The Green Mile(1999)
"Paul Edgecomb didn't believe in miracles. Until the day he met one."
Overview
A supernatural tale set on death row in a Southern prison, where gentle giant John Coffey possesses the mysterious power to heal people's ailments. When the cell block's head guard, Paul Edgecomb, recognizes Coffey's miraculous gift, he tries desperately to help stave off the condemned man's execution.
Frank Darabont
Director
Frank Darabont
Screenplay
Top Billed Cast
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Official Trailer
Trailer
Del's Execution is Sabotaged
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10 Minute Preview
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Behind the Scenes | Walking the Mile
Behind the Scenes
Michael Clarke Duncan's Screen Test
Behind the Scenes
Stephen King: Storyteller
Featurette
Deleted Scene: Bitterbuck's Family Says Goodbye
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The Magic of The Mile
Behind the Scenes
Footage: Tom Hanks Screen Test
Behind the Scenes
Documentary: The Tail of Mr. Jingles
Behind the Scenes
The Art of Adaptation
Behind the Scenes
Frank Darabont on casting Michael Clarke Duncan in THE GREEN MILE
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Michael Clarke Duncan Thanks Tom Hanks
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Written on April 8, 2024
The head Death Row guard at a Tennessee prison during the Depression (Tom Hanks) observes a new inmate, a black man named John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), who is condemned to death for the rape and murder of two little girls. He and his fellow guards become intrigued by the gentle giant and conclude that there's no way he could be guilty of the crime. Who, then, is guilty? And will the guilty party get away with it.
"The Green Mile" expertly mixes film genres: It's part prison flick, part supernatural mystery and part drama. It was adapted from Stephen King's novel by director/writer Frank Darabont and released in 1999. If you're not an admirer of Stephen King books/films (I'm not), DON'T let that deter you from viewing this beautiful and spiritually-profound film; it's by no means a typical horror story, although it does have a couple of horrific scenes.
Running 3-hours, it's over my limited attention span, and yet it's somehow utterly engrossing, even on repeat viewings. It's character/dialogue driven, unique and unpredictable. Don't mistake this for a run-of-the-mill prison flick. The fact that it largely takes place in a prison in the 1930s is a secondary issue. This is a powerful supernatural mystery/drama.
**SPOILER ALERT** (Don't read this next paragraph unless you want to consider possibilities about the character John Coffey)
John Coffey's last name is, evidently, derived from an ancient Sumerian word, kophi, which means "winged creature." Hence, John could be viewed as a angel or messenger from the Almighty. Actually, John is a type of Jesus Christ verified in six ways: (1) His initials are JC. (2) He's good-hearted and can easily recognize true evil. (3) He miraculously heals people. (4) He pronounces and executes divine judgment. (5) He is sacrificed even though completely innocent. And (6) He offers eternal life (in a sense), as evidenced by the extended life-span of the Hanks character and the mouse "Mr. Jingles."
**End SPOILER ALERT**
Don't miss out on this cinematic masterpiece.
