The Series
This is the fifth in a series of caches which replicate the hides
in movies which won Academy Awards (or, as is the case here, were
at least nominated.) This cache is actually a geocache/letterbox
hybrid. They differ mainly in that the geocache description
includes the coordinates of the location whereas
the letterbox clues only give verbal directions. (So please
bring your stamp and an ink pad if you have them.)
Synopsis
"Hope Springs Eternal" was an earlier title of Steven King's
novella upon which the 1994 movie "The Shawshank Redemtion" was
based. Morgan Freeman, who plays 'Red", provides the narration
which preserves many of the beautiful passages from the book. The
story is set in the late 1940's in Shawshank prison where "Red",
Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), and "Brooksie" (James Whitmore) are
serving time. They try to cope in different ways. Brooksie copes
well as the prison librarian but when released after 20 years can't
cope on the outside. Red abides his time and is eventually paroled.
Andy is a lifer though he's innocent. The evil warden (Bob Gunton)
suppresses access to evidence that would prove Andy's innocence
because Andy as a professional accountant is helping the warden
launder money received from brides and other grafts.
As a hobby, Andy sculps small statues using a rock hammer by
day. By night, he slowly taps out a hole in the wall underneath a
poster of Rita Hayworth. He eventually escapes, cleans out all the
accounts where the warden's illicit gains have been deposited, and
heads to Mexico.
The Cache
While in prison, Andy had Red memorize where enough cash will be
hidden for them to join up in Mexico: "There's a big hayfield up
near Buxton [Webster]. One in particular. It's got
a long rock wall, a big oak tree at the north end. It's like
something out of a Robert Frost poem. It's where I asked my wife to
marry me. We went there for a picnic and I asked and she said yes.
Promise me, Red. If you ever get out, find that spot. In the base
of that wall, you'll find a rock that has no earthly business in a
Maine [Minnesota] hayfield
[ballfield]. A piece of black, volcanic glass. There's something
buried under it I want you to have."
Academy Awards 1995
- Seven nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor–Morgan Freeman,
Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best
Original Score, and Best Sound but no wins.
- The movie makes many lists of the top movies of all time.
- Morgan Freeman, after being nominated for his roles in this
move, "Street Smart", and "Driving Miss Daisy", finally received
one for "Million Dollar Baby" in 2004.
- By far, according to my count, this movie has inspired more
geocaches than any other movie except "Field of Dreams"; however,
this is the first letterbox or hybrid.
Hints: See the movie, read the book or refer to the
letterbox clues.