything to be perceived as pillars of righteousness, just like warden Norton.
My grandfather was a prison warden, he was an English gentleman and he even ate his meals with “his criminals” as he called them. I wonder what he would think of this character, to me it seems like he is antithetical to my grandfather.
Your grandfather seems like he was a real great guy
Your pop sounded like a true MAN. A man that clearly didn't look down on his "company."
May he rest in peace.
Same with my pop. Out of the Vietnam war he went into corrections.
Met a bloke who knew him as a C.O. Never had a bad word to say (he was a hardened criminal), man didn't have to lie 😂
Wasn't it a bit risky for your grandfather to eat with the inmates?
@@BillyButcher90 Different times mate. Men respected men. Inmates gave my grandfather presents, one of them was an immaculate ship in a bottle. This thing was made from a 10L wine jug or something. It was huge and the detail was remarkable. It was of The Endeavour if I remember correctly.
My pop gave the handy prisoners money for their service's and not a stick of chewing gum either.
@@michaelhutchings8599 oh god...not the tired ''back in the day people were better'' falacy
“ I’d like to think that the last thing that went through the warden‘s head ..other than that bullet..was “How did I ever let a man like Andy Dufrain get the best of me”
Norton greatly underestimated Andy!
That line always makes me giggle!
Dufresne.
Pride goeth before the fall.
He probably still believed he was 100% right!
As someone who has spent 2 weeks in "The hole" or solitary confinement, it definitely plays on your mind. There's zero mental stimulation other than your reoccurring thoughts of all the mistakes you've made in life that brought you there in the first place, and how much better life is on the outside and how much you're just wanting to make it through the sentence. Complete loss of time, despair, anger, all of the emotions. I spent most of my time covering up the AC vent with wet toilet paper because they blasted the AC on all times of the day/night and the cell would be freezing. No tables to sit at, no bunk to lay in, just there squirming on the ground trying to get comfortable but it being impossible to. The guards never talk to you and only come to give you your food.
Yeah, it's pretty shitty, but atleast for me personally I felt it indeed played a part in "rehabilitating" me, so maybe it is effective, but mind-numbingly boring and uncomfortable as Hell. Gets repetitive real fast.
Depends on your mental strength and also the life you are used to living. The hole is bad because by general nature humans are social creatures and therefore crave the presence of others. However there are some people who see no need or very little need for the accompaniment of others. For them, the hole could be an easier time and depending on the prison (like Shawshank) even a respite from the prison society that threatens them on a daily basis (like the guards and the sisters).
For me, i feel as though I’d be ok in the hole for at least for awhile as I spent 90% of my off time away from people and even away from stimulation (tv, phone, ect). I grew up mostly alone, so I’m rather used to it.
@@CamaroAmx Even if your more of a loner, it's still pretty mentally taxing to be in solitary confinement long term
I'm a recluse by nature, but I know I'd still go insane after a week in the hole
@@CamaroAmx Here's the thing people never bring up when they want to criticize solitary confinement: you end up in the hole if you're already in prison and still can't get along with others. When you prey on or attack the other prisoners. If you can't be around other people without victimizing them at a certain point you forfeit your right to be around them, social animal notwithstanding. It would be cruel and unusual punishment to expect the other prisoners to be locked up in close quarters with unrepentant violent people who mean them harm.
If you're completely unable to act like a human, at a certain point it only makes sense to treat you like an animal. The rights of others not to be victimized trumps the desire of the worst of the worst to not have to suffer the consequences of their actions.
I'd ask this to anyone in favor of abolishing solitary: You're a prison warden. Another prisoner kills his cellmate. When guards try to restrain him he fights them with intent to wound. This is not the first time he has been violent with other prisoners, and all "humane" forms of punishment have had no effect on him because he doesn't care.
What's your solution?
@@Cthulhupunk this is a point that usually doesn't come up during these types of conversations. Solitary is reserved for two types of people; people who need to be protected from everyone else, or people who we have to protect everyone else from.
@@Cthulhupunk
That sounds nice and logical, but there is zero reason to put them in a cell WITHOUT a window, a bed, or any sort of stimulation.
The issue with solitary confinement isn’t just being alone, it’s the design of the cell itself.
Some people cannot be kept with other people. Fair enough. But you wouldn’t even keep an animal like that unless you raised them to be butchered, and even then it’s cruel.
There isn’t enough space in a prison for that? That’s the issue. They don’t have the funds for that, even though slave labour of prisoners continues today. Despicable
I believe Norton's suicide in the film also strongly reflects the hollow nature of his seemingly divine faith proving at the very end he was a wrathful man who lacked the true strength of his convictions.
Vaas montenegro
That's just it. He had no convictions.
Yeah isn't it like the biggest sin to take your own life or you can't make it into heaven or something like that , so that makes him a hypocrite to his own faith
I wonder what was the last thing going through his head *other than that bullet of course*
-Morgan freeman
@@bignut_inthebutt9468
No, the biggest sin is to blaspheme the Holy Ghost. Do that and God will never forgive you. Suicide is frowned upon but it is not actually unforgivable. Samson committed suicide when he brought done a building full of wicked people on top of himself, but Samson is in Heaven now.
Morgan Freeman should've won an Oscar for this performance. God-tier acting.
No, that was Bruce Almighty .
@@andrewalderman101 😅😂🤣 Your response is super underrated. If I could give a million likes I would
Maybe he did win one
@@andrewalderman101 Sharp!
Tim Robbins did great too. The whole cast is excellent in this movie. It deserves the love it gets and more.
If he weren't a warden he probably would have been a televangelist.
100%, he had the look and the charismatic speech
But never a real preacher at a small country church.
He’s Kenneth Copeland
😂😂😂
JOEL OSTEEN. LMFAO 🤣🤣🤣🤣
He was definitely the worst type of villain due to how incredibly put-together his false persona of being a nice and fair Christian man, and the amount of power he had. Something very important about his character is the fact he never does any of his bad deeds on his own, he's always forcing others to do his dirty work. For example, he treats the head prison guard like his own personal guard dog; enforcing all types of cruelty on the prisoners for his sake. So he can deny any wrongdoings if confronted.
Seriously... My ex-mother in law acts just like Norton. She uses people like that. Whatever she wants, she gets...
Acted tough but was a total coward when it came to his fate. Andy and every single Shawshank character took their lumps and did their time, not the warden though.
I love the look on the Head Guard's face when he gets arrested at the end, he knows what's happening but doesn't believe it, you can feel the pit in his stomach getting bigger.
Facts! Also how he had Andy Dufrane put all the financial records in the safe without even touching them like he would get his hands dirty...Good analysis that's a new way of looking at him...
@@DCDPM Not when he died I'm quite sure he paid deeply on the 'Other side' You know what they say bout Karma!...
Norton represented the worst form of a sociopath: Straight narcissistic but highly calculating and always aware of how to behave in society to climb up the ladder.
I think one of the most interesting moments was when he talked to tommy. From the beginning of the conversation he knew that tommy would die and there really was some kind empathic glimpse on nortons face when he offered tommy a cigarette (knowing it would be his last one) and he even seemed somewhat compassionate when he ended the conversation just before he gave hadley the signal to shoot tommy. Norton had a formally idea of empathy but because of his deeply narcisisstic personality this idea couldn't reach his conscience or touch him emotionally. It was like: "Ok, now you will die because you stand in my way. Sorry, this is nothing personally. That's life" just before going back to everyday life.
Love the little detail when he's loading the gun, why would a man intending to kill himself bother loading all six shots? He didn't resign himself to his fate or know any peace of mind (as many people who choose to commit suicide often do once they've made up their mind about it), his last moments were a terrified, panic-stricken mental break
Great observation, the way he dumps out and loads all the bullets shows he has no real idea what he's doing and is panicked. It also belies his hands off approach to dealing physically with the prisoners, he's the warden of a jail and yet he can barely operate a fire arm because he's relied on his goons to get blood on their hands while he can be self assured he never directly hurt any one.
Yup, it's clear in the movie that he loads all six intending to shoot his way out, even points it at the door, but the second they say "make it easy" he decides to take that advice
@s wind Agreed, though I don't think planning or realisation had much to do with it. His fight or flight response was in full swing, he likely experienced cognitive overload, and impulsively (or instinctively) removed himself from the stressor in the fastest way possible
@s wind I agree with you again, though I'm not specifically referring to what we see superficially in the scene, it's clear that he initially planned a gun fight and then opted to kill himself instead because he knew he wouldn't win, but analysing the mindset that someone has to be in to get to that point in the first place and make those decisions that go against our will for self-preservation, makes it far more interesting in my opinion. If he was calm and in his right mind, not experiencing a mental breakdown, a man of his standing with the connections that he has could very likely win a court case, or spin any story he likes to restore his reputation. Instead we see a man who's very used to getting his own way, and the second that things go wrong for him, he folds like origami, mentally and physically
Reminds me of King Saul and the movie of Julius Ceaser.
I've just noticed that when Norton opens Andy's bible to the page where you see where he hid the rock hammer, it's the book of Exodus: Definitely not an accident!
I like when Andy called Norton "obtuse" (warden thought he had control of his schemes) and Norton used the word against Andy later in the movie (when you're in a weaken state in the hole for months).
It was funny. It’s like he’s genuinely hurt by what Andy says
Warden: “What did you call me!?” **sitting at a 140 degree angle**
Andy: “Obtuse! I said ‘you’re being obtuse’!”
Warden: “Two months in the hole! Or am I ‘being obtuse’ now!?” **sitting at a 45 degree angle**
Andy: “Nope, now you’re being acute!”
The only thing I've never understood, is why in the hell would Andy run and tell the Warden about Tommy's testimony in the first place? That's a conversation for your attorney. Not the Warden...
That was naive.
Maybe he has to get Norton’s permission to try and call an attorney? He probably shouldn’t have to, but it may be just that that’s the way it works there, like how he talks to Norton before sending his letters asking for books.
Right I was thinking the same. Maybe he thought he had a good relationship with him?
If you recall, Andy runs off, full of emotion, to tell the Warden. He didn't think things through about the consequences of telling the warden. Even though Andy already had an escape route planned, he should've slept on that juicy tidbit.
Andy is a man who thinks things through. He's a chess player. Always thinking three moves ahead. From the beginning of the movie Andy was painted as someone devoid of emotion. A fact that helped convict him in the first place. It was just so out of character for him.
Self righteous hypocrisy really grinds my gears. This character was a brilliantly written (and acted) villain, the viewer absolutely hate and resent ever part of him. He has a mean and callous nature that makes you think of a nazi concentration camp warden. Regarding crime and punishment I agree with John Ruth line of justice: "You only need to hang mean bastards, but mean bastards, you need to hang.."
Yeah thats true. The scenes that point to what you're saying is when he throws Andy in solitary, kills Tommy, and goads about it in front of Andy. Even threatening to destroy the library he created and having a "book burning in the yard".
One of my all time favorite lines is “ we are gonna have a bonfire and dance around it like little Indians!”
Bob Gunton was amazing in this role.
I really enjoyed the Hateful Eight, I thought it was a really good film. There's nothing deep about my comment, I just wanted to say I was a fan of the eighth film directed by Quentin Tarantino.
Let's remember, he was responsible for managing a cage of murderers and rapists. I think he did a good job, and they didn't deserve someone as nice as him.
Honestly, I think a lot of what makes Samuel Norton so damn memorable as a villain is Bob Gunton's portrayal of him. I don't think that anyone else could've made Norton so terrifying to be quite honest.
one of the best actors out there
facts
"It's funny. On the outside, I was an honest man. Straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook." - Andy Dufresne
Norton is such an evil man that mere association corrupts good men into criminals.
That's the funny thing about the prison system, it takes people who have committed minor crimes and forces them in to a life of it. I'm not some hippy who is for abolishing the prison system or something like that. I do think there has to be a better way though. I caught a weed possession charge at 18 and lost my job at a gas station for it. I later got it expunged. I cant imagine how hard it is for violent felons to actually find legitimate work. If you can't work then how do you survive in society? I absolutely believe that people should be punished for their crimes, but we should actually rehabilitate them and make it so they can actually survive and get a job when released.
@@edgarfriendly4731 There are some experiments going on like this. In Sweden, for example, they have prisons where the life inside mimics the one on the outside world, inmates have to work like they would do it in a regular job, they are encouraged to seek further education to improve their chances on the job market, and they're actually trained to work on their violence issues. It works really well, I've heard, and the recidivism rate is stunningly low.
@@doloreslehmann8628 That is great, I believe for about 90% of criminals that is a much better way to run a prison. There are the 10% of people in there that are pure evil and should never see the outside world again. I don't think some guy selling some drugs deserves his entire life stripped from him though. As well as anyone involved in non violent crimes.
No, that's what prison does. Norton is a good man doing a tough job, you weak-minded youth
@@GlennDavey Norton willingly killed the hot-head who knew Andy was innocent.
There's a difference between doing your bob no matter what stone-cold criminal comes but if you willingly harm people who are innocent and practice laundering and abuse.
Might as well knock yourself a tomb and bury your body there.
I think at 10:30 when you describe the Warden as "still treating [Andy] well, to a certain degree" I would go so far as to say that actions like giving him the rest of the pie were less out of altruism and more because he knew Andy was incredibly intelligent and therefore dangerous so his intentions were to simply appear kinder than he was so Andy would be less likely to rebel against a more "caring" crook.
It's also because he admitted the pie tastes like shit and guys like Andy would happily eat some "real food" for a change
@@Raver-1601 more this than the reason stated by @Shakes. If it's agreed that the warden understands Andy is very intelligent & capable as well as a man of certain airs & graces, he's certainly not going to be placated or hoodwinked about the warden's true character by a bit of cake even if it were the best cake in the state.
@@Raver-1601 I like that theory to😂.
I think that's why Andy's conviction to escape is made all the more special. He prepared accordingly (fixing to escape) because he knew what sort of man Samuel Norton was from Day One at the start.
@@kwayneboy1524 the warden could have let Andy go free and unchallenged sustained his business activities. Both would've benefited and andy would likely have helped the Warden on the outside while still procuring his interests, and Andy a happy man for being free would've not interfered with the warden's corruption and no scandal would've ensued. This showed that Norton was getting a kick out of using Andy and was a sadist of the highest calibre, because both could've walked away happy wealthy and untouched. The Warden 'enjoyed' punishing Andy without needing to
Hell yeah! Sgt Barnes and now Warden Norton! This man gives the fans what they want! Bravo, good Sir!
I agree! Now I'm just waiting for him to do Stansfield from The Professional. Him and Sgt. Barnes definitely deserve their own episode since both characters have no qualms about murdering a child. To me, that's as evil as you get. That and sexually assaulting children.
@@jkeegan154 Oh my god! Finally someone who also wants vile eye to do stansfield! I am not alone!
The guy who played Norton was a fantastic actor. I've seen him in roles that were the exact opposite and he was just as good.
The actor's performance as Norton was wonderful.
Interesting sidenote, Stephen King wrote in his afterword that he based the character albeit loosely on Richard Nixon.
Bob Gunton is a distinctively very good actor. I remember first seeing him in Star Trek: The Next Generation's The Wounded.
@@mikebasil4832 Thats his name! Thank you! Hes fantastic.
@@neilefc877 You're welcome. He also appeared with John Travolta and Christian Slater in the action thriller Broken Arrow.
@@mikebasil4832 and in demolition man
Considering how Norton’s fate was in the original novella, this one was far better. More fitting.
I saw Bob Gunton being interviewed. He’s a Vietnam veteran and seems a really nice guy.
9:03 "We find an ecstatic Andy, we find an ecstatic Andy" I thought my video glitched, haha. I was excited when I saw this thumbnail, I personally think this is the greatest movie ever made and I've run out of videos of yours to binge that won't spoil movies I haven't seen.
Okay it wasn’t just me 🤣
A shame the movie was completely overshadowed by Forest Gump and Pulp Fiction...man, 1994 really was a good year for movies.
Nice to see Walter in the comments :)
@@Jose-se9pu Ed Wood was also great. Hell, True Lies was damn entertaining too. Agree that 94 was a great year, like 95, 97 and 99. The 90s in general were an amazing decade in filmmaking.
He was so ecstatic, he had to say it twice.
One of - if not my favorite films. Beautiful score, acting, cinematography, casting, and a good twist that even adds rewatch value too. Norton was portrayed so well, hiding behind the thin veil of a good man.
"That the warden meets with obtuseness"
Yay you kept the line, lol
This is the one character I've been waiting for the most. He isn't some crazed killer in a mask, he is a pretty normal guy at first brush. It isn't until you see past the surface that one can see the ugliness inside him. There is a good chance that there was a time where Norton was a genuinely good Warden, filled with the genuine intention to do good. Over time though he became callous, non-empathetic to his charges, and in the end chose to exploit them. In my mind, I see Norton's slide into corruption as a slow, but inevitable process. The character we see is just the end-point of someone who's embraced their power and corruption, covering it with a veneer of Christianity. Fantastic acting really brought this character to light.
Speaking of Clancy Brown, The Kurgan definitely deserves his own episode of Analyzing Evil
Mr Krabs from SpongeBob
You said it!
@@tariqtelesford9045 from highlander
Could you analyze Michael Douglas’s character From “falling down”, I’ve always found his character interesting as he’s both the villain and the victim.
D-FENS
Most villains were victims at some point
His wife is the real villain.
"Am I the bad guy?"
Or Gordon Gekko, while you're at it.
Let's give a hand to Bob Gunton (a recipient of the bronze Star in Vietnam) for such a terrific and compelling performance as warden Norton.
Even though he plays a lot of bit parts in television he was in a lot of truly great shows and films. I've always thought that his character of Captain Maxwell on Star Trek TNG actually deserved a much longer story arc. Today it would get one but back then no such luck.
Definitely an underrated character actor, I remembered almost everything I saw him when I was a kid
+Andrew Snyder
That's true. And Bob Gunton also played another villain character. That villain was Dean Walcott from Patch Adams.
I thought his role as a corrupt union general in Glory was well done.
He was this character, so it was no stretch for him to play the role. I worked on this movie, & with him, he was Norton.
@@Loosesapphire5135 You have personal insights on the making of the film?
"WE FIND AN ECSTATIC ANDY"
always click a vile eye video as soon as i see a new one
We first see Norton stepping out of the shadows. He quotes Scripture when it suits his needs. Shawshank is Hell, and Norton is The Devil.
Just from the title alone I’m excited for this, shawshank is one of my favourite movies, now I haven’t completed the video but I hope you mention captain Hadley
I'm hoping that he'll do the sheriff "Little Bill Daggett" from the film "Unforgiven."
@@kgpspyguy I’m hoping he could do angel eyes from the good the bad and the ugly, el Indio from a few dollars more and Dio Brando from Jojos bizarre adventures
@@kgpspyguy im surprised that character hasnt been brought up yet!?
"Dear Warden, You were right. Salvation lies within"
*opens* *Bible*
@@Ignirium *It was at this moment that he knew… he f@(£ed up*
@@Hexsmasher2099 The movie was better than the book.
And ironically (or intentionally) when the warden opened the Bible, it was the book of exodus
I think the ending in the movie was much more sufficient than the ending of the book. In reality had he faced the consequences, those consequences would include: arrest, trial, conviction, humiliation, and possible incarceration in the same prison that he ran and abused his prisoners. Which would be a guaranteed death sentence in itself.
Unfortunately the powers that be would probably have had some semblance of mercy on him by placing him in a federal prison instead of throwing him to the wolves in his own barn. That's probably what happened to Hadley offscreen, especially since he likely agreed to a plea bargain for murdering Tommy.
"I like to think that the last thing that went through the warden's head - other than that bullet - was to wonder just how the hell old Andy ever got the best of him."
Was that in the book? A lot of people have written that in the comments.
@@michaelhowell2326 just the movie. He didn’t kill himself in the book.
Fun fact: the actor of Warden Samuel Norton was also playing a Union general in the movie Glory
He was corrupt there too
Always happy and excited to see another one of these extremely thorough and detailed Analysis!!
Bob Gunton did such an amazing job with the role. It is a fact made all the more clear when you watch any interview of Bob Gunton. He must be the sweetest, most humble man in Hollywood.
I think there was a bit more unmentioned in Norton's choice to go out.
He'd be a former prison warden, and a hated one at that. He would *never* be safe in prison. Constantly beaten and assaulted, if they even let him out into general pop. Killed. So that, or he'd be in constant solitary confinement.
He saw his future, bleak, horrible, a reflection of his past actions now his near future, and decided.
The warden is honestly one of the few times I was furious at a villian. He's written just so damn well, despicable, greedy, and backstabbing, as well as having little to no envy or care for the people around him. His twist also suprsied me, which is rare af for me.
13:57 is a great summary of Warden Norton - he is so self-assured he is blind to his transgressions - the solitary, guard violence, bribery, money laundering - he still thinks he is doing the right thing. Even his provision of Bibles indicates that he is enforcing his views on others because he is certain he is correct in his beliefs and methods, trying to mould his inmates (or his flock, as it was nicely put) into his ideal community, regardless of their individual aspirations or experiences. Overall his complete lack of empathy while posing as a person committed to helping others is his worst trait, and though lack of empathy itself isn't inherently evil, the Warden's inability to see things from another person's point of view does indeed make him an evil man.
God I love how you sync up the “hello everyone” to them speaking. Always hilarious
my suggestion for a villain I'd like to see you analyse would have to be Syndrome from the incredibles, he has many layers that would give you a lot of material to work with
Syndrome is cool, but don't you think he could review someone more interesting than a villan from a kids' movie?
@@russian_knight He made a video on Judge frollo from notre dame, scar from lion king which were from kids movies. So i see no problems covering syndrome.
@@russian_knight 'kids' movie'? Bomb Voyage attached a bomb to a child. A suicide attempt is shown on-screen. Syndrome shot down a plane full of innocent civilians in an attempt to kill Bob/Mr. Incredible's family, just to spite him. Mr. Incredible threatens to kill Mirage, and Syndrome dares him to go through with it.
“Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”--Jesus
Outward appearance and greed seem to be the primary hallmarks of interesting religious villains. As the Lord stated, watch out for them in real life.
Yet another masterful character selection and analysis, keep it up and consider going old-school!
I always remember a specific quote from watching star trek as a kid and this character embodies it. "Mister Worf, villains who twirl their moustaches are easy to spot. Those who clothe themselves in good deeds are well camouflaged".
Little Bill from Unforgiven would be a great character for you to dissect. Perfect example who’s completely convinced he’s doing the right thing due to pure self righteousness. Even though he’s a bit of a sadist who gets off on excessive punishment.
What about Johnny Ringo? His character in Tombstone, is the reckoning of evil men. Great character.
You should do an analysis on Dutch Van Der Linde from RDR2, he's a fantastic villain
what i love is that through the game it progressively gets more obvious that Dutch is sus
wish granted son
He should do Micah!
We find an ecstatic Andy WE FIND AN ECSTATIC ANDY
Seriously great video though haha
“Salvation lies within” when he hands Andy the Bible is the best writing I’ve ever seen
0:04 hes doing this on purpose
I always felt like the warden killing himself meant he'd rather do that than live as a prisoner being treated the way he himself treats his prisoners.
I just love how ironic it is that he hides all of his dirty documents behind a writing of the Bible.
Hot take: Clyde Shelton from Law Abiding Citizen
ha gun tree man
What’s good son
Dead verified account
One of the greatest movies ever made, and one of the best villains ever made. Thank you for doing this video
I read two of the four stories in Different Seasons for my ENG102 course. The Shawshank story was first. And while I had known about the film since it came out, it was the first time reading the King short story. My favorite part was the assignment after discussing it in class and watching the movie. After the movie ended he had us write a two page essay on five differences between the movie and the book. And gave us until the next class. Two days. And if you’d actually read the story you could find five very easily. The saddest one for me was the guys finding Jake dead in the yard shortly after Brooks left. Poor guy had never had to find food for himself.
Very similar to Escape From Alcatraz at times. That one feels like it was written by Stephen King since the film has a dark atmosphere and feels like a horror movie at times with its eerie soundtrack.
With the exception that the warden from Escape from Alcatraz, played brilliantly by Patrick McGoohan, wasn't corrupt like Norton. He was ruthless, you didn't want to piss him off, he was a sadist, but he didn't violate the rules. He was too institutionalized, and really believed that he was doing good. Norton is just a murderous hypocrite.
The Warden there is just as loathsome as Norton. While not outright corrupt, he was a bully who went out of his way to make the inmates miserable.
@@HawaiiKnut Yes, he was a horrible person, but at least he didn't exploit the inmates like Norton, nor did he kill anyone
I also read that just like how the true escape story of Frank Morris inspired Escape From Alcatraz, Stephen King was influenced by that movie when he wrote Shawshank. For example, the kind elderly gentleman who'd served 50 years in Shawshank but struggled to readjust to the outside world so takes his own life is somewhat similar to the old man in Alcatraz whom, after the warden has his painting privileges taken away is so upset that he deliberately chops his fingers off in the prison wood work room & you can tell that like Andy & Red, Eastwood's character looks out for him.
Watching this movie for the first time during a time where I’m only just watching older movies because I heard their good, I easily forgot about this film and instead just thought about it as being “good” whenever I’m ever reminded. Seeing it again, around a year later, I truly appreciated and understood the art and meaning behind so much things in this film, and it didn’t even feel like a film I’ve already seen before. It feels like I’ve witnessed the peak of expressing meaning to people, and I know that what I’ve seen is nothing short of a masterpiece. Truly the absolute perfect film, standing as a complete example of how much as a species we have come, to be able to express this much meaning into a mere 2 hours, is just something I can’t even comprehend. I doubt anyone will even see this comment haha.
TLDR: I liked the movie
Prison movies are always fascinating, Shawshank Redemption being a strong example. For them to work, you have to illicit sympathy for the criminals involved. This is easy with Andy because we know he's innocent; but for other characters (such as Red - who definitely did do what he was sentenced for) you have to create a character like Norton. He taps into our innate sense of fairness and justice by showing cruelty and hypocrisy, which allows us to root for characters we would otherwise despise. It takes a skilled hand to pull this off and, if Norton's character had fallen flat, the film would fall apart. There is a reason why this movie is still admired to this day.
Well here's a fun fact for you mr. Winchester was put in solitary confinement and that is where he came up with the idea of the Winchester rifle which is amazing because he was in solitary confinement for months and he kept it all in his head
This film always sense shivers down my spine. God’s judgment cometh, and that, right quick.
I love how warden Norton hides his criminally earned money behind that quote on the wall lol. What an arsehole.
@@MarkAnthony-wo9fr cheers 😉
Recommended this episode to a friend this morning. Love the channel since it began. Thanks, and keep it coming.
7:51 - 8:06 Fun fact: slavery is still technically legal in the United States and its territories under the 13th amendment; quote, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction", end quote.
You say «quote», you don’t write it. That’s what quotation marks are for. But that’s interesting
@@mjelves thank you 👍
The pin tipped me off that he was a bad person, his 'I'm totally respectable' aesthetic confirmed it. Those conversation about this justice system always seem to leave out the important questions like 'Who created the need for it?', 'Who made those laws for who?' and 'Why don't people know how to police themselves?'.
This was a childhood movie for me, along with The Great Escape. Weird childhood aside: I'm terrified to watch this vid...let's get it!
This is a great video, thank you for pointing out the difference between true God-fearing Christians and people like Samuel Norton, sadly there are many like that as a person who practices the Christian faith, I can attest to that. But it's one of the reasons why Shawshank is one of my favorite films because people like Norton and Hadley do get there just reward for being cruel, spiteful and sadistic. My grandfather always told me "Be careful of those who claim to know the book, even the devil knows Scripture." and that has always stuck with me.
Ok, that was pretty slick what you did, anyone else catch that? “Hello, and welcome” just as the warden started speaking and it seemed as if the others in the video were us eagerly listening
Hope you're being sarcastic
That has become kinda his trademark by now
@@greyLeicester Not everyone follows youtube channels religiously to pick up immediately on whatever trend is developing.
This is easily one of the most entertaining and intelligent channels on RUclips and it's just recently become one of my top favourites. Well done! Keep it up! ✌
Christians would also recognize that while there can be much understanding derived from the Old Testament, that the laws followed by the Jewish nation (at the time, especially) were nailed to the cross and with Christ's 'death' came new laws.
Laws that do not support violence against another under any circumstance. Even if Norton wasn't corrupt in any other manner, his use of violence and/or solitary confinement for alleged 'misconduct' (beyond state instruction) alone would be a significant deviation from the Path he claims to follow.
*Edit: The act of self-defense might be the only 'grey' area use of 'violence' towards another. But just as some state laws have a very fine line between 'self-defense' and having done more than needed (you threw one to many punches), there too exists a debate as to where self-defense would 'end' as a moral justification for violence. and YT comments aren't the ideal place to hash this conversatino out.
I still believe that Cristian law supports, no other reasonable alternative, violence in defence of those that can not defend themselves. But that is a pretty narrow exception and one Warden Norton definitely does not fit.
"I'd like to think that the last thing that went through his head, other than that bullet, was to wonder how the hell Andy Dufresne ever got the best of him".
Dufresne figured how to outsmart the warden and the guards. He had a long time to plan it and if you watch the film, he began his plan years before anyone had a clue there was something wrong. The plan was simple really. Use his financial mind to get favor from the head guard, allowing him to be trusted and favored more (over look some of the prison violations he was involved in), that in turn got the attention from the warden, with whom he gains favoritism with via his financial mind and being able to quote religious verses. The warden then used Andy to financially hid his illegal schemes, giving Andy a way to finance his future freedom via a fake person whom Andy can easily take over the identity of once he gets out. He also takes up various hobbies (rock carving to explain his rock hammer and the fact he is dumping dirt in the yard every day) and interests (posters of famous women to hide the hole he is digging into the wall) to hide his tunneling. He probably also used his access to the warden’s office to also research the prison layout and blueprints to figure out the best place to escape through without being seen. He may have even requested and got a cell change to help the plan along (one next to the ventilation and piping), though it’s not shown in the film. Along the way he does other things to keep up on society so he doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb when he’s on the outside (like a library and music). He also does try legal means but he realizes quickly that the warden will make sure he never leaves the prison ever.
@@CamaroAmx Dude, I know. That was a literal quote from the movie
Amazing video on one of the most cold-hearted villains in one of the greatest films of all time.
I would like to see Griffith from Berserk analysed. It's a tough one but I think he is the most evil man in fiction. It would be interesting to hear discussion about him.
Thanks for all your hard work!
Morton is literally that one Warden you just don’t piss off as a prisoner.
I especially love the part of the movie where the tables turn and the quote from the Bible in his office applies to him. Very satisfying to watch.
Absolutely accurate and open-minded analysis!
You have shown the flaws and downright awful aspects of the Warden, without condemning his religious beliefs, nor the method of his death, however showing that his intent and hypocrisy was his real downfall.
Warden Norton is the dictionary definition of a petty tyrant
The Warden never understood the old axiom, ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’
Sanctimonious SOB, reminds me of my stepfather. Would be interesting to see you do a segment on Mitch Leary from In the Line of Fire.
"a man who is quick to spread the word of god while his fingers dance along the strings of his violent minions"
omg I love the way you worded that
Byron Hadley was a good villain too. Awesome job as always!
That warden has nothing resembling a redeeming quality.
I know it's a little off topic but I agree with you regarding solitary. But most prisons are overcrowded with several people to a cell, one person to a cell just isn't possible. Isolating a prisoner from the general population would be impossible without a specific solitary confinement cell.
Love this channel. Keep up the good work
Can we get an analysis of “William O’Neal” from Judas and the black messiah? Or his FBI boss “Roy mitchel”
Bob Gunton is such a kind and articulate man in real life, he has to be quite an actor to pull this off. His commentary on how he got this role is really good at revealing how he decided to play the warden. He really goes deep into the backstory of his character and in some ways, I feel like he's impersonating some people he grew up around. He seemed to have such a good handle on what motivates him and why.
Bro talks. With a period. Between. Every other. Word.
Yeeeeeesss! You utter legend! This is the one I’ve been waiting for
I would like "Yuri Orlov" from "Lord of War" Analyzed,
A Slick Gun Runner who sees himself as a "Necessary Evil".
The Shawshank Redemption is my favorite movie of all time and Warden Norton is one of the coldest, most evil men ever portrayed in cinema. This was a great video and I’m subbing immediately.
“Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption” is the actual title.
He mentions that at the start.
He adds the word “The”.
As soon as I saw the villain for this video I stopped what I was doing in order to watch. He was such a great villain.
Combining the various wardens into the singular Norton made every action that much more personal, his greed and hypocrisy that much more repugnant.
"We find an ecstatic Andy."
"We find an ecstatic Andy."
LOL
Love your stuff bro keep it up!
A good analysis of this villain.
And I just realized that the actor who played Warden Samuel Norton is Bob Gunton, the same guy who played another villain character. That villain was Dean Walcott from Patch Adams. You should do an analysis video on him.
I don't know if anybody has commented on it so I will. In his last scene, the Warden clearly loads 6 bullets and aims at the door when the police arrive, ready to kill. Then the Officer says "Come on Warden, make it easy on yourself" through the door and the Warden's face changes completely. Obviously, this is when he decides to kill himself instead of spending time in prison. I only noticed it pretty recently, but little bits like that are why it's my favorite film of all time. I would also like to add how ironic it is that the man who believes in the God and claims to be a man of Justice kills himself before the police can apprehend him. A religious man committing the sin of suicide rather than facing the justice of the same prison system he is a part of. Such a genius movie.
Norton and Hadley are both evil, but also heavily juxtapose with each other when it comes to their attitudes. Hadley's muscle and Norton's mind
For some reason this comment made me think of the Warden and Head Guard of the movie The Longest Yard, the remark with Sandler. How the Warden was a cruel prick and the guards were no better. That they delighted in harassing the convicts. But at the end the head guard had the chance to shoot Sandlers character for walking over to get the game winning ball and the Warden is literally behind him screaming for him to take the shot you see the guard does not actually want to shoot Sandler. And when he sees he went to get the ball he tells off the Warden. And then later tells Sandler's character "I know you had no part in Caretakers murder" and goes on to say that he would make sure that was known.
How they began as very similar to the characters of Norton and Hadley but by the end they were different with the Warden in TLY being more worried about press and famous and the guard actually being a somewhat ok person, not wanting to kill a prisoner who he didn't need to hurt and later assuring that a murder investigation would not be tampered with by the warden.
Excellent analyzation. If a brutal guy like Hadley is scared of Norton, that just proves how powerful he is and he doesn't even have to lift a finger. He couldn't last a second in a physical fight, but the power he has definitely makes up for that.
The Warden represents Satan pretty clearly, he believes in God; but ultimately seems himself as Being higher than God. His domain is Hell (the prison) but his influence slowly leaves the confines of “the shank” and infects the world at large through corruption. Andy went to hell innocent of the crime he was incarcerated for and is a pretty clear analogue of Jesus in the story, suffering unjustly to show Red (who represents all us sinners) what it takes to be redeemed. Not only do you have to acknowledge your guilt, as red as always done, but you have to exercise the ability to forgive yourself for it, move past it and grow
Shawshank Redemption is my favorite movie and even though I generally wouldn't prefer or makes jokes about suicide, I do find it quite amusing that a person who dedicated their entire life to Christianity, would take their own life because whilst I am not religious, I am aware that committing suicide would actually condemn you to hell. I think maybe deep down, he knew he wouldn't go to heaven anyways for what he's done, either way, I love that moment of realization he gets after loading the revolver that there's no way he could get away with it, so he'd rather escape through death. Anyways, thanks for covering tons of great movies like this one, Django, Inglourious Basterds, Collateral, Se7en, etc. I feel like you cover some of the best movies out there, really nice to see that. Keep 'em coming!
I can definitely agree with you on solitary confinement. When I was staying in a mental institution because of my struggles, there was also solitary confinement which really enforced the idea it was like a prison and there had to be punishment. One of the cruelest punishments and completely unnecessary.
Always love your videos you always get so deep on any given character I always walk away with a new understanding of whatever character your doing this on , one of my favorite ones you did was Anton sugar from no country for old men , it was the best analysis I’ve ever seen done on a character without background , without dialogue etc I walked away learning a lot about him , there’s a dr on RUclips that analyzes killers and criminals but your analysis knocks him outta the park