So who do we thank most, King, the books writer or Darabont, the screenplay/director?
This is Darabont's second adaptation of a Stephen King prison tale (the first being 1994's flawless THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION). It is very hopeful, and has a strong hint of the supernatural, albeit almost religious. An Innocent man, who has performed miracles, is now hated by almost all, is put to death for a crime he didn’t commit. His name is John Coffey, get it, his initials are JC. So did King do this on purpose?
The movie should have won an academy award for best picture. Its far superior to American Beauty, but in politics, as in life, sometimes the best comes in last.
It almost seems that either King or Darabont, or both, had Hanks in mind to play our “hero” Paul Edgecomb, as hanks plays this character marvelously becoming the movies superb storyteller. Flashbacks from the present to the past are numerous, and help with this incredible story. Its not so much about the death penalty as it is about society. There is a lot of evil in 1935, and even more now. I view the “gnats” or whatever they are that John Coffey controls so well as the Devil or evil, and again, the analogies to JC are all over.
The film is long, just over 3 hours, although I viewed it on DVD, and was able to take breaks. And I had previously read the book, so I kinda has a good idea of what was coming.
Hanks plays Paul the head guard in cellblock “E”, the “Green Mile”, now called Death Row, as the hallway leading to the death chamber is “lime green”. The means of death back then is “old Sparky”, the electric chair, and boy, don’t ever forget to have some good “electrolytes” or all “Hell” may break loose if you try to use “old Sparky”.
There is lots of good vs. evil.
We have the good guards, David Morse as Brutus Howell, Barry Pepper as Dean Stanton, and Jeffrey DeMunn as Harry Terwilliger. They add a touch of humanity and kindness in their treatment of the inmates on death row.
We have the bad folks, devils, Doug Hutchinson as Percy Wetmore, one devil of a guard, and
Sam Rockwell as Wild Bill Wharton, the true villain of the film.
Oh yes, lets not forget the incredibly great performance by Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey. He is John Coffey, and this character seemed written for Mr. Duncan.
In the end, Coffey, personifying good, and Percy, the devil incarnate, each meet their deserved fates.
THE GREEN MILE
Genre: Drama/thriller/horror
Rating: R
Running time: 180 minutes
Released by: Castle Rock Entertainment and Warner Brothers
Written and directed by Frank Darabont (“The Shawshank Redemption”); based on the novel by Stephen King.
Starring Tom Hanks (Paul Edgecomb), David Morse (Brutus Howell), Bonnie Hunt (Jan Edgecomb), Michael Clarke Duncan (John Coffey), James Cromwell (Warden Hal Moores), Michael Jeter (Eduard Delacroix), Graham Greene (Arlen Bitterbuck), Doug Hutchison (Percy Wetmore), Sam Rockwell (Wild Bill Wharton), Barry Pepper (Dean Stanton), Jeffrey DeMunn (Harry Terwilliger), Patricia Clarkson (Melinda Moores) and Harry Dean Stanton (Toot-Toot).
Prison guards prepare for the execution of an innocent man who holds a secret. A man of towering height and girth, the wrongly accused man has a power...More at HotMovieSale.com
Miracles happen in unexpected places, even in the death-row cellblock at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. There John Coffey, a gentle giant of a prisoner w...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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