 ✓
| ||
|
This Villain was proposed and approved by Villains Wiki's Pure Evil Proposals Thread. Any act of removing this villain from the category without a Removal Proposal shall be considered vandalism (or a futile "heroic" attempt of redemption) and the user will have high chances of being | ||
  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
|
| “ | I believe in two things: discipline and the Bible. Here you'll receive both. Put your trust in the Lord. Your ass belongs to me. Welcome to Shawshank. | „ |
| ~ Norton's most famous quote as he welcomes Andy and the other prisoners to Shawshank |
| “ | Nothing stops. Nothing. Or you will do the hardest time there is. No more protection from the guards. I'll pull you outta that one bunk Hilton and cast you down with the sodomites. You'll think you've been f*cked by a train. And the library? Gone. Sealed off; brick by brick. We'll have us a little book barbecue in the yard. They'll see the flames for miles. We'll dance around it like wild Injuns. You understand me? You catching my drift? Or am I being obtuse? Give him another month to think about it. | „ |
| ~ Norton threatening to break Andy completely if he quits the money laundering scheme before locking him up in the hole for another month, sealing his own fate |
Warden Samuel Norton is the main antagonist of the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption and its 1994 film adaptation The Shawshank Redemption.
He is the corrupt and fanatically religious warden of the Shawshank penitentiary, as well as the boss of Hadley, the prison's head guard. At first he took a liking for the inmate Andy Dufresne due to his abilities to launder money for him; but once Andy discovers a chance to regain his freedom, Norton does whatever he can to prevent Andy from getting out of prison in order to continue with his illicit schemes.
He was portrayed by Bob Gunton, who also played Pritchett in Broken Arrow, Gil Himes in Law & Order, The Warden in Family Guy, Leland Owlsley in Daredevil, Lawrence Hendricks, Sr. in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Benjamin Maxwell from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Biography[]
Movie[]
Samuel Norton is first introduced as a deeply religious man when Andy Dufresne arrives in 1947. As the years pass, he notices a lot of potential in Andy and gives him protection from the guards, library access, and helping inmates get their GED's in return for aiding him in laundering money from kickbacks and his scams. At one point, Norton has Hadley beat up convicted rapist Bogs Diamond after it transpired that Bogs and his gang called The Sisters had been terrorizing Andy to the point where they constantly raped and assaulted Andy on multiple violent occasions, the final straw being Andy's hospitalization due to one of their assaults.
In 1965, a young thief named Tommy Williams comes along to the prison. A year later Tommy reveals to both Andy and his best friend, Red, that a convicted prisoner named Elmo Blatch was the one who killed Andy's wife, therefore disclosing that Andy was indeed set up and thus proving his innocence in the process. Later on Andy arranges to see Norton and informs him about this, but Norton refuses to help him - as Norton needs him to take care of his shady business; but above all, he fears that his frauds will come to light if Andy is released. Taken aback by the warden's response, Andy asks him why he being is so "obtuse" and tries to reassure him about his silence - though this only enrages and frightens Norton to the point where he verbally lashes out at Andy. It is then Norton orders for Andy to be put in solitary confinement for one month, much to Andy's horror.
Soon afterwards, Norton proceeds to question Tommy and the latter confronts him - making it clear by his testimony that he intends to help prove Dufresne's innocence by unveiling the truth. Upon realizing that Tommy's intentions put his own scheme in danger, Norton has Tommy murdered by Captain Hadley and ends up disguising the incident as an escape attempt, showing he planned to take drastic measures. The next day, he visits Andy in his isolation cell - lying about the murder by telling instead Tommy has attempted to escape. Andy, deducing that Norton had Tommy killed, attempts to stand up to the warden by declaring that he is done with his scheme.
However, Norton is unfazed and states quite firmly that "nothing stops". In response to Andy's defiance, Norton makes it clear that unless Andy does everything he says, he will take away everything Andy has worked for. The library will be sealed off and its books torched. Andy will have no more protection from the guards, will be reassigned to worst position possible and moved from his private cell into appalling conditions. As further punishment, Norton orders that Andy be given another month in solitary to think it over. As the doors closed on him, Andy knew that Norton was never going to let him attempt to reclaim his freedom.
By the time Andy is eventually released, it appears as though as Norton's threats have worked. Andy's friends notice a change in his demeanor. He is a lot more quiet and subdued. He spends a lot of his reflecting on what kind of life he wants outside the prison and more frighteningly, he has acquired a length of rope from the workshop. Norton meanwhile, doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary and business continues pretty much as normal with Andy returning to his money laundering. After taking some more ill gotten gains and ordering Andy to fix his shoes and laundry, Norton proceeds to rub salt in the wound, by saying how good it is having Andy back.
Thinking he had won and that Andy was now under his thumb, Norton went home for the evening. What he didn't know however, was that that meeting with Andy would be the last time he ever saw him. Unbeknownst to anybody, Andy had a secret plan and Norton's villainy was finally about to catch up with him.
The following morning, when Norton arrived back at the prison, he discovered that somebody had replaced his work-shoes with a dirty set of prison shoes. Moments later, the alarm rang out, signifying the escape of a prisoner and although he had not been notified about the details yet, the Warden immediately realised who was missing. Marching to the cells, Norton ordered an immediate search be carried out for Andy. He also had Red brought in for questioning, but Red was just as clueless as anybody else.
Furious, Norton flew into a rage. Seizing several of Andy's rocks from off of the window ledge, he began hurling them angrily across the cell, including at Andy's giant poster of Raquel. In doing so, he unwittingly discovered the source of his predicament. The pebble instead of bouncing off the wall, passed straight through the poster. Confused, Norton tore it down, whereupon he and the others discovered that it was in fact covering a tunnel out of the cell. Using a rock hammer he had bought from Red shortly after his incarceration, Andy had carefully dug all the way through the wall over his 19 year imprisonment (27 years in the book).
The local authorities were notified and together with the prison guards, they carried out an extensive and thorough search for the escapee. Andy however, was long gone and all they found were his prison uniform, a bar of soap and his old rock hammer. To make matters worse for Norton, shortly after his escape, Andy took his revenge upon Norton, both for what he did to Tommy and for threatening to keep him imprisoned. Shortly after the escape, Norton was handed a copy of the Portland Daily Bugle. The front line page read "Corruption. Murder at Shawshank". The article said they knew all about Norton's money laundering, his murder of Tommy and abuse of prisoners. Worst of all, the D.A. had the incriminating ledger.
Hearing sirens approaching, Norton turned to the office safe, still covered by a bible quote, knitted by his wife "His judgement cometh and that right soon". Opening the safe, Norton discovers that Andy had switched all of the documents relating to his crimes on the night of their last meeting. Andy had used these documents to pose as "Randall Stevens" the man who on paper owned all of the accounts. Under this alias, Andy had withdrawn most of the Wardens ill gotten gains, then delivered the books to the newspapers. Thus, instead of the ledger, the corrupt warden finds Andy's bible, which was given to him on the day he arrived in Shawshank. Lifting the cover, Norton found a final message from Andy; "Dear Warden, you were right. Salvation lay within. Andy Dufrense". Turning the page, Norton discovered that Andy had hollowed out the Exodus portion of his bible and used that to hide his rock hammer from the guards. In that moment, Samuel Norton realised that he had never had any control over Andy ever and that Dufrense had been the one playing him all along.
Moving to his office window, Norton saw the police arrive and successfully detain Hadley. Knowing what would happen to him if he was captured and imprisoned, Norton decided that he wasn't going to go quietly. Loading up a gun he kept in his drawer, the corrupt warden prepared to take as many cops with him as possible as soon as they entered his office. However, when the policeman assigned to arrest him tells him to "make it easier" for himself, after a moment's consideration, he instead turns the gun upon himself and commits suicide. Whilst nobody can know for certain what Norton was thinking when the bullet passed through his head, Red likes to believe that it was to ponder how Andy Dufresne ever got the better of him.
Book[]
In the book, however, Norton escapes arrest by resigning from his post. He isn't as cruel either, as he had Tommy transferred to another prison where he could be paroled soon to keep him quiet instead of having him murdered. He also didn't force Andy to be in solitary confinement for two months. As such, Norton was not as present in the book as he doesn't take over Shawshank as warden until later in the story. In fact, within the film, he is a combination of the different wardens in the novella that took over Shawshank before he did.
Quotes[]
| “ | 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] Andy: [annoyed] 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: [calmly, but frustratedly] 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 rises up in a rage] Norton: [furiously] Don't you ever mention money to me again, you sorry son of a b-tch! Not in this office, NOT ANYWHERE! [turns on intercom] Get in here! Now! Andy: I was just trying to rest your mind at ease, that's all. [Guards come in] Norton: Solitary, a month. Guards: Yes Sir. Andy: What's the matter with you? Norton: Get him out of here. Andy: [irate] IT'S MY CHANCE TO GET OUT, DON'T YOU SEE THAT?! IT'S MY LIFE! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND IT'S MY LIFE?! Norton: [angrily] Get him out! GET HIM OUT! |
„ |
| ~ Norton sending Andy to solitary confinement when the latter tries to prove he is actually innocent. |
Trivia[]
- The song he whistles is "Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott", translated as "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." from Martin Luther.
External Links[]
- Samuel Norton on the Pure Evil Wiki
- Samuel Norton on the Stephen King Wiki
