THE GREEN MILE
US, 1999, 189 minutes, Colour.
Tom Hanks, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Cromwell, Michael Jeter, Graham Greene, Doug Hutchison, Sam Rockwell, Barry Pepper, Jeffrey De Munn, Patricia Clarkson, Harry Dean Stanton, Dabbs Greer, Eve Brent, William Sadler, Bill Mc Kinney, Gary Sinise.
Directed by Frank Darabont.
The Green Mile is based on a Stephen King story, adapted by Frank Darabont who also adapted another King prison story for the screen, The Shawshank Redemption. The movie and Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey were nominated for Oscars.
With Tom Hanks at the centre of the movie, the screenplay highlights basic American decency but shows how it can be compromised within the prison system. While warden Paul Edgecomb is compassionate, he feels that he did not do enough to save John Coffey, especially when he found that he was innocent. Coffey had also healed him.
Michael Clarke Duncan is both a powerful and a childlike giant presence - with those evocative initials, J.C. David Morse leads a strong supporting cast, especially Edgecomb's guard team, with Doug Hutchison as the repellent Percy.
At the end of 1999, there were a number of movies which had healings and/or miracles at their centre: Jesus' Son, The Third Miracle, The End of the Affair, Whatever Happened to Harold Smith. The Green Mile places the miracles in the context of a marginalised and misjudged man, the object of hatred and prejudice, who dies an innocent.
1. The title? Execution and capital punishment? The issue of the 1930s? For changes in the 20th century?
2. The period, the look, uniforms, prison garb, the Gothic looking buildings, the cells, the yards? Homes? The songs of the period? The Top Hat clip, the musical score?
3. The prologue, the 1990s, a home for the elderly, Paul and his presence, age, the group watching television, the objections to the modern shows, the excerpt from Top Hat, evoking Paul’s memories? His talking with Elaine? Telling her the story, going for the walk, to the old hut, the memories, his being 108, the old mouse? His living on? Her funeral?
4. The structure of the screenplay, three acts: the first act, the prison, the staff and the work, the pursuit in the woods, John Coffey, the other prisoners, Paul with his bladder infection? The mouse and everybody intrigued, Mr J all angles, the warden and his ill wife, the film establishing the characters and their interactions? The second act: executions, Arlen Bitterbuck, the rehearsals, blindfold, headgear, the wet sponge and its purpose for the shock, the pulling of the switch? The time, the announcement of guilt? Del, the episode with the mouse, performing for the staff? The arrival of wild Bill Wharton? Percy and his presence, antagonism? The execution, Percy and his sadism? The horror of the execution? The third act, the focus on John Coffey, his healing abilities, his execution?
5. The warden, his sick wife, his presence, friendship with Paul and the staff, his reaction to Percy and the harsh execution,
6. John Coffey, the initial hunt, his being captured, the dead girls, the anguish of their father? John Coffey as be, black, limited intelligence? His arrival at the prison, heavy on the truck, in chains, Paul releasing him? Percy and his antagonism, dead men walking? The gentle giant, in the cell, his manner of speaking, wanting the light, his healing Paul, his fascination with Mr Jangles, bring him back to life, his wanting to help? His being taken to see the warden’s wife, the encounter, absorbing her tumour, the return? Percy and his antagonism? John Coffey back in his cell, holding Paul’s arm, communicating the story of the murders, Wharton and his killing the girls? His going to his execution, planning of the meal, Paul’s wife and the cornbread, accepting his death, no cloth, staying in the light, the pulling of the switch? His dead body?
7. Paul, a Tom Hanks role, age, love his wife, Jan? Devoted to his work, supervising the executions, his bond with the fellow staff men, the antagonism of Percy, Toot- Toot and his work in the prison, for the execution rehearsals, his singing and chant, screening the film? His attitude towards the prisoners, towards Bitterbuck, towards Del, the episode with the mouse, the men liking the mouse, searching for it, feeding it? The experience of the executions? Paul and his infection, John Coffey curing him? The idea for the warden, having the men to lunch, his reaction to Percy killing the mouse, John Coffey reviving it? The plan, Wharton being drugged, Percy and the straitjackets in the dark, going to the house, the encounter with the warden’s wife, the tumour, the swearing, her reaction to John Coffey, his healing her, her tranquility and giving him the St Christopher medal?
8. Brutus/Brutal, the loyal second in charge, wanting to exercise some violence on troublesome prisoners, Dean Stanton, younger, family, more compassionate, weeping at the final execution? Harry Terwilliger, loyal, his role in the prison?
9. Percy, young, obnoxious, his political connections, arrogant, attitude towards the men, the rehearsal of the execution, his wanting to be upfront? His reaction to the mouse, searching for it? Despising Del and the mouse? His squashing it? His reaction to its revival? His behaviour at the execution, not wetting the sponge, the disaster of the execution? Paul’s reaction, not putting in a complaint? The later treatment, the straitjacket, in the dark? Percy and his provocation, shooting Wharton? John Coffey, breathing the tumour into Percy? His collapse, going to the institution?
10. Paul, his visit to John Coffey’s lawyer, the discussions about guilt, the analogy of the family mongrel dog and its destroying his sons eye?
11. Jan, love for Paul, the infection, the cure, the bond between them, her supporting the warden’s wife, their visit to her? Supporting the mission to heal her?
12. The mouse, the group fostering it, feeding it, Del and his tricks with the cotton reel, Percy and his vengeance? The revival? Del and his demonstration to the staff? The horror of his execution, the shock, the burning, the reaction of the people, the smell, the harsh and death?
13. Wharton, his arrival, pretending to be drugged, his attack on the men, fighting, overpowered, his spitting on Paul, squirting the cake on Brutus? Continually provocative? The tranquilizing and his eventual collapse? His mockery, his being shot?
14. Stephen King story, a prison story, a story of compassion?
