Factual error: The "Archie and Friends" comic the guard is reading on the toilet when Andy starts playing opera over the intercom is an issue from 1993, nearly 50 years after the movie takes place. Archie Comics are thanked in the end credits for providing the comic, and the copyright also verifies that it is from 1993.

Factual error: In the scene where the guys are drinking beer on the roof, the bottles have "ribbed" tops. Beer bottles did not have twist-off's in the late 40's.

Continuity: When the convicts are having beer on the roof you see Red taking a sip. The camera cuts to Heyward offering Andy a beer, and when it cuts back to Red taking the next sip his bottle is much fuller than before.

Continuity: During the scene where Andy and Red meet for the first time (baseball scene) the sun is in Red's face and so, Andy shouldn't have the sun in his face.  But in fact, sometimes Andy has the sun in his face and Red doesn't anymore.  Either they move very quickly between scenes or (probably) the whole scene were filmed at least two times.

Continuity: When Andy is talking to Red for the first time in the yard, Red is playing catch with a few guys. Towards the end of the conversation Red catches the ball twice without throwing it back the first time.

Revealing: When Tommy crumples up the test paper he had written for Andy and throws it into a waste basket the metal container shakes as if he had thrown something heavy. (Telling from the noise it makes the item must have been heavy.)

Continuity: In the two different shots we have of Tim Robbins getting ready to put the book and folder into the safe for the last time (before he escapes) he collects the book and folder in two very different ways. First time he pulls the book towards the folder. Second time he brings the folder to the book.

Continuity: When the warden is given a bribe by his contractor/buddy, it comes in a box containing a pie and the pie is in a disposable corrugated aluminium pie tin.  The warden gives the pie to Andy in a later scene and when Andy and Red eat it, it is in a metal pie pan... the non-disposable kind.

Continuity: In the same scene where Brooks is hanging himself, he carves his name and he is almost eye level with the spot where he is carving his name. The place where the rope is tied is lower. How come when he finishes carving his name he stretches to put the rope on? It is lower than where he was carving his name.

Continuity: When the warden shoots himself, he places the gun on the middle of his neck but when we see him lying there the bullet hole is now on the left side. (This is corrected on the tenth anniversary edition. The director also confirms this change on the DVD commentary.)